Level of education: I earned a Bachelor's in Linguistics and a Master's in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin.

Additional skills or certifications: CPR & First Aid Certified. I have a large center Director's License from the State of Colorado.

Experience: I have 4 years of full time nanny experience with children aged 2 months to 2 years, 8 years experience as a teacher and caregiver in an infant room, 2 years as a 2-3 year old teacher, and 2 years as a paraprofessional working with children aged 5-13. I have been babysitting since age 13. Starting in grad school, I took on extra work as household help for a few different families, doing things like running errands, taking care of the laundry, and of course, child care. I became a full time nanny for 2 years after grad school, and then took a little hiatus to attend law school for a while. That didn't work out, and I soon moved back to Colorado (where I grew up) and started working in an infant room. I was there for the better part of 10 years, taking a year off to care for my son when he was born. I then returned to full time nannying, where I had the opportunity to work on goals with Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapists. This led to 2 years as a paraprofessional, where I learned from a great team about the importance of building relationships. . I have experience with both caring for and teaching children aged birth to 13. I have done everything from changing diapers and potty training to tutoring Algebra. The majority of my experience is with infants and toddlers, and that is where I feel my skills really shine, but I enjoy working with children of all ages. I have an 11 year old son and a 9 year old step daughter at home, and they teach me new things every day.

Experience with the following age groups: Infant through school age.

Interests and hobbies:I enjoy reading, cooking healthy meals with my family, and making improvements to my home. I absolutely love sharing these interests with young children by reading with them and working on simple cooking projects. My absolute favorite thing to do is travel with my kids, and look forward to taking that back up when COVID is past.

Describe your childcare style:I believe in honoring each child as the individual they are. Each child brings their unique experiences and personality to any relationship they form, and I work to support their growth from where they are. My goal is to establish a strong, trusting relationship with each child and family in my care. I try to model kind and gentle behavior and to listen to what even the youngest children are telling me.

What activities do you like to do with children:This obviously depends on the child's age, but my goal as a child care provider is to provide children with a safe base from which to explore the world. With the youngest children, this includes singing songs, reading short and interactive books, encouraging developing skills, and making caregiving tasks such as feeding and hygiene learning experiences. As children get older, I enjoy expanding their worlds from the house into the community (in non-COVID times, of course). I love taking children to the library, splashing in kiddie pools in the backyard, exploring local parks, and finding new and fun ways to explore their developing interests.

Why are you interested in working as a Nanny or Babysitter? There is nothing I love more than seeing the world through a child's eyes. Working with young children has taught me to appreciate everyday objects and experiences in a new way. Some of my favorite memories are of times a kiddo taught me a valuable lesson, and working with kids in such an involved and personal capacity allows me to grow as a person every day.

What qualities are important in a Nanny or Babysitter?I think the most important qualities in a nanny are patience, consistency, and a desire to do a little bit better every day.

Additional comments:I look forward to meeting your wonderful family!