What to Expect

My Philosophies

  • My main focus is building a relationship with your child based on mutual respect. I communicate with them honestly and with developmentally-appropriate language. I empathize with them and validate their feelings. I connect and engage with them throughout the day, and celebrate their individuality.

  • The kids and I collaborate to set boundaries to keep everyone safe. I use positive reinforcement and natural consequences as my main forms of discipline. I also try to avoid any arbitrary rules and allow the kids to learn through their own experiences (as long as they aren’t at risk of serious injury).

  • I’m here for you! Some families only need a few hours of trustworthy care every now and then. Others are looking for a long-term addition to their parenting team. I totally appreciate that every family has different needs, and those needs change. We’ll work together to determine how I can best support your family.

  • I embrace principles from both Montessori & Regio Emilia education philosophies. I prepare our environment in a way that encourages natural curiosity and independence. I allow the children to develop naturally and structure activities that support their interests. The children are active participants in all of our daily tasks.

  • Once your child is no longer taking an afternoon nap, we’ll start using our afternoon time to work on some school readiness skills. I try to focus on phonics, pre-writing activities, sight words, and simple math concepts such as counting and addition.

  • I use screen time intentionally. I will usually allow kids over the age of 18 months to watch 15 - 30 mins of a read-aloud (usually Vooks on YouTube) after lunch while I clean up from the morning. Older kids that have dropped their afternoon nap will usually be allowed an additional 30-45 minutes of screen time during quiet time before we start our preschool activities. We usually watch Numberblocks or Alphablocks on YouTube. If you’d like me to limit screen time further, please let me know!

FAQs

What should I send with my child?

Please send your child with the following items:

  • Back-up outfits

  • Formula / breastmilk if needed

  • Sleep necessities (sleep sack, pacifiers, comfort item, etc.)

  • Weather-appropriate attire (If the “feels like” temperature is between 15-90 degrees (F), we will try to get outside to play. Please send appropriate snow gear, swimsuits, rain boots, etc.)

I supply diapers, whole milk, lunch, & snacks for the children. I provide appropriate sleep spaces for the children, and keep back-ups of all items to use as needed. You’re welcome to send specific items if you prefer I use your own.

What do you feed the kids?

I offer the kids a variety of food groups throughout the day. Below are a few examples of foods that I may offer:

  • AM Snack: yogurt, fruit, cheese, toast, smoothies, eggs, pancakes, oatmeal

  • Lunch: soup, sandwiches, pasta w/ chicken or meatballs, vegetables, bean or chicken quesadillas

  • PM Snack: fruit, cheese, crackers, granola bars, raw veggies

We will occasionally have treats to celebrate special days (birthdays, last day of nanny care, holidays, etc.). I try to choose treats that are low-sugar, but sometimes we splurge. If you’d like me to limit sugar or other ingredients, please let me know!

What does a typical day look like?

I provide as much structure to our days as possible, but we all learn to be adaptable to meet everyone’s needs. A typical day tends to look like this:

  • 9:30am - arrival & AM snack

  • 10:00am - community outing or free play

  • 12:00pm - lunch

  • 12:30pm - screen time

  • 1:00pm - quiet time / school prep

  • 2:30pm - wake up & gross motor activity

  • 3:00pm - PM snack

  • 3:30pm - circle time / stories

  • 4:00pm - depart for home

If your child is taking more than one nap, I’ll work with you individually to discuss a tentative daily schedule! I joke that I have a Ph.D. in rolling with the punches; I promise we can make any schedule work!

I try to get us out of the house at least 2-3 times per week; most often we visit a playground or attend story time at the library, but occasionally we’ll plan something special. Click here to see my list of favorite play places! We also regularly meet for playdates with some of my friends who are nannies, teachers, and/or parents. It’s important to me that the kids gain confidence interacting with a wide variety of people in a wide variety of settings.

How do you communicate with families?

I use a shared Google Photos album to upload pictures of the kids throughout the day. I also use a shared Google Calendar to coordinate our schedules. I primarily communicate with parents through text. Invoices are sent via Quickbooks and can be paid via debit card, ACH, or venmo.

How does transportation work?

I have a minivan and large collection of car seats to accommodate the kids. If I am providing transportation for your child, we will determine a 15-minute pick-up window and a 15-minute drop-off window. For our community outings, we usually stay within 30 minutes of the city, but will occasionally travel further in the warmer months. We will never drive more than an hour from the city without prior parent permission. Please review the Inclement Weather policy.

What is your sick policy?

Please review all Terms of Service prior to your first day of childcare.

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