Hope Skinner, founder Nanny Shecando

How To Make An Anzac Poppy Wreath

(Anzac Day Easy Kids Craft) On April 25^th, we remember all the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to fight for our country. Talking about ANZAC Day with young children who won’t fully understand can be difficult. We focused more of our discussions on the sacrifices and heroism of the ANZACs so that we could live freely, rather than the focal point of the many who died or suffered.

We spoke about poppies and what they represent and decided to make a wreath to hang on the front door. We used all recyclable materials found around the house.

>>> How To Make A Paper Anzac Poppy Wreath

Ages: 3+ with assistance for cutting
Time: prep – 30 minutes, assembling – 15 minutes

You’ll Need:

Egg carton
Tissue paper
Red paint
Black buttons
Clear dry glue
Sheet of cardboard
Scissors

To Make:

1. Cut the egg carton into individual sections.

2. Paint the inside and outside of each section and allow to dry.

3. Draw and cut out a large ring from the sheet of cardboard and paint red.

4. To make the poppies look a bit ‘softer’ we lined & glued the cartons with tissue paper cut into small squares.

5. Place a black button with a drop of glue on the inside of each section of carton and leave to dry.

6. Glue each poppy around the cardboard ring, creating a wreath.

Talking about #ANZACDAY can be difficult with children. Focus on the teachable moments #nannylife

Click To Tweet

Notes:

This is a great activity to let the kids get some cutting practice and hand-eye coordination. Kids love cutting things and it helps children to develop their fine motor skills. In steps 1, 3, and 4, make sure the children use safe scissors and that you’re constantly supervising. Remember to cut in a direction away from your body and always be seated whilst cutting.

We will remember them.

>>> Do you talk about sensitive issues with young children?
See you on Sunday at the dawn service. #lestweforget

________

Olivia is a career nanny of 5 years and craft extraordinaire. Having travelled Australia working with many families, Olivia now resides in Sydney and cares for 7 children aged 15 months to 1o years old. Craft + diy activities feature prominently in their daily schedule. You can follow Olivia on instagram {@oliviasfoster} for crafty ideas and activities.

Infant Sleep Consultant: Amelia Seymour

Meet Amelia Seymour, professional infant sleep consultant. Today I’m introducing you to Amelia, she’s joining the regular lineup on NANNY SHECANDO to share her expert infant sleep advice. Whether you’re a career nanny working with infants, or a sleep deprived mum desperate for the answers to achieving decent night’s sleep, Amelia will do her best to share her wisdom. We took a moment with Amelia to learn more about her career and philosophies on being a sleep coach.

________

Amelia Seymour: My career as a nanny was forged from a strong desire not to follow in my parent’s footsteps, and also as a result of returning to the Australian country. I spent several years working on rural stations in Central Queensland with a mixture of ages. During this time, organisation and routine were critical and the close bonds shared by all members of the rural community intrigued me.

In an effort to find ways to recreate this support network within the modern city lifestyle I stumbled across the Secure Parenting framework, a philosophy that fits beautifully with my own beliefs. The stark contrast between this model and the well known cry it out methods used to teach self settling became my biggest battle.

I was determined to find a solution that incorporated the positives of attachment parenting with the organisation and routine of infant schedules. A great deal of research and personal experience volunteering with families from the multiple births association followed and my role in infant sleep was born.

What steps did you take to collect such extensive knowledge, experience and expertise?

I’m really fortunate that within my role I have the opportunity to chase after and learn about something that I am so passionate about. The best way to describe the personal development aspect is to consider a circle model; around that circle are 3 major areas.

1. Research

The first, Research, is born out of that immense passion and involves staying at the forefront of infant mental health, sleep and nutrition. It’s not enough for me to know that something works. I want to find out why; the scientist in me craves the logical, evidence-based answer. As a result you’re more likely to find me pouring over scientific journals on a night shift than reading the latest fad sleep book.

2. Professional Development

As much as this research is invaluable, the downside is it is written by scientists for other scientists/health professionals so usually doesn’t have a great deal of real life application. One of the most effective ways to bridge the gap between research studies and real life is through professional development courses. When I come across a technique or study I am interested in, I then start contacting the authors in the hopes of discovering how they intend to apply the results in practice. Sometimes you catch a lucky break and there is a course aimed at parents/professionals, most of these are in the form of international webinars and are extremely helpful tools.

3. Practice + Implementation

Finally it’s time to take what you have learnt and put it into practice. I have to take a moment here and say a huge thank you to the Australia Multiple Births Association and the families who have allowed me into their homes in a volunteer capacity. It is a result of their generosity that I have been able to gain a wide variety of experience with challenging cases. In addition to regular sleep clients, my work with AMBA allows me to seek out specific situations and build experience with conditions requiring a unique approach that I may not come across regularly.

If I could give one piece of advice to those starting out in this field, get in touch with your local club, log some volunteer hours and search for the cases that you don’t have instant answers for. Your time will be greatly appreciated and you will learn far more being hands on with a difficult case than you ever will from a book.

Philosophy when working with bubs and families for sleep training assistance?

My initial response would be to say I disagree with the phrase “sleep training”, to me it conjures up an image of an army officer barking to his recruits to train harder, work faster or in this case sleep better. Sure we have all had moments where we scream to the heavens and beg our children to go to sleep, but is the forceful training mentality really the way you want to accomplish this?

I like to think of sleep consultants in more of a coaching role, I don’t want to step in and solve the problem for you, but I do want to motivate you and set you up so that your goals are more easily attained. I want to work with you to find the best fit for your family and yes in some cases that means educating and problem solving with you, but in just as many my role is to support and motivate you.

Do you have a particular method or book that you follow?

No not really, whilst there are a few basic components that make up any sleep program, I find far more success when the family comes together with me to develop a plan that uniquely suits them.

Do you mostly work with little bubs or older children as well?

The majority of my work is aimed at children under the age of 2. Once verbal language and comprehension are significantly developed the approach needs to change dramatically to address this. Rather than attempt to stay on top of a wider range of techniques and research for older children I prefer to provide a more specialised service for infants.

Would you call yourself a baby whisperer?

No, again I have to say that a sleep program is a team effort between the family and yourself. One of the biggest things to remember is whilst you have experience and training, with this child you are brand new, and there is no one in the world that is going to know that child better than their parents. They are your biggest resource, tap into that!

How do you balance providing support with delivering key info to fatigued parents?

This is so dependent on the individual situation but I would say it is definitely skewed on the encouragement/support end of the spectrum. Most sleep programs will work if applied consistently and many parents just need the encouragement, support and education to commit wholeheartedly to an approach.

What’s the typical process for a sleep consult?

I usually start by giving the family an intake questionnaire that covers everything from their child’s day, to their parenting philosophy, their goals and what they have tried previously to address the issue. This may be in the form of an in house visit or phone chat but is usually done via email and gives me a great snapshot into their situation at present. From here they will go away and complete a few days of sleep logs before I visit for a few hours to observe and develop a sleep plan.

For many families a plan combined with regular communication and reassessment is enough, for others a more hands on, supportive approach is needed. If additional assistance is required I would usually start with a half day or night shift that assists parents to implement the plan and covers the various contingencies when things don’t work immediately. From this point follow up support is critical and I would arrange for sleep logs to be sent to me until the goals are met, along with daily follow up calls or emails for the first week, and as required for the next 2-3 weeks.

Do you have a mentor or fellow expert to discuss methods or scenarios with?

I’m a member of several sleep consulting/maternity nurse groups and associations that allow me the opportunity to learn from others and bounce around ideas. I have a lot of respect for these people who are working hard to develop and educate parents about a holistic approach to sleep.

Your top tip for a first time mum with a newborn?

No one in the world knows your baby better than you and your partner, trust your instincts and be proactive about asking for help.

>>> Do you have a question for Amelia?
Email in your question or leave a comment and Amelia will answer your questions in her regular Infant Sleep Column.

Earth Day Craft Projects

This week we started a new tradition; we’re annually celebrating Earth Day in the park! We enjoyed a picnic morning tea, followed by some messy fun craft as well as bird, insect, and animal spotting with our toilet-roll binoculars.

We talked about why we celebrate Earth Day while sketching in our nature journals. We spoke about the basics of recycling, compost, water and electricity wastage as well as keeping our earth clean by disposing our rubbish correctly. Today I’m sharing 2 of the crafts we enjoyed doing for Earth Day!

>>> Mud Painting In The Park

Ages: 3 years & under
Time: prep – a long time, assembling – as long as you like

This activity was a hit with my two little-ones. It’s not every day we head to the park with a backpack of paint and paper! It took a lot of prep and organisation but it was well worth it!

You’ll Need:

Card Stock
Paint
Paper plates
Dirt & water
Sticks, leaves, feathers, rocks etc
Wipes
Paper towel
Plastic bag (for rubbish)

To Make:

1. Collect sticks and leaves to mix and paint with.

2. On a paper plate, mix paint, dirt and water until smooth.

3. Paint away! Use your hands, sticks, leaves &/or feathers etc

4. Hold paper down with rocks in the sun & allow to dry.

Tips:

> Have water, wipes and paper towel ready as this did get super messy once hands were involved!

> Have a plastic bag close by to dispose of dirty wipes and paper plates.

> Kill drying time by having a morning tea/lunch picnic or sketch what you can see through homemade binoculars.

> Keep one clean paper plate to stack any damp pictures on for the walk home.

Encourage your kids to conserve and protect our environment #EarthDay #earthdaycrafts #kidsactivities

Click To Tweet

>>> Printing With Nature

Ages: 4 years & over
Time: prep – 20-45 mins, assembling – 15 mins

I encouraged my school age nanny-kids to join in on the Earth Day craft projects and celebrations with this fun printing activity using leaves & plants from the front & backyard. We went on a hunt, collecting different shaped, sized and textured leaves we thought would work well to print with.

You’ll Need:

Paper (White)
Poster paint (Black)
Sponge rollers
Leaves/flowers/sticks/feathers etc

To Make:

1. Using the sponge roller, roll paint over the leaves, applying pressure onto the paper. For best results, use both sides of the leaves.

To follow on from this, we plan on creating a Nature Book – laminating the leaves we used to print with to the back of each page.

For more fun crafts, check out these 3D Wall Art Letters and this DIY Baby Sensory Board.

It’s not every day we head to the park with a backpack of paint and paper! #EarthDay #nannylife

Click To Tweet

Lead by example and encourage your kids to conserve and protect our environment, because after all, they are the future. Happy Crafting!

>>> Have you experimented using nature as craft materials?

________

5 Easy Ways To Exercise At Home With kids

With winter looming quickly for us Southern Hemisphere residents, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to manage the work/life balance in the nanny life. Because I for one know with certainty that you won’t be seeing me out pounding the pavement at 4.30am when it’s cold and raining out. Just not going to happen. But I do know how important it is to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle during the winter months, if not for the sake of fitting into my skinny jeans, but for my mental health. Thanks Abby for sharing these exercise tips, I’ll be taking notes!

5 Easy Ways To Exercise At Home With Kids Whilst Nannying

(For When You’re Really Not In The Mood) After working long hours, sometimes the last thing I want to do is go to the gym. During those times, Netflix and yoga pants are my best friends and the treadmill and battle ropes are more foe than friend.

But the truth is, we still need to exercise. It’s important for our health and wellbeing, and it keeps us happy and patient with kids whilst working long hours. So on those long tiring days, how can you sneak in some exercise?

The most obvious way to get in some exercise is by taking the kids out for a walk. Depending on the ages you care for, you could even take the jogging stroller out and pound the pavement. But, what if it’s winter and you’re caring for three hyperactive children?

Here are 5 sneaky yet easy ways to exercise at home with kids (even when you’re not in the mood) so that you can feel less guilty about those full-fat mochas.

1. Calf raises

Calf raises is an activity you can do when preparing lunch, or whilst helping the kids with their homework.

2. Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are an easy way to work your quads, hamstrings, glutes and core. Do you need to get a book from the top shelf? Add a little jump in between. Make sure you have enough room. When you’re down in the lunge, use your hamstrings (or thighs) and spring up, quickly landing on the opposite leg, or the leg that was just behind your body and bring it to the front. This is an easy activity to do wherever you have the space. My charge drinks water like a fish so I’m always doing these as I go back and forth to the refrigerator.

3. Wall Sit

How often do you find yourself with an extra 30 seconds through the day? While we as nannies are incredibly busy, I’m sure you’d have an extra 30 seconds (or even 15) more often than you’d think. For this exercise all you need to do is find a wall with enough room and a clear space. Put your back against the wall and then slide down so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. This exercise is easier if your feet are shoulder width apart and your knees don’t go over your toes. Hold it for as long as you can. If the burn gets to be too much, straighten your legs to break up the build-up of lactic acid and get right back to it!

4. Get up on your feet

Instead of sitting down with the kids while they’re doing an activity, stand. Smithsonian Mag says that there is a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and a reduced risk of obesity for the people who are active and on their feet more than those who sat at a desk. Even though we’re nannies and constantly on our feet, it still helps to take advantage of those times where we can make a more active and healthier choice.

5. Make use of nap-time

If you happen to enjoy a glorious naptime hour, you should use to your advantage. Nap-time could be an hour of uninterrupted exercise. Providing it actually happens of course. Clear a space in the living room or playroom. If you can go online, pull up different exercises on YouTube or go to the health and fitness page on pinterest. From there it’s very easy to find some short exercises that you can do whilst your charges are snoozing.

Not limited to home workouts? Here’s 8 more ways to squeeze exercise into your day with kids.

Yes, as nannies we’re busy. We’re busy on our feet, lifting kids, chasing kids, preparing bottles, dancing to Raffi. We’re with our charges for so many hours of the day that it’s easy to lose count. However, given we’re with our charges for such a major part of their early upbringing, we have the unique opportunity of being able to influence their actions, and also to be seen as a positive example.

Whilst your kids are doing an activity, stand don’t sit. Do a jumping jack. #exercise #nannylife

Click To Tweet

We can show them that even when the hours get busy, it’s important to make exercise part of the routine. Many of these things are easier said than done, however even if you’re able to put just a little bit into your day it will make you feel a lot better than if you didn’t, and that’s a guarantee!

>>> How do you squeeze in exercise at home with the kids?

original image photo credit Lorna Jane

__________

Abby Sneddon is a professional U.S based nanny. She currently works with two gorgeous toddlers in a nanny share arrangement and has a professional background in private Montessori preschools. Abby believes the best way to teach a child is to lead by example and carries this notion through every aspect when it comes to health, wellbeing and fitness, raising well-developed children, and education. Abby blogs at The Nap Time Nanny.

Interview: Anna Greenwood + Natural Choice Nannies

Today we’re chatting with Anna Greenwood of Natural Choice Nannies for the nanny spotlight. Based in Cairns, Australia, Anna’s nanny agency is established with the family’s best interests in mind. Incorporated within the business structure, Anna implements learning strategies to assist nannies, children, and families to achieve the best possible childcare solution for the individual requirements. A professional career nanny herself, Anna chats about her experience in childcare services and shares top tips for the career minded nanny looking to really raise the bar.

________

Anna Greenwood
Owner + Founder: Natural Choice Nannies
Cairns, Australia
www.naturalchoicenannies.com

Tell us about you and your nanny agency

I want to provide an ongoing supportive network for nannies and families to rely on for professional services. I want to include more activities such as Natural Choice Kids Club and Natural choice kids yoga to help children nurture their well-being at home. My aim is to inform the public about how learning in the home environment with a professional nanny is a benefit for working families.

Our aim is to apply a Learn, Play and Grow philosophy where possible. We do this by delivering innovative, and environmentally minded child care activities. These activities are aimed at helping children stay happy, while they learn through play about how to care for their environment. I am committed to providing quality candidate screening and ethical practices, in referral of candidates to families. We have also adopted the Standards for In Home Care from the Department of Education and Training to ensure we provide quality home based care that is of a national standard.

And you have a background in children’s services and childcare?

I studied my certificate III in children’s services at Lifetime International College on the Gold Coast. I also have a certificate III in micro business management. I have been working in childcare centres since 2010. Before that I worked in visual merchandising and retail management. I also travelled to England for five years in my early twenties and I’ve now resided in Cairns since 2011. I originally began working as a casual nanny, making it my full-time career in 2013.

You were a group leader in preschool before becoming a nanny? What was that experience like compared with nannying and doing more one-on-one work?

It was a very demanding position, but I really enjoyed working with the children. It was a very lively and active room as you can imagine with 24 children each day. I had a great assistant and together we made it work. It was quite challenging that I couldn’t spend quality time with each child throughout the day, but the style was more of a constant group input. For me personally I love being a nanny as it has enabled me to get that quality time for each child which I love. I also find that socially the children in my care do well because we can have one on one conversations and communication, as well as being able to finish learning activities without much disruption.

Tell us about Natural Choice Nannies

I started the agency in 2013 when I was lucky enough to receive some business mentoring. I began to research more about the industry from an agency perspective, although I felt a bit lost to begin with due to the nature of being at present an unregulated industry. Joining the Australian Nanny Association provided the grounding I needed to ensure my agency was meeting industry best practice.

During my research I was interested to learn that my main market was in fact not predominately wealthy families who could “afford high nanny costs”, but actually shift working families who needed non-traditional childcare arrangements. To meet these demands, we began to offer location-based nannies, before and after school care and nanny share, an innovative and financially sustainable solution for working families, where we ‘match make’ families to share the cost of childcare.

Do you feel that your career as a nanny allows you to run your agency more seamlessly, identifying with both the nannies and the families?

It is a busy schedule for me, working as a nanny and also developing the business. I know the role of the nanny very well and have been through many different situations and learning environments, so I do feel that I can give the best professional advice possible.

What makes your agency unique?

In my area, my competitors predominantly cater to the holiday market whereas my clients tend to be local residents. I aim to fit the gap where the childcare system fails to do so, ensuring I stay informed of the current trends within the nanny sector. I like to communicate with my clients and nannies about any changes or information within the industry.

The challenges you’ve faced during your career and business setup?

As a nanny – the most important challenge is finding the balance between keeping children, parents and myself happy, varying learning activities and ideas while also ensuring I provide a good standard of care.
As an Agency – it’s about finding the right nanny to fit the right family. I look for nannies that take ownership of their roles. It’s also about training nannies to think within a career mindset. Professional nannies introduce learning activities that are play based and provide best care practices at work. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself at work, being proud and making the most of your job!

Top tip for running a small business?

Coffee! Exercise too and mini breaks away. You need to change the scenery. Avoid being stagnant when you start going around in circles. (Oh yes I can agree to this!) Your attitude can change when you’re feeling stale and it reflects in your phone and email manner as well as general work performance. Most importantly, know your market and industry. Don’t isolate yourself from the bigger issues and the bigger picture. It can take the weight off your shoulders.

What’s your take on the Australian nanny industry + community?

I’m really feeling the growth from the Australian nanny community of late. Associations like the ANA and industry forums are really helping to put a voice to the sector, and of course the nanny industry has really been in the spotlight lately. I even had a parent just recently offer to write a letter on behalf of Natural Choice Nannies to be published by the ANA highlighting why they needed a nanny rebate. The fact is we love what we do and that in itself creates change.

How would you like to see the industry evolve?

To see nannies recognise themselves as professionals. Gone are the unqualified and inexperienced babysitting days. Our job is so important looking after children, so I believe an hourly rate should reflect this. I believe it is also our role as an agency to help train and evaluate nannies on the job. With more funding this is possible. I would like to see families that need a nanny, benefit with government assistance in the future to help support their household productivity.

Does the Cert III as it stands present a viable program for nannies?

The Cert III in children’s services is a good introduction to childcare in general, but not completely specific to nannies. Nannies need topics that apply to working within a home environment and taking excursions. Nannies are self motivated and set up activities based on their own resources. Often feedback is not available as you are working on your own. Things like starting a nanny reflection diary or having a conversation with a ‘nanny group,’ your parent or agent is healthy practice, and this should be included as a specific unit for nannies.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

Doing yoga, or swimming. Being pregnant means I haven’t been out much in the heat of the day. I like going to the botanical gardens where it’s shady or driving up to Kuranda to look at the water falls or do a rain forest walk.

Favourite thing to do with kids whilst out and about?

I’ve done a lot of work in northern beaches area of Cairns, I love the parks, where it’s shady and we can set out a picnic mat. Sometimes I pack a bag of toys or lunch. It’s great to let kids out of the home environment now and again and be with nature. It’s also fun exploring playgrounds together and helping practice their gross motor skills. We get to some cafes occasionally especially on the beach side, where we can sit out and enjoy the view. When am working in town however, the Esplanade is probably the best spot, then the botanical gardens. I think looking after a child in the centre of town is a great to take children out, as there is a lot going on.

Favourite shop for tools of the trade?

Recycling, comes first! Cardboard boxes, gift wrap, and fabric for example. Rotate and create new toy displays and games, so children don’t get bored of their toys so soon. Then I love Enviromart in the industrial area of town, for inspiration on Eco ideas and Earth toys in the town centre, for earth friendly toys. I try to buy Australian brands and shop at local craft shops where possible. Imagination is my most handy tool. I think imaginary play is amazing as you can create the most fun adventures!

Recommendations for children + families visiting Cairns?

I would recommend that you bring some mozzie repellent, hat, sunscreen and water every where you go. Light but protective clothing and be ready to spend most of your time by a pool or in air-conditioned buildings in summer. Winter is a different story and much easier to get out and about. Most tour operators will let you know their child policies so you can organise various tours in and out of Cairns. And of course don’t forget to call us to babysit at the hotel, when you go out for dinner!

Advice for a new to the industry nanny?

You need to look after yourself. Because you can’t care for others unless you can care for yourself first. If you have a work issue, or personal issue that’s affecting your confidence, make sure you deal with it. Everything else comes naturally, if you love what you do and you put in the effort, you’ll succeed! Collaboration and communication with the nanny community does wonders for your confidence, happiness and motivation. My favourite quote by Ann Landers says a lot for me in regards to how I want to feel when at work, “do what you love and don’t look at the clock.”

Connect with Anna Greenwood + Natural Choice Nannies

Facebook | Instagram | Website

________________

If you’d like to participate in the Nanny Spotlight Series, please contact me. Now taking submissions. If you’re a superstar nanny, childcare worker, primary school teacher, expert nanny agency, or offering informative services to benefit this industry, I want to hear from you!