Hope Skinner, founder Nanny Shecando

Merry Christmas (+ a 2015 teaser)

Well that’s a wrap for 2014. Wherever you are reading this throughout the world, I want to thank you for being part of the NANNY SHECANDO community. It’s been a huge year for us. We grew from a tiny little blog sharing random things that kids said to me in the nanny life, to an even bigger online presence sharing nanny + childcare related information for the international nanny industry.

This year I took a major leap and transitioned to a new nanny family (with new super cute kiddos of course), and made the decision to cut back my nanny work hours so that I could pursue and invest more into both NANNY SHECANDO and Hope For Nannies. 2014 then saw the launch of Hope For Nannies – designed to support and equip nannies to take control of their careers and go PRO on their terms! I also kicked off the premier program – Resumé Reboot – and began working with a bunch of seriously talented nannies worldwide who are all well on their way to becoming ROCKSTAR nannies. Proud mamma moment.

I’m off on a quick holiday tomorrow to reconnect with friends & family over the festive period – bring on the champagne! I wish you a truly merry, happy, joyful and safe festive season with your loved ones, and I look forward to meeting you back here on the 6th January 2015 to kick off another power house year in the nanny life.

Speaking of 2015 – I’ve got some super big things planned. More details will hit your inbox in the New Year, but I can tell you it’s going to loaded full of fun! 2015 will see a new book review column on the blog, we’ll be introducing a new permanent contributor to the NANNY SHECANDO team, and featuring regular guest blogs from some seriously talented nannies. The Nanny Industry Spotlight will continue and I can tell you there are some big names (both agencies, nannies + educators) on the features line up. There’ll also be professional and personal development resources to help you grow + invest in yourself, a new range of educational based blogs + activities to do with your kids, and a strong focus on health and wellbeing (both for nannies, childcare professionals and the kiddos).

Plus, stay tuned for a super big announcement when Hope For Nannies not only launches the next coaching package, but delivers an Australian based event purely dedicated to benefit nannies + their careers.

Stay tuned, bookmark your calendars, enjoy a restful + rejuvenating Christmas break, and we’ll meet back here on the 6th!

And this is christmas! Stay safe, have fun, refresh + make memories. @NannyShecando #nannylife #Chistmas

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BabyLit Books + A Giveaway

Today I have a special gift to give back to you, to say thank you to my readers, and to bring the Read Aloud Series contributed by Da Poppins to a close. If you missed the series, I strongly recommend you click over to have a read.

Alice In Wonderland, a colors primer by Jennifer Adams from the BabyLit range is much-loved by the NANNY SHECANDO children (especially with the littlies). We’ve enjoyed stocking our bookshelves with the fun and fresh books from BabyLit, and enjoyed incorporating them into our reading routines even more. The BabyLit range are beautifully designed to appeal to your little ones, fostering a fondness and appreciation for the joy and art of reading. Printed in a “book board” style, they’re hardy and durable to sustain dribbles, grubby fingers, excessive page turning, and general wear and tear.

This copy of Alice In Wonderland features vibrant illustrations by Alison Olivers and is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With simple words, bright colours, and fun illustrations, it’s the perfect Read Aloud book. And at Christmas time, it’s also the perfect christmas stocking stuffer.

Follow the white rabbit down the hole and drink from the purple bottle to meet an orange cat, a blue caterpillar, a mad hatter with a brown hat, and the queen of red hearts in Alice In Wonderland. This 22 page book of full colour illustrations is absolutely gorgeous, and in our opinion, a must for all young children just beginning to uncover the magic of reading!

To encourage the magic of reading in your little ones, and to celebrate the gift of giving, NANNY SHECANDO has this great giveaway for you to win! (BabyLit Books + A Giveaway)

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A Fun Christmas Giveaway

To enter:
You need to be subscribed to our newsletter (it’s seasonal so you won’t be overrun with emails).
See the opt-in box at the top of this page.

You also need to “like” NANNY SHECANDO on Facebook. You can find us here.

Then let us know in the comments: Your favourite book to read with the children & why!

There’s no right or wrong answer here, simply share with us your magic of reading.

>>> Tell us your favourite children’s book + why you love reading it with them!

Terms + Conditions: Sorry to the US readers – Australian residents only. This is a Game of Skill not a game of chance. Entries not confirming newsletter subscription and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, not by chance. Judges decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Winners will be drawn on Thursday 18/12/2014 AEST 3.00pm and notified on this post. The winner will be contacted via email. Winner will have 7days to respond or we will redraw. We will try our best to contact the winner but cannot be responsible should the winner not receive the notification within the time frame.

Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Prizes will be sent out by NANNY SHECANDO and will not be replaced in the event that they are stolen, lost or damaged in transit. We can not guarantee that prizes will arrive before Christmas. The package will be posted the same day that confirmation is received by the winner.

** This giveaway is sponsored by NANNY SHECANDO, and has no direct affiliation with BabyLit.
Photo credits: 1 || 2 || 3

Make: Christmas Tree Collage Craft

Get crafty with the kids this holiday season with this easy + fun make your own decorative christmas trees! Plus craft activities are great exercises for kids to engage their fine motor skills.

Christmas Tree Collage Craft

We’ve been doing lots of craft recently. One of the many benefits of my nanny role is that Miss 5 is home with me 2 days per week. Miss 5 is so into art and crafts that she’s got a permanent little stool perched alongside the work bench. Most days I come prepared with a plan of DIY action, but on a good day, we can mix from cardboard craft to sewing to christmas cookie baking to sea life dioramas without a hitch.

To make this really simple Christmas Tree Collage Craft, I found a free printable template on Pinterest from Colouring Pages. Or you could draw your own.

You’ll Need

scissors
clear dry PVA glue
sequin & glitter
pipe cleaners (optional)
colouring pencils or textas (or paint)
white paper or card stock
christmas tree stencil (we used this free printable christmas tree)

To Make

1 // Get the kids to design their christmas tree template. We kept it simple and just coloured it in with textas and crayons. You could paint them, cut them out and glue onto contrasting backgrounds, or leave completely blank for a white christmas tree look.

2 // Then paste a thin layer of craft paste/glue that will dry clear. We used standard PVA clear-dry glue.

3 // To “decorate” the christmas tree, glue on your sequins, sparkly pipe cleaners, and then dust with glitter. We just improvised and decorated as we went, but you could also select your sequins and colour patterns before starting.

4 // Leave to dry on a flat surface, then arrange within your real christmas decorations. We glued the entire project onto a large piece of white card stock and hung above the christmas tree.

We made this fun and super easy Christmas Tree Collage Craft in about an hour after lunch whilst Mr 12 months was sleeping. If you do have little inquisitive toddlers under your feet, make sure you keep the scissors out of reach and the sequins in a closed container as they could present a choking hazard. For more great kids craft ideas, check out our fun kids christmas crafts pinterest board.

Art + craft is perfect for children’s fine motor skills development #nannylife #craftforkids

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>>> Do you have a little one that loves arts and craft?

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Follow Hope @NannyShecando’s board Create | Christmas + Craft on Pinterest.

Nanny Style Guide: Summer 14/15

It’s been a while between posts in the Professional Nanny Style Guide. We skipped Spring! Perhaps because I spent majority of the Australian spring season on holidays in Japan where it was a lovely crisp autumn. Although to be honest, with the Australian climate the way it is, winter and spring tend to merge into each other most of the time. I was chatting with Helen from Care Academy a while back about the professional nanny style series and what I was wearing this winter, and she couldn’t believe how vastly different our climates were. Based out of Boston, our winter has nothing on theirs!

The Summer Style Guide || The luxury of working in a non-traditional environment means nannies can have more flexibility in their fashion choices. Many nannies enjoy the liberty of not needing to adhere to a strict uniform regulation in the workplace. Plus, the nature of the job means we’re constantly on-the-go and so the clothing must match the demands. Converse and cropped jeans is my preferred outfit of choice. Speaking with some Sydney based nannies recently, the majority said they loved being able to live in gym gear at work, especially if they’re running about after kids!

Although as I’m sure anyone who has worked with kids can relate, whilst the freedom to live in gym gear and comfy clothes is a true perk of the job, some days it can leave you feeling a little “ho hum”. I know from experience that if I take 5 extra minutes to put together an outfit and a well presented appearance, I do feel more like the highly trained, capable and professional nanny that I am and less like the frumpy person wearing peanut butter stained clothing. Which again as I’m sure you can relate to, also happens often!

My ideal clothing of choice is where the dollar value meets the quality value, within my budget.

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Nanny Style Guide: Summer 14/15

Unpacking The Summer Style Guide For Nannies

During the summer months, putting together a professional outfit that’s also appropriate for working with kids can be challenging. When it’s 30 degrees out and you’ve got a full day of outdoor activities scheduled, you want to wear as comfortable, and light-weight clothing as possible.

Summer clothing for nannies need to have all the necessary requirements: light-weight, minimally restrictive, modest, professional looking, hardy + durable, stain resistant, quality enough so that it will last numerous cycles through the washing machine, and yet not be so pricey that nannies can’t afford to purchase (and replace).

Converse and cropped jeans is my preferred outfit of choice. #nannylife #fashion

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>>> What’s your summer style guide? Do you have a go-to summer outfit?

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You Might Also Like:

8 Ways To Exercise With Kids
6 Ways To Keep Kids Warm In Winter
Professional Nanny Style Guide
Nanny Style Guide: Winter 2014

Make: Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes

Things are heating up really quickly this summer! Even though we’re enjoying some wild summer storms in the afternoon, the temperature is still average 30 degrees during the day. And for us in the nanny life – that’s pretty hot. Our outdoor activities are limited to before and after the hottest part of the day and we’re applying sunscreen and hats like it’s going out of fashion. Staying well hydrated though, that’s always a tricky one with kids …

These Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes are perfect for when your kids aren’t entirely sold on water. Or maybe for when your kids think they’re drinking enough already. But with the record high temperates we’re going to experience this summer, it’s vital to consider the risk of them over-heating or even suffering from heat stroke.

Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes

You’ll Need:

– Fruit of your choice
we used blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges, mandarins, and kiwi fruit. You could use melons, pineapple, cherries and any other fruit that freezes well
– A jug of water
– Ice trays or popsicle moulds
– Chopping board
– Knife
– Freezer Space

Cool Tip: Boiled water makes clear ice cubes whereas tap water freezes cloudy!

To Make: Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes

1. Wash your hands and pull-up a stool for the kids near your prep area.

2. Slice your fruit into pieces small enough to fit the trays, keeping the knife away from the young ones.

3. Layer the fruit into your ice tray. You can get creative here with flavour combinations if you like. This is when the kids can really get involved!

4. Fill the trays with water, being careful not to overfill.

5. Carefully carry to the freezer and leave to set overnight on a flat surface.

Enjoy these fresh fruit ice cubes as a cool alternative on these out of control summer days. I suggest you pop in a CD to dance and sing along to (Disney’s Frozen soundtrack of course), so that you can stay cool indoors between 11am and 3pm.

For a fun twist, add in a splash of fruit nectar or juice to sweeten your fruit ice cubes. And if you’re fond of milk, you can always make creamy ice-cubes with plain of flavoured milk and bananas.

Cool Tip: boiled water makes clear ice cubes whereas tap water freezes cloudy! #frozenicecubes

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>>> Are you a Frozen fan? Do you prefer water + fresh fruit OR chocolate milk + banana?

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*Note: may not be suitable for children under 3 years of age as large chunks of fruit may present a choking hazard.
*This post originally appeared on Care Academy, contributed by NANNY SHECANDO.