Careers Archives - Nanny Shecando

Guiding Positive Behaviour Workshop

A workshop for nannies and parents in Sydney with Back On Track Consultancy.

If you’re planning on being in Sydney this Saturday, why not come along and join us at the funkiest little cafe and craft space on the lower north shore. Back On Track Consultancy are presenting their “Guiding Positive Behaviour” workshop this Saturday 19th September at Maker’s Loft, Cammeray.

The Guiding Positive Behaviour workshop will give you the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns you may be experiencing in your jobs, learn about age appropriate expectations from a developmental perspective and we will share lots of examples to demonstrate the impact we can have on young children in all our interactions.

Back On Track Consultancy are presenting their “Guiding Positive Behaviour” workshop this Saturday 19th September at Maker’s Loft, Cammeray.

To find out more about what you can expect from the workshop, and to claim your seat, click here.

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>>> Will you join us on Saturday? p.s. there’s cake and good coffee involved!

Checking In + Australian Nanny Conference

Welcome and hi from NANNY SHECANDO!

As I hit publish on this post, my mind is cast back to the gorgeous vista that was my ‘office’ for a few days recently – a shaded swinging hammock under the trees, beach-side in Cancun, Mexico – paradise is an understatement. With poolside cocktails, professional development workshops, sponsor expos and networking events – yep, I was at the 2015 International Nanny Association conference in Cancun. Right, now that we got that out of the way…

I wanted to pop in and say hello to you. It’s been a while. You saw a bit of me with the crafts over Easter, but I haven’t had much time with you this year. Though you have met some wonderful new additions to the NANNY SHECANDO blogging team and I’m so glad.

Olivia Foster is our resident crafts extraordinaire. Abby Sneddon our health + fitness blogger, and Da Poppins our children’s literature aficionado. Sarah Kinghorn popped in to give an exposé into her experience as a nanny vs babysitter, and Amelia Seymour of Starry Nights our resident sleep consultant expert. You’ll be seeing more of them each week on the blog.

So what’s been taking up all of my time? Well I mentioned it briefly last year, and you might have seen it in your news feeds in the last couple of months; The 2015 Australian Nanny Conference. I’m co-founding the first ever Australian Nanny Conference and can I say, I am so excited. Hosted at the University of Sydney, this inaugural event is featuring an extraordinary lineup of highly regarded and sought after speakers delivering tailored nanny-specific information and resources.

>> The Australian Nanny Conference: nannies make a difference for a living.

The 2015 Australian Nanny Conference is a 2-day weekend event designed to allow nannies to come together, to network, to exchange knowledge and to invest in your professional development on a scale previously unseen in this country.

The Australian Nanny Conference is about establishing connections and building relationships, delivering opportunities for personal and professional development, and paving the way for stronger futures for the nanny profession.

Featuring a 20+ strong lineup of the industry’s most notable and highly respected experts, this is the nanny industry event of the year.

What: the Australian Nanny Conference
When: June 13 + 14, 2015
Where: Sydney University
Headlining: Pinky McKay, Dr. Louise Porter, Dr. Pamela Douglas, Melina Marchetta, Devon Barnes, Ainslie Asquith, Bondi Planet Yoga, Back On Track Consultancy, Seana Smith, Laura Douglas + more!

By nannies, for nannies. To find out more info, to see the full speaker lineup, and to sign up to the mailing list.. come check it out here! Give me all the info on the 2015 Australian Nanny Conference.

It’s an exciting time to be in the nanny camp of the childcare industry!

The 2015 @ausnannyconf; because nannies make a difference for a living. #ausnannyconf #nannylife

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>>> Will we see you at the 2015 Australian Nanny Conference?
(June 13 + 14, Sydney Uni)

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.

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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.

Babysitter or Nanny? (And Does It Matter)

Let me introduce to you Sarah Kinghorn, a Sydney based professional career nanny specialising in infant and travel care. Sarah is making her debut on NANNY SHECANDO with a piece about what’s really in a name, and does it matter if one calls you a babysitter or nanny? To see more of Sarah, you can click here.

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“What do you do?”

“I’m a nanny.”

“Oh, you babysit for a living?”

This statement is like adding bi-carb soda to vinegar and detergent – major internal fizzing. So many thoughts rush through my head.

>>> If I said I built cars for a living, would you equate that to working at the car wash?

>>> Of all the terms to describe being paid to care for children, how is “babysitting” the one that gained traction?

>>> I tried sitting on babies, but the baby bit me and I called it quits.

I catch myself, though. After all, I am so fortunate to have found a career where the work feels like play, where I contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and to the wellbeing of society, where love is a valid and integral part of my working day.

I remind myself that because I found my dream career early in life, I did not have to experience jobs that would not suit me, corporate jobs big on ambition and low on appreciation, medical jobs where one slip could cost a life, legal jobs where I may have to put aside my beliefs and values. This means I do not understand what other jobs are like, what other job titles mean.

I once worked for a psychiatrist. It took time for me to cement in my mind that she was a psychiatrist and not a psychologist, because although I knew there was a difference, I had no experience with matching the correct label to the correct career. If I ever used the wrong title when talking to her, I certainly meant no offence.

So I breathe. I smile. I say:

“I’m so lucky to have a career I love. Nannying is very rewarding”.

I ask what they do, and try to learn a little more about the mysterious other jobs that involve tea breaks instead of tea parties.

Often, I find they ask more questions about what I do. My job is exotic to them, though perhaps not a job they would want for themselves. I take each question as it comes and try to answer it honestly.

My working day can be filled with mess and chaos and the absurd, and pretending otherwise doesn’t do the nanny industry or the industry of childhood any favours. I defend my bosses from accusations of laziness and disinterest and pomp and praise their efforts both inside and outside the home.

In fact, I make a mental note to give my bosses this praise directly the next time I see them, and to thank them for respecting me as a professional. I hug the baby I care for extra tight, for seeing me not as a babysitter, not even as a nanny, but as one of the cornerstones of her life. I check in with my nanny friends, and try to slip in a comment about their important work.

Picasso, Michelangelo, Cezanne – painters. The wall-painter, the subway vandal, the child who makes the fridge his gallery – are they not all painters, too? Each is defined by their works, not by their title. Perhaps some would prefer “artist”, or a specialist term of their own creation, but society as a whole will still put them in the painter box for easy filing and reference.

When I get caught up in declaring that I am an artist rather than a hobby painter, I have to come back to my nanny origins. By definition, I started as a babysitter. I would not be where I am today, taking my pick of the jobs, being paid to travel the world, if I had not first babysat. Those parents and those children have given me gifts I can never repay, and if the consequence is being occasionally mislabeled, I will wear that mistaken moniker with pride.

I truly believe, the more we individual nannies make a name for ourselves, the more we can define our shared professional name.

But for now.

What’s in a name? Sometimes, not as much as we think.

What do you do? “I’m a nanny.” Oh, you babysit for a living?” #nannylife #careers

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>>> How do you respond when called a babysitter?

5 Ways To Improve Your Nanny Career In 2015

The summer holidays mean for some nannies, a much-needed break. Others, are busy working. Some, are searching for jobs. But for all, it’s time to think about the year ahead. Because career growth and success don’t just happen. You’ve got to take action to make it happen!

These 5 ways to improve your nanny career will ensure that 2015 is your best year yet!

1. Invest In Yourself

Take note of your current area of expertise or previous courses you’ve done and see where you can expand on them. Break the year up into trimesters and enrol in three different courses that could benefit you. Now I know that you’re busing working and that time off is in short supply. Search for a simple weekend or day training event or sign up to an online self-paced course like this Baby Sign Language course from Care Academy.

2. Seek Opportunity

Is there something you’ve been dying to do but always hesitate to commit to? Make 2015 your year of opportunity and possibility. Volunteer your babysitting services to a charity fundraising event, or apply to that intriguing job that involves loads of travel. You never know what possibilities might pop up just by taking the opportunity when it presents itself.

3. Cultivate Connections

Being a nanny can be terribly isolating. But with the rise of social media, more and more nannies are connecting with each other and sharing their experiences and making friendships. So in 2015, join that local nanny Facebook group or be brave and go along to an after hours nanny social event. Making connections with like-minded people in your field of expertise can do wonders for boosting workplace morale and provide the chance to make new life experiences.

4. Re-Define Your Goals

If being a career nanny is your long-term goal or chosen profession, ensure that you’re clear on your key wants and needs for 2015. Set about re-defining your goals so that you can ensure you’re moving along the right path. Your nanny career is an individual pathway. So if it’s time to reboot your resumé to provide better career directions, or to let go of that ad hoc babysitting job that’s more hassle than it’s worth, set the intention and follow through.

5. Be Kind To Yourself

Do you hold yourself accountable and to an impeccably high standard? I do, and so do a lot of nannies. When you’re raising other people’s children, it can be a big undertaking. Don’t be tempted to criticise your actions too harshly on the bad days. Kids are unpredictable, unforeseen events snow ball carefully laid plans, and the remains of an “in-the-moment” craft activity lies out signalling you forgot to teach the kids to pack up after themselves. It happens. Call it a day and move on. Reflect on what you could do differently to improve a similar situation and learn from it. But don’t dwell. You are a rockstar nanny that did the best you could with the means you had. Be kind to yourself.

Career growth and success don’t just happen. You’ve got to make it.

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Don’t know where to start? Get in touch and we’ll start the process together!