I am making a big life change and leaving my job of eight years to stay home with my two children. Unfortunately, that means I must leave my nanny out of work. I care deeply for her and have volunteered to help her find a good fit with another family. (She is not very computer savvy.)
The basics:
Who: She's a single mom in her early 50s with a daughter in high school, a delightful honor student who is the best evidence of what a conscientious and dedicated mom she is. She has chosen to work as a nanny so she can be at home for her daughter. She has completed formal nanny training and also worked at preschools and with special-needs kids.
Where: She works out of her clean, safe home with a fenced yard in downtown Lake Oswego within walking distance of the library and parks.
What: She usually does a combination of organized activities and free play. Examples from a typical week: making popsicles, stringing necklaces, cutting pictures out of old magazines and pasting them into collages, giving the dog a bath, dancing, planting seeds, playing dress-up, playing "frogs on lily pads" (lots of jumping to burn off energy), going for nature walks, looking at things with a magnifying glass, trips to the library, making cards for friends, building forts in the living room, going to the park. She is very careful to make sure the kids get their needed naps. Almost no television except for 10 minutes of Barney here and there, but lots and lots of music and books.
The kids: She has watched our older child, now almost three, three days a week for two years. She is looking for a new family to replace us as her "main" family. A few other neighborhood children in the same age group join the gang on a less regular basis. There are usually two children there at a time but on rare occasions as many as four. They play well together and the nanny excels at conflict resolution, turn-taking, teaching manners, and encouraging constructive group play. All the kids are children of college-educated, professional, caring families, including a teacher and a journalist.
When: Prefers weekdays, is flexible about the exact days and times but she really needs a family who can commit to a regular weekly schedule so she can depend on the income.
Why I recommend her: Your child will have a one-on-one caregiver to meet your child's needs and form a trusting bond, but also will have the opportunity for social interaction, without being in a huge group. If you want fewer germs, more attention, and more consistency of care than what you find in a typical institutional day care, I highly recommend that you consider her.
More information: please e-mail Sarah at hansonberger@yahoo.com and I will give you her direct contact information and answer any questions you may have.
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