A Day without Littles

If you ever hear me refer to kids as 'little people', please don't take any offense as I've always just called children little people since they are cute little ones! And speaking of them......the days do come where I am without them in any way, shape or form and I completely miss them! I appreciate my time off but then I feel as though I'm missing out on things. I guess that's just part of the biz when you work with kids but don't have any. ;)

Here is something you should know if you are wanting to become a nanny.....have passion for kids. And honestly that applies to people thinking of or who already have kids. Sure not everyone knows they are good with kids or even like kids until they have them but once you've got them.....be excited, be present, and let them always know you love them. 

While I'm at it, why don't I run down my thoughts on becoming a nanny:

-Know your skills and basically know that just babysitting experience won't be something that most parents will jump at.

-Take an Infant/Adult CPR and First Aid class (commonly available through Red Cross, www.redcross.org) and keep the certification up-to-date. This will be your best tool and families will not only be impressed but may even expect to see this on your resume now-a-days. 

-Have a resume complete with references. Be sure that your references are people that you know will speak highly of you and who you've preferably worked for for at least one year.

-Don't search websites such as craigslist.org for jobs. These places are not established and do not cater to your safety. Instead use a website such as www.care.com. 'Care' is great because you can create a profile, list your availability, and search your location for families in need of your help! Families can also search for you and send you a message if they are interested in talking to you more or meeting you. It's like the facebook of nannying! :)

-Know how far you are willing to travel to work for a family, or whether or not you are interested in a live-in type of job. 

-If you do get the chance to interview, dress appropriately but don't overdress. Be on-time and be sure to bring copies of your certifications and references. 

That's all for now. I'll get into the interview process more later. But just for those thrill-seekers who want to start nannying now.....those are my tips to get you going. Hope that helps!