b"What made you become a nanny? WhatistheonethingyouwishpeopleknewaboutGrowing up as an only child, it always felt like something nannies?was missing in my life. I had always wanted a sister, but my That we are professionals too, and that we are invested inmomwasntfortunatetohaveanymorechildren.I what we do just as any other professional. As professionals,remember sitting with my grandmother (Ma Ellie) watching a we are educated, we have the experience to know what isSt.JudesChildrenHospitalinfomercialandfeelingsuch needed to meet our charges needs, and the majority of oursorrow for the children. I said to her, Im going to be a nurse time daily is spent ensuring the children in our care are safefor babies when I grow up. My desire to care for children and happy. became more evident when my neighbor had her daughter. Iwould rush home every day from school just so I could hold What is the industry's biggest challenge? her. She eventually became my goddaughter. Fair and legal pay. Both nannies and agencies need to startadvocating more for fair and legal pay within our industry. What is your childcare background? IamaCACHE-certifiednewborncarespecialist,parent What do you hope to contribute to the industry?educator, sleep specialist, and professional nanny, working Mygoalistocontinueworkingalongsideotherindustryprimarily with children up to 12 years old. I am also a first- professionals to create change. I hope to change the normsyearelitestudentintheNewbornCareSolutionsElite about our industry by creating a set base rate for nanniesProgram. I have worked with children for over 20 years.based on location, experience, and education. Id also like8to see a set standard work agreement where benefits likeWhat does receiving the INA NOTY Award mean to you? health insurance (medical, vision, and dental), professionalReceivingtheInternationalNannyAssociationAwardisa developmentdays,andstipendareincluded,alongwithhuge honor, not only for me but for nannies everywhere. As possible contributions to a retirement fund. Nannies shouldthe first person of color to receive this award, it creates not have to advocate on their own for these benefits. hope for other nannies of color that anything is possible.Although it was once thought winning this award was not What is your favorite part about being a nanny?attainable, other people of color can now hope that they Myfavoritepartaboutbeinganannyishelpingparentswill receive this honor.develop a safe sleep and feeding schedule for their babies.AlsoonthelistisseeingmychargesaccomplishtheirWhat is your best advice for a nanny who is new to the milestones, helping them develop their language-acquisitionprofession?skills by reading and speaking to them daily like anotherKnowyourworth,investinyourchildcareeducation,be adult, hearing them say their first word and take their firstprofessionalaboutyourcraft(createaresume,start step,developingahealthyeatinghabitbyintroducingbuildingyourportfolio,etc.),andalwaysadvocatefor healthyfoodoptions,andmostimportantly,workingyourself. As a new nanny in this industry, you may not get the alongside parents, and helping them to raise a respectablerate you want right away. Get your feet in the door, and human of society.work your way up. Show parents how passionate you areabout what you do, so much so that you remain current in Whatisyourbiggestchallenge,andhowdoyouyourchildcareeducationbyattendingtrainings, address it?conferences or by taking a child-related course.My biggest challenge is discipline. Even though I ask theparentsabouttheirdisciplinephilosophyinourinitialWhat do you wish you knew before you started your first interview, I find it a bit challenging throughout our workingnanny job? relationship.IamnormallystricterthanparentswhenitThe one thing I wish I knew before starting my first nanny comes to behavior problems. At times it is not easy to knowposition is how emotionally attached you become to your when to step in or out during a bad-behavior situation whencharges. It is far more than you think you would ever be. the parents are around because I dont want them to likeThesetrainings,conferences,andchild-relatedcourses feel less of a parent. I address this by communicating withequip you to better help the families you work with, but none the parents without the child present to know how they feltof them prepare you for the hardest part of your job: saying about me stepping in or not stepping in and how best togoodbye to the children you might have been taking care of deal with situations going forward. since they were born. NannyMag.com29"