b'What is your role in the nanny industry?What is your best advice for nannies across the globe?I have been a nanny for over twelve years and I currently own Nanny Make sure you love what you do. If you do not enjoy being a nanny,Tees, an apparel line and lifestyle brand for caregivers. Most people donotbeone.Findwhatyouabsolutelylovedoinganddoit.may not know, but I am growing my agency, the Mtoto Agency, Childrenandfamiliesdeserveanannywhoiscalledtoit.Youwhich I started in 2012. I set it aside to take nanny jobs but I have deserve to be happy doing what you love. Find a support group ofbegun working on it again. nannies to confide in. Big groups are wonderful, and you should jointhem, but you should always have nannies that you can reach out topersonally. Nobody knows the life of a nanny like another nanny!How did you get involved in the nanny industry? I have always loved children, and I was the family and neighborhood What do you like best about your job?babysitter growing up. I moved to Texas in 2007 and was laid off I personally believe that I am called to support the whole family, andfrommyjobincorporateAmerica.Ithenstartedteachingearly I have always taken on a household management role. It comeschildhood music classes and offered childcare services on the side. naturally to me to make sure everyone is taken care of even if I amFrom there, I expanded and became a full-time nanny. Here I am, notaskedtodocertaintasks.Ofcourse,Ihavehadtolearnalmostthirteenyearslater,stilllovingonkiddosasafreelance boundaries and have been taken advantage of before, but now Inanny.know how to navigate and support families the right way withoutoverdoing it. Because I grew up in a big family, I understand what itis like to have a support system. Some families do not have that.How did you get to where you are today?When I entered the nanny field, I went in with the mindset of how IAboutfiveyearsago,Itransitionedoneofmynannykidsinto can make the life of this family run smoothly while I care for the kids.preschool a few days a week. I needed to do something in my spare I am called to serve people.time, so I decided to take one of my favorite nanny-related phrasesand put it on two different colored T-shirts. I shared the shirts online What do you like least?and in a few nanny groups, and nannies loved them! Ive been so It is always hard to leave my nanny families when a job comes to anblessed to be able to ship merchandise worldwide, be a vendor at end or if I have decided to move on. Dont get me wrongI have runInternational Nanny Training Day, International Nanny Association, out the door and didnt look back when leaving a few families, butand Nannypalooza events. Im grateful for the support of the nanny overall, Ive had great experiences. I have stayed in touch with mostcommunity and I love that Ive met most of my dear Nanny sisters of my nanny families, but leaving them is never easy.online. How can nannies be the best they can be?Where do you see yourself in five years? Always be open to learning new things while still being you. EveryI see myself still advocating for nannies with Nanny Tees, hopefully in nanny has a different style, and there is a family who needs whatmajor retail stores. I also plan to host my own self-care conferences you have to offer. I am personally very laid back and it seems toand soires for caregivers starting in 2021.work with families who are always on the go. Do not be afraid tospeak up and share your wisdom if something does not seem right.Tell us a little more about the voices you are bringing together.Remember,youaretheexpertandfamiliesneedyou.SetI like to mix a little self-care into what I do, but lately, I have been boundaries, always have a contract, and learn to say no in love. Youfocusing on racism and Black Lives Matter. Because I am a black have a personal life and taking time out for yourself helps you to dowoman, I know firsthand what it is like to experience racism while on your job well. Families do not need an exhausted nannythey needthe job. I am hosting a series of live streams called Nannying While a healthy and whole nanny. Check out my eBook The Whole Nanny.Black,andIamusingmyplatformtobringmoreawarenesstowhats going on within the nanny community. I have invited black What is your educational background?and white nannies to share their experiences, and we have had I have a bachelors degree in Musicdeep conversations. I intend to continue using my platform to havemore real discussions on race and how we can support each other, How do you give back to the nanny community?even if our backgrounds and experiences are not the same.Nanny Tees gives away dozens of tees and accessories to nannygroups and organizations throughout the year. I have tons of freeWhat can nannies do to support each other better? videos online sharing my thoughts and experiences to help nanniesWe first must learn how to listen. Because our community is so grow.I have also recently donated to the Nanny Relief Fund!diverse, we must be sensitive enough to understand that everyoneneeds to be heard and everyones experiences are different. No Biggest nanny industry myth?matter if you are black, white, Asian, Hispanic, British, French, Hmm, that being a nanny is not a real job. If you make real money asAfrican or Canadian. Everyone deserves respect and empathy. Just a nanny, it is a real job. Not just anyone can do what we do.because you do not have my struggle does not mean my strugglesshould be overlooked. We all need to learn to love and support, no Anything else you want us to know?matter what our backgrounds may be. Extend grace and understand Please connect with me on social media! I love meeting new nannythat everyone has a different thought process. Along with that, be friendsandansweringyourquestions.FindmeonIGatopen enough to be teachable.Instagram.com/nannytees and on Facebook atfacebook.com/nannytees.Shop Nanny Tees at www.nannyees.comNannyMag.com| 35'