Are you considering starting a Nanny career within a private household or have you ever worked for a family that comes with ‘chefs, drivers, cleaners, grounds-men, personal assistants, house managers, security, and multiple Nannies?’.
Here I share my experiences and thoughts, explain how different it is from working with a family who has none of that and hope to help prepare you, for when you are in a similar situation.
When I started Nannying, a few of my positions involved
multiple household tasks as well as nursery duties. I was often called ‘Super Nanny’,
by friends and family who would ask ‘how do you do it?’. I remember as soon as
I put the children down for a nap or quiet time, I’d be running around the
house doing the laundry, washing up, preparing meals, cooking, cleaning the
children’s spaces, writing lists and planning the next activity. Every time the
parents came home from work, I’d be sat completely relaxed with the children
all fed, bathed and in their pajamas with all jobs, activities and errands
done. I liked going the extra mile and helping the families out as much as I
could. I was learning about how much it takes to run a household and care for
children full-time.
However, as I furthered my Nanny education and experience, my next positions were completely different. Becoming a part of a private household I had to learn to work alongside other household staff and had to accept that ‘its not my job anymore’. Times cropped up where I was required to make a snack or drive the children to where they/myself needed to go and when required to travel with the family, my duties increased. On a whole I pretty much spent my entire working hours, focusing on caring solely for the children, filling their day with as much stimulation as possible, whilst other household staff completed their required duties.
Working in a private household comes with many challenges, as no two days are ever the same. However, this variety can make the role really enjoyable, if you have the right attitude and personality. You do become an integral part of the family and are relied on heavily to keep the household running smoothly. Families that have a lot of help often live a fast-paced lifestyle, so having flexibility and be able to work with ever changing timetables and routines is a skill you will require.
Each family will be different and you must therefore adapt your working style to suit each individual household. Some families will want to interact with you and will want you to feel that you are part of the family, other more formal households will not want this personal interaction. They will want you to be seen but not heard and will expect you to do your role with very little conversation, with family members.
You will encounter times where you want to step back and give
parents some space to spend time with their children, some parents appreciate
that or request you to take a break. Others may not want you to leave when they
are interreacting with their children because when they have had enough, they are
able to leave the children in your care right away so they can do as they
please. Having household staff run your home is ‘the norm’ in some countries,
in others only the rich or famous would live like this.
It is vital that you take your time when applying and interviewing for positions as finding the right family to suit your personality and working style will have a direct impact on your level of enjoyment and success in the position.
Speak with parents about all aspects of the job, hours can be long and you need to make sure you both know each others expectations before you start. Getting so involved in the day to day running of a home in previous positions, where families haven’t had household staff is a big change to working in private households, as taking a step back can sometimes be quite challenging. By talking through exactly how the home is run should prepare you more so, helping you to settle quicker.
Working with household staff, you become your own little family and many of them usually come from different parts of the world, which is a great way to learn about different cultures and cuisine. Other incentives for Nannies can be lots of travel, higher salaries, experience living a VIP lifestyle and other rewards and benefits.
Now, not every day will run smoothly, but if you find a family who works together, communicates and respects each other, you will find it to be a very positive environment to work in. Remember, the perfect match between yourself and a family can result in a rewarding and successful Nanny career.
What do you get when you combine Nanny duties with an interesting location?
A Travel Nanny!
Here I explain what a Travel Nanny is, job details, how you could become one, transitioning from Nanny to Travel Nanny and where it could potentially take you….
First off, what is a Travel Nanny?
A Travel Nanny is a childcare provider that is hired specifically to go on family holidays. They specialize in short-term trips which is the most common but can also be hired for longer trips, for families who decide to travel the world for longer periods of time. Travel Nannies are experts in adapting to new routines, new locations and other challenging situations that come with traveling with children. They are flexible and come with much knowledge, that they have gained through education or experience from similar scenarios.
What does the job entail?
Being a Travel Nanny requires a certain type of personality, you need to ask yourself if you have it. Families want Nannies to have the right attitude, they look for candidates who are enthusiastic, energetic and positive. The best Travel Nannies are the ones who use their initiative and create solutions without being asked. There can be many complications that come with travel, so you need to be flexible, be able to adapt quickly to change and not get overwhelmed by the details.
Travel Nanny positions are all different, depending on the family’s needs. In reality all Travel Nanny positions are 24/7, you have to be prepared and happy to be on the clock at all times. Yes, there may be times the families give you an hour or two off in the day or some evenings if they aren’t planning on going out for dinner, but realistically your always on call whether your off or on. Some positions, the Nanny will get one day off a week.
Before stepping on that plane, Travel Nannies already know how they are going to keep their Nanny kid entertained during the flight. Let’s face it, any flight time is a long time, for a child. Nannies will know how to research activities around the globe, be excellent suitcase packers, not get intimidated by other cultures and be extremely safety conscious.
Travel Nannies need to be organised ensuring their passport is in date and they have travel insurance to cover them for the duration they are away. If you have any food allergies or are afraid to fly these things need to be considered to ensure you are going to fit best in a role like this, as some countries may not be as accommodating as others. If you struggle with home-sickness then you don’t necessarily have to rule out being a Travel Nanny, you can do short term contracts, just bare in mind if you ever decide to apply for those long term roles, be sure you are fully committed and know you can do it. You can find my top tips on how to help with home-sickness when Nannying away, in my Suitcase Nanny E-book.
Loss of sleep shouldn’t bother you either as you will not have time to get over the jet lag, you are the Travel Nanny, you will be working. Some children may even be sleeping in your room, so making sure you get early nights so you don’t burn out, is important. Travel Nannies usually have some knowledge on how to deal with jet-lag in children and it will be your job, to help get the child back into a routine. See my other blog for advice on Jet lag from tots to teens.
Another thing to know is parents do get messy, it is their holiday after all and they will be relaxed, drinking and enjoying themselves. You have taken away all their stresses and they often like to chat. Some of the things mom’s have told me – about family life, their marriage, their parents and future, it can get quite personal, as a Nanny you just have to smile and nod while trying to maintain a professional relationship. You do become a close-knit family when working in and around each other so there are bound to be times where you step on each others toes, but in a roundabouts way you just have to go with the flow and remember the reason you are there – to work and provide the best care for their children.
Besides the job being hard work, there are many perks to the role. The money can be very good and you don’t have to spend a penny while you are away. There is no need to pay for accommodation, food, travel expenses and excursions you do with the children, so you are simply just saving money while getting paid to see and the world.
Not only that, but as a Travel Nanny you get to choose when you work and where you work, so if you have an important date coming up or a family party you can just ensure you don’t book a contract in for that time. Sound’s intriguing right? It’s like being your own boss! You can also decide where you want to go, so when positions get sent to you, you can decide if where that family are traveling too is where you’d be like to go. A one week family holiday in the Bahamas, or a 10 day ski trip in Switzerland are just some of the positions that come around each year and if your anything like me you’ll be dying to go on all of them.
Don’t forget the FUN! Children always want to do anything fun and if you have the personality of a Travel Nanny then you will have just as much fun as the kids. I’ve spoken to so many Travel Nannies and they all say ‘It just doesn’t feel like work, it’s the best job in the world’.
Is there anything better than seeing the world through children’s eyes?
Are you packing your bags yet…
How do you become a Travel Nanny?
Families look for Nannies that have done it all before, (both domestically and internationally) so gaining experience is key to nabbing those ‘dream’ jobs. If you have no experience that’s no problem, brainstorm ways to grow your resume. Talk to families you babysit or Nanny for, ask if they have any holidays coming up and if they’d like you to come. Offering a reduced rate might sweeten the deal and get you the credentials you need, even just short weekend trips away are great to get you introduced for a Travel Nanny life. This will also help you decide if it is something you’d like to continue.
References are most important, so any positions you take and finish, ensure you ask your Mom & Dad bosses for a written reference. Always ask if they will be happy to be contacted by Nanny agencies to confirm their referee for you because all professionally run agencies will check.
Once you have a resume that resembles your childcare skills and experience, you can start contacting Travel Nanny agencies. Send them the information they ask of you, they will do their background checks and either request a face to face interview, Skype or phone call and once all is clear, you will then start to receive Travel Nanny positions that are on offer with each agency you are registered with.
How do you transition from Nanny to Travel Nanny?
Okay so you’re already a Nanny but want more Travel? Amazing! The good news for you is that you probably already have a strong resume. You’ve got lots of experience in childcare, and have more than likely done some trips with the families you’ve worked for. With this in mind, a great way to make your resume stand out, is by putting a list of scenarios on there that you are familiar with when traveling with children. For example – If you’ve flown internationally and domestically, commercial or private then put that down, if you’ve done ski and summer holidays etc. There are so many scenarios I’m sure you could bullet point down if you thought about it. This helped me a lot, and families get a quick overview of what you’re capable of, making you look EXTRA.
If you’re a Nanny and ‘the traveling with children’ is completely new to you, then definitely use the techniques I’ve written about in the above paragraphs. But also remember you probably have done more traveling than you think, if you have moved to another country to work for your Nanny family, then that definitely counts for something. It means you have the capability of living away from home, the confidence and ability to travel worldwide, know some basic in’s and outs of what its like packing bags, moving in and around airports, flights, time change and more. You just need to get your first gig traveling with a family and you’ll be away!
Transitioning from Aupair to Nanny is a great step forward also, because not only would your pay increase dramatically but you’ve managed to experience so much already in a cultural exchange environment, giving you the best start of becoming a Travel Nanny. That looks good on your resume and you can only keep on growing from there. I always advise Nannies that once they’ve left the ‘Aupair’ stage to not return. If you’ve already bettered yourself in experience, pay increase and education why go backwards, you know your worth! Every year that you remain a full-time Nanny or Travel Nanny is another year of credentials for you, more recognition and more dream job opportunities.
Where could it take you?
For starters, becoming a Travel Nanny could take you all over the world, but so could being a Nanny in itself. Out of experience Nannying has been what I believe the best job for me, I love all things travel, adventure, freedom and snuggling with children. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had jobs that have gone flawlessly, some that made me question ‘what’s normal anymore’ and others where I barely made it out with my wits intact, many were a combination of all these, but each individual experience has been a credit to my resume and provided me with some incredible opportunities.
As a Nanny, if you can show you’re the best, you have the chance to be hired by Celebrities, VIP’S, Royals, and the upper class. Not all Nannies enjoy working for the upper class and that is okay too, there are many other factors Nannies have to consider when working in these types of roles and it isn’t for everyone but these are just some of the bigger opportunities out there for Travel Nannies and Nannies in general.
If you’ve made it this far then I’m assuming you enjoyed reading this blog and I hope it answered your questions, any other questions you have please email me and I’d be happy to answer them. Take a look at my other blogs for more inspiration on becoming a Traveling Nanny.
Maintaining that Nanny/employer relationship is one of the most difficult relationships to manage. It is easy to blur together the professional and personal boundaries, causing emotions to often run high. While everyone’s best interest is in the child/children, differing viewpoints on how to achieve a goal can cause underlying tension in the relationship. However everyone needs to remember that they are a TEAM and everyone is working equally as hard to make sure that the child has the best balance and start in life.
Keeping that balance is key to having a healthy relationship and I find that when these 5 tips are followed your Nanny/employee relationship is successful.
Be respectful
Respecting each other goes a long way in this relationship, if you have this, then your relationship will work. For example, respecting each other’s space, working and living in a private household is a challenge due to the intimacy you have when it comes to drawing that line of ‘off duty’ and ‘on duty’. It is difficult to do this sometimes particularly when younger children are in the house, when the Nanny lives in the family home, young children will never understand when their Nanny is off and on. So it is easy for them to be calling the Nanny’s name on weekends around the house or coming into their bedroom asking questions or even just wanting their company. Families need to be mindful of the Nannies privacy so they feel like they have had a break, but of course Nannies do have to be flexible with this and understand that this will happen – anyway to be loved so much by someone so little isn’t such a bad thing is it.
Another way to be respectful is respecting your contract/work agreement, make sure you are turning up to work on time just as the employers should be returning home from work on time.
Be flexible, when possible
We all realize that not everyone’s plan/schedule will run smoothly every week and so both parties need to be flexible. As part of a Nannies job a lot of the time families will specify at interview or in the contract that they need flexibility as routines can quite often change especially if they travel a great deal etc. Nannies and employers often work general business hours which leaves little time for other personal matters, for example doctors/dentist appointment’s. Making time for these things in each other’s schedule’s will help Nannies/employers feel supported in taking care of themselves and their personal business.
Show appreciation
Showing appreciation is so important and doing this action can go a long way. It can be as little as writing a note, or giving a bunch of flowers. These unexpected things can make someone feel valued.
Give incentive
It is always nice to give incentives to Nannies to allow them to feel appreciated and give them a desire to continue their great work and to always go above and beyond. A good way to do this could be, salary increases, bonuses, gym membership, days off, reward cards to their favorite coffee shop/food or retail outlet.
Be committed
Investing time in finding the right Nanny for your family takes time and chances are you want the relationship to work just as much as the Nanny wants the employment. There will be high and low points as always in any relationship but knowing you are both committed makes those small hiccups easier to overcome. The Nanny/employer relationship is a rewarding one and so putting in that effort will make a difference, at the end of the day everyone just wants what is best for the child/children.
At the beginning of January my Nanny Family and I flew 7 hours from Dubai to Copenhagen, Denmark. We had 24 hours there and were leaving the next morning for a flight to London. So, with an exhausted toddler and the afternoon closing in on us, I put my NK down for a short nap, before we went out on a little walk down the streets of Copenhagen. I had never been to Denmark before and in the short time we were there, I found it quite beautiful, even in the cold. It seems the city is well known for tall terrace block buildings painted in white and some streets, painted in rainbow colours. There are many museums that look amazing from the outside so I can only imagine they are amazing on the inside too. I had been told before we came, that Copenhagen is known as the ‘black city’ and that everyone wears the colour black. That definitely was true, everyone I saw was wearing black! Although I did not get much time to explore Denmark, it was nice to be there and learn a few things about the country I didn’t know before. Three fun facts I learnt:
No place in Denmark is more than 30 miles from the sea.
Denmark is reported to be the happiest country is the world!
Denmark has twice the number of bicycles than cars and Copenhageners pedal more than 1.13 million km on their bicycles each day.
Denmark
Denmark
London, UK
We flew to the UK the next morning and once at the hotel, I went straight out with my NK. Getting through those last few hours of the day before bedtime is always a struggle, after a time-zone change. Staying busy helps, as the time then goes quicker. (See my Jet lag Article for tips on helping defeat jet lag with children)
Over the next 3 days in London we did many fun things, one of them was London Zoo. This was my Nanny babes first time at the zoo, he loved seeing the animals. My NK was at a good age as he could walk and explore himself, rather than being pushed in a stroller all day. Other than the usual animals, London zoo had an animal that many zoo visitors wouldn’t have seen before, the Okapi. It looks like it’s crossed between a deer and zebra, but it is actually cousins with the Giraffe. I definitely recommend anyone who visits London zoo, to go and find the Okapi.
While we were in London, I had some time off which was so nice as I got to spend the time with my partner. The Lumiere light festival was on, which only happens once a year, so we walked the streets in the evening, viewing some of the 50 light displays. There were many street entertainers out as well, which was fun to watch. Some of the light displays were projected onto buildings and others were actual structures that hung in trees or suspended off buildings. My favourite was the butterflies, they turned on a scaffold structure 360 degrees and were lit up purple and orange.
London
London
London
We also visited the National history museum, as they had a special whale exhibition on. This was a great activity to do in the day, to get out of the rain. It was the weekend and so the museum was packed full of people. I would recommend seeing it in the week where it is less busy, but we managed to see everything we wanted too, so that was lucky. This museum is definitely a perfect place for children, there was so many interactive and hands on exhibits that children could touch and play with. Plus, it is FREE entry!
Paris, France
We continued our travels onto Paris by Euro star, which was also a new experience for me. It was much quicker than flying, if you add on the amount of time you spend in the airports before and after your flight. This was another city I’d never been to before, so I was excited to be there. I walked the Champs Elysee all the way to the Arc de Triomphe and then to the Trocadero, which I discovered was an amazing place to view the Eiffel tower from. The Trocadero is so touristy, but if you get there early before the crowds, it is a great photo opportunity. One evening I was out around 6pm and to my surprise all the sparkly lights came on the Eiffel tower, this was really special. Later I learnt it sparkles every hour in the evening. While we were here, I also got to see my twin best-friends who I went to school with , they happened to be in Paris the same time as me. We caught up and explored Paris together. I had always wanted to see the Mona-Lisa painting in real life, so on the last day I visited the Louvre museum which was incredible and got to tick that off my list before we left.
Paris
Paris
Paris
Paris
Courchevel, France
Our next stop was the snowy mountains! We took a 2-hour train journey to Lyon airport, where we then got picked up by helicopter, which flew us 1 hour across the countryside and into the mountains. This was incredible, the views we had were simply stunning. Once we landed at our final destination Courchevel 1850, the pilot told us they had got 3 metres of snow, over the last few days so we had arrived at the perfect time.
France Skiing
France Skiing
Huskey Sledding
France
France Skiing
France Skiing
First full day, I had my NK while his parents skied. So, I took him sledding and into town. Babies always look so cute all wrapped up in winter gear and a fur hood, he looked like a little Eskimo. In Courchevel town there is a carousel for children and a horse and carriage that you can take rides in. My NK loved seeing the winter horses, watching them eat and jingle the bells around their necks. I was surprised how well my NK took to the snow, he was happy to be outside in the cold, a lot of children I have cared for at his age haven’t enjoyed the snow, but he did so that was a bonus. In the late afternoon I had some time off and got a few ski runs in before dark. I love skiing, I love the mountains and going out in the late afternoon or early morning is always great as it is less busy. I got to ski the next morning also, as my NF went into town. I got to practice some more skiing techniques and went down a couple of black runs, I always love pushing myself and feeling like I am getting better and progressing. In Courchevel there is a proper sledding track, going from 1850 to 1550 which is another town. I went so fast the breaks on the sled didn’t stop me, so I had to stick my feet out which caused all the snow to fly into my face. I did catapult out of my sled at least twice and got a huge bruise on my bum but it was so worth it.
Something we did as a family was Husky sledding, another one of my bucket list items. It was beautiful to see how the dogs work in the winter and how much they love the snow, they were rolling in it and eating it. I got to sit in a huge sled and 7 dogs pulled me along for the ride. The man on the back of the sled commanded the dogs in French, all 7 dogs listened and knew when to stop and go. Our stay in the mountains really was amazing and two fun facts I learnt there were:
We were skiing on the largest ski field in the world.
In Courchevel they don’t call it a ‘Gondola’ they call it a ‘bubble’.
Geneva, Switzerland
We left the mountains after 5 days and travelled to Geneva, Switzerland to catch our flight back to Dubai. I feel so lucky to be able to have these opportunities and explore parts of the world doing the job I love. Always so grateful to the special families I have worked for.
Find more of my Nanny travel blogs here on the website x
Traveling to any destination with a time-zone change with children, can feel impossible and exhausting. Many families do decide not to venture to far from home, to avoid the disruption of routines and their sanity. However, you shouldn’t let the fear of jet-lag change your decision from deciding on going to that dream destination you’ve desperately been saving for, rather than settling for that holiday close to home. Here I have explained some of the best ways to tame your children’s jet lag, minimize the effects of time-zone travel and help save your family vacations.
Consider the age of your child…
Firstly, you should consider the age of your child…. Newborns – 2 months generally aren’t aware of their own sleeping patterns just yet, so jet-lag will most likely not impact them. Children who have already established a sleeping routine and sleep through the night are the ones who most likely get affected the most. You may experience more waking’s in the night which would be completely normal if you’ve travelled through time zones of a greater difference than 2 hours.
Older kids who no longer nap in the day, tend to respond similarly to adults physically, but are usually less driven than adults to stay awake in attempts to adjust to the new schedule. As children get older, they do learn to make adjustments like adults do, which makes time traveling less of an issue.
A good idea if your child is verbally capable, is to pre-warn and talk to them about the time zone changes you as a family are going to endure, which will somehow prep them slightly for the upcoming changes, that way it’s not such a shock to them when it does happen.
Plan ahead…
Flight planning is also a great way to improve jet lag, if you can fly during the day and avoid disrupting a good night sleep, then do it. Of course, understandably families do take into consideration cost and most of the time the cheaper flights, are the ones with the most terrible flying times, but if you’re on a budget sometimes the night flights or early mornings are the only options you have, which is fine if you are prepared.
For long international flights I recommend choosing a flight time that lands in your destination in the morning/midday, meaning you then keep the family awake all day to kick start adjusting to the new schedule. Try planning something exciting for the family that day, it’s always a great way to keep children occupied and entertained forgetting that they are even slightly tired, it is more likely they will then crash later on and sleep all night.
Enjoy the journey, not just the destination….
There are lots of products on the market that make traveling with children a whole lot easier, stress free and gets your children sleeping. After traveling with families all over the world, these two products have got to be my favorite especially during over night flights.
Cozigo – Cozigo is a must have for flying and travel, it is a multifunctional airplane bassinet cover and pram sunshade cover. It helps to prevent inflight meltdowns and over tiredness from your baby when out and about. It is a universal fit for all bassinets, stroller types and airplane cots and improves babies sleep by upto 500%. Cozigo won most popular product in Australia’s mother and baby magazine in 2017 and has continual 5-star reviews. You can find this product at www.cozigo.com
Plane-Pal – Plane Pal is a custom designed inflatable cushion that fills the space between your child’s seat and the seat in front. It is light weight and compact and comes with a pump for stress free, easy inflation after takeoff. This awesome product was designed with children 2- 8 years old in mind, as they can utilize it to its full potential, by stretching their legs out or lying flat. It has been approved on over 41 airlines making traveling with children stress free and more enjoyable. Plane Pal can also be used on trains and buses and for car travel. You can find this product at www.planepal.co.uk
Arriving at your destination…
When you’ve landed, getting straight into a schedule in the destination you are in, is important from day one. If you can do that, the family should be adjusted to the new time zone within 3-5 days depending on how long you are staying. Try and eat at the new local times instead of snacking all day, this will help prevent midnight feasts and having hungry children at 3am. Fill your day with activities to keep children entertained, they are more likely to last longer. A few days of that and you won’t even remember what jet lag feels like!
If your child cannot cope with staying awake all day and you feel they or you do need a catnap, that is okay, just ensure you or your child does not sleep for too long, as you could make bedtime all the harder.
Coming home…
Don’t forget when you return home, keep in mind your body clock will have to adjust back. Depending on the how far you have flown will depend on how fast your body will adjust. For international flights up to 8 hours’ time difference I would recommend scheduling in at least one recovery day, anything above 8 hours I’d give two days. However, some families have also found that sending their child/children back to school the day after they return off an international flight helps them get straight back into routine. With them being distracted at school with friends and activities, means when they come home they are so tired they then sleep all night, more or less adjusting straight back to normal schedule.
Just enjoy the time…
Always remember to let go of all expectations, not every time you travel will everything go to plan, this could include flight delays, lost baggage, or even just your child struggling to adjust to a new time zone despite all the preparation you have done to help them. Be sure that this is all okay and totally normal, make light of any situation and try and make your holiday the best it can be in any situation.
When I first learnt to surf back in 2013, I was in Australia working as a first time Nanny, wondering how I was going to make friends, or what I was going to do in my free time. After spending my first few weekends exploring the area, I quickly came to realize that everyone seemed to surf. I was in one of the most beautiful locations in Australia, sandy beaches and consistent waves surrounded me. After watching hundreds of surfers, catching waves every day and coming out of the water with a huge smile on their face, I knew it had to be good. I decided it was something I want to try, it would give myself something to do, and what better place to learn to surf than on the famous Northern beaches of Sydney.
I didn’t know a thing about surfing and being a beginner paddling out on my own, I knew I had to be cautious. I didn’t want to jump straight into buying a surfboard until I was ready to get in the water, I knew I needed to learn about the surf ethics, don’t paddle inside, don’t drop in, don’t snake, don’t ditch your surfboard, and so on. I needed to know what the flags meant, where the rips and currents were and the simplest things like, how I would even transport my board to the beach and back. I had thought about having surf lessons, but I knew they were expensive and if I’d have wanted to go out surfing, I would have had to hire a board; another cost and I’d be restricted to time limits. Anyway, teaching myself would be fun, exciting and something I could stay busy with.
I use to sit for hours on the headland in Avalon or in the car facing the water watching surfers arrive, put wetsuits on, stretch, carry their board down the steps and into the sea. I would watch how they would time getting in after each set, so they didn’t get pushed back to shore as the waves rolled in. I would ask Surfers that pulled up in the car park about the tides and currents at that beach so I knew how to stay safe. I watched how people would tie their surfboard to the roof of their car so it was secure, and I asked someone to show me how to wax a board properly. I learnt what the flags meant and when the best times to surf were, considering wind direction. While I sit here and write, it seems there was so much to learn about surfing, but really once your past the nitty and gritty, know your limits, where is safe, and how to be safe, in the end, it is all fun!
My first Surfboard
I was excited to purchase my first surfboard, I knew I didn’t want a foamy (foam board), because I wanted to learn on a board I could grow with, as I got better. Plus, I liked the idea of having a pretty patterned fiberglass board. I purchased my first surfboard from the Rip Curl store at Manly beach, after getting advice from the guy that clearly knew what he was talking about, when it’s comes to beginner surfers. It was a mini mal 7ft 2 OceanTech surfboard, with different shades of blue lines going diagonally across the board. Thinking back now, I couldn’t have got a better board, my favorite colour and came with its own storage bag, which was amazing, because it meant I could travel.
I was so excited as I carried my board out of the store and straight across to the beach. The waves looked quite small from a distance and I was keen to get in for my first ride, so I waxed up my board, put my bikini on and started paddling out.
tHe first time I experienced a ‘wipe out’… It was like being in a washing machine !
Was I prepared? Absolutely not! The waves were much bigger closer up and little me bobbing up and down the water, who had never controlled a surfboard before, was a recipe for disaster. Somehow, I got out the back after my tireless efforts of being smashed a thousand times as waves broke before me, I got my breath back and sat with all the other surfers looking out on the horizon waiting for that perfect wave. When a wave did come, it was huge. I paddled my hardest towards shore and as the wave picked me up I tried to stand, but of course not having learnt to balance on the board yet, I fell. That’s when I experienced my first ‘wipe out’. I was under the water with what felt like forever, I was panicking, I was being twisted, turned, stretched and bashed as the power of the wave continued to head towards shore above me, not to mention my bikini top had been ripped off. It was like being in a washing machine! I must have been deep because I couldn’t seem to reach the surface, I was kicking so hard and I had almost run out of air when I came to the surface and took an almighty breath, I was tired, frightened, and wanted someone to just grab me and take me back to the beach. I grabbed my board and another wave came crashing over the top of me again, I knew they would just keep coming so I used whatever energy I had left to kept paddling until I got close enough to shore that I could stand up.
I got out the water and just lay on the sand looking up at the sky. I was alive! That’s when I realized how powerful the Ocean really is and if I wanted to continue surfing, I needed to get ‘surf fit’. I needed to practice holding my breath underwater for longer periods, practice paddling, do full body workouts to get stronger and learn how to duck dive and turtle roll to prevent exhaustion.
I watched the film ‘Chasing Mavericks’, one of my favorite films. It taught me a lot on the power of the waves and how much fitter I needed to be, if I wanted to surf and survive. I was extremely determined; I started watching tutorials on YouTube, practiced duck dives and holding my breath in my Nanny family’s swimming pool and paddled for hours on calm days to build strength. I would also only take my board out into the white water and practice standing and getting my balance. I was desperate to be strong enough, to be able to paddle out the back and sit with all the intermediate/advanced surfers in the lineup.
That was the day, I caught my first ‘green wave’ and became hooked!
I had my first surf trip a few weeks later and was heading to Wollongong, a beautiful place off the coast of New South Wales. I went and stayed with family and they all surfed, so I was thrilled to get some tips off them and go out surfing with others.
My first wave was caught on camera, here I am… smile on my face, feeling on top of the world. As you can see my leg rope is on my front foot, that’s typical of a beginner surfer, it should have been on my back foot, but nevertheless after I came off that board, I got straight back on and paddled towards the line up again, I wanted to catch another. That was the day, I caught my first ‘green wave’ and became hooked!
My first ‘green wave’!
Wollongong
Wollongong
My passion for surfing just grew after that, I learnt new things every day, even when I was tired, or didn’t have enough time to surf before the sun went down, I’d race to the beach to see the surfers catch the final waves of the day. During my second year in Australia I taught my best friend and was surfing every day, sometimes twice, before and after work. I’d meet Mona down at the beach and we’d surf until sunset. Some weekends we’d be in the water for 6 hours and skipped lunch, we loved it! There is something special about sharing a hobby with someone, who is just as passionate about it, as you are. Between Nannying, we would travel all over Australia with our surfboards, finding untouched hidden beaches, jungle showers and surf breaks. It really became the highlight, of my first two years abroad.
Sayulita, Mexico
UK
Australia
Australia
USA
Learning to surf has been amazing, it’s taken me all over the world since then, encouraged me to reach goals, given me confidence in myself and taught me to step out of my comfort zone. Over the last 5 years I’ve now surfed in UK, Australia, USA and Mexico and am looking forward to surfing many more breaks, and will continue it into the future. I’ve had my fair share of injuries, but I know that in surfing, you will wipe out for years, but that’s how you grow and become stronger.
If you fancy learning to surf and are wanting more tips and advice, email me for more info and I’d love to help you.
Most nannies with any length of experience can tell you that sleep can be a huge issue for families. Whether it’s a bedtime that takes hours, a non-existent schedule, or a cranky, overtired baby, you pretty quickly get in-tuned to how well a baby or child is sleeping, and whether or not the family has instilled good sleep habits.
Some amount of fussiness is normal, and bedtime is hard for most babies at some point, so how do you know if the issues you’re currently observing are just temporary glitches, as opposed to a chronic problem that needs to be addressed? Read on to find out how to discern the difference between normal sleep disturbances verses chronic sleep issues, and learn simple changes you can tactfully suggest to help everyone get more rest.
Baby is cranky when he wakes up in the morning or after naps.
Sometimes it can take a while for a baby or toddler to become fully awake, and grogginess can cause a bit of grumpiness. But if a baby or toddler wakes up crying and fussy in the morning and after naps, or is especially cranky in the evenings before bed, this is a tell-tale sign that his/her schedule is off and needs to be adjusted. Babies and toddlers should typically be waking up around 7am and going to bed between 6-7pm for babies, and between 7-8pm for toddlers, depending on their exact age. If the children in your care are staying up late every night, they will probably still be waking up at the time their natural biological rhythm wakes them, around 7am, or even earlier if they’re overtired. This means they will be missing out on 2-3 hours of sleep overnight, which will steal from their body the rest it needs to restore, heal, and grow.
Baby is falling asleep at random times and places.
The occasional car seat or stroller nap is to be expected, but if the children in your care are constantly falling asleep on the go, in strollers or car seats, but don’t take good, long naps at home, this is a sign that something needs to be adjusted. One client I worked with wouldn’t take longer than a 30 minute nap, but would constantly face-plant in his dinner plate, sound asleep. His parents thought this was cute (and posted hilarious pictures to Instagram), but were unaware of how overtired their toddler was. When babies and toddlers chronically miss out on sleep, their brains don’t have a chance to rest, get rid of “waste”, or to transfer their short-term memories to long term memory, seriously inhibiting their learning ability. Some children have such amiable personalities that they will make the best of their situation and just steal sleep wherever they can, but this really isn’t optimal for their development.
The child in your care gets very hyper, “bouncing off walls” instead of going to sleep.
This often throws parents and caregivers for a loop, thinking the child is actually not in need of sleep because they are seemingly so full of energy. However, really the opposite is true. When our bodies are lacking sleep, they go into survival mode, and start producing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can result in hyperactivity. A child that isn’t given the opportunity to go to sleep at age-appropriate times for adequate amounts of time gives his body a message that it needs to push through the tiredness, so the body is “tricked” into producing hormones that help the body stay awake. Sleep consultants often wonder how much of the increase in ADHD diagnoses in the past several decades actually correlates with the average decrease in sleep for children in the past several decades. What we know for sure is that getting good sleep is essential for a child to be able to control their impulses, stay calm, and follow directions. (Link: https://scienceofmom.com/2012/02/13/why-sleep-matters-to-babies-and-parents/) The average 12-month-old, for example, needs around 14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period (12 hours over night, and 2-2.5 hours of nap sleep), but the average 1 year old gets far less than this.
Bedtime takes a very long time.
Whether you’re spending hours rocking a baby to sleep for naps and bedtime, or fighting with a toddler whose excuses seem to go on without end, a child who is fighting sleep she truly needs is almost definitely overtired. For the same reasons as mentioned above, an overtired child will have a very hard time settling to sleep at night or for naps, resulting in massive efforts by caregivers and parents to finally get baby to sleep. Fights at bedtime for toddlers may also indicate the lack of a structured routine, as the uncertainty of each night lead to battles and testing to see if he can find the boundaries he needs for security.
Baby or toddler is still waking up multiple times per night.
After the first few months of life, there is no good reason a baby needs to be up every 2-3 hours. As long as he is getting enough calories during the day and growing well, he doesn’t need to feed more than once per night after 6 months, and usually not at all after 9 months. So, if the child in your care is still waking up more than this, it’s a sign that he probably needs to learn to fall asleep independently and/or needs a schedule adjustment.
So, what are some simple changes that you can suggest to help the child in your care get on top of this overtiredness and get caught up on sleep?
Suggest an early bedtime.
If your baby is showing some or all of the signs above, it’s almost always helpful to institute an earlier bedtime. For a baby under a year, a 5:30 bedtime for a while can give her a chance to make up for lost sleep. For a toddler, a 6-6:30 bedtime may be in order for the sleep debt to be paid. Parents may worry that their child may suddenly start waking up too early, but usually the child just sleeps longer and more deeply, because they are getting the rest they need.
Follow a consistent schedule.
You must allow a child’s body to get in a consistent pattern, to set their circadian rhythm and to help their bodies regulate internal patterns, which will help them fall asleep and stay asleep much more easily. Usually, a 7am – 7pm schedule works well for babies, give or take a half hour for toddlers. Naps should start during biological naps windows, which occur between 9-10am and 12-2pm. For instance, a 12 month old would wake at 7am, nap from 9:30-10am, 12:30-2:30, and have a bedtime around 6:30. A 2 year old won’t take a morning nap any more, but will nap about 12:30-2, and sleep 7pm-7am. Regardless of what the exact schedule, the schedule should remain consistent each day, as much as possible. Even when traveling or on vacation, do whatever you can to encourage consistency and adequate sleep. This will ensure the days are spent with much more pleasant, well-rested children.
Suggest a chat with a sleep consultant.
If you observe many of these signs detailed, you may want to suggest a chat with a sleep consultant to the child’s parents. Chronic sleep issues will usually not be solved simply by a few schedule adjustments, and can certainly cause long-term problems. A more comprehensive plan with support may be needed. Most sleep consultants offer free consultations, and it’s a great chance to get an expert’s eyes on the child’s sleep habits, to know if something truly does need to be done. If the child has never learned to fall asleep independently, a sleep consultant can suggest ways to work towards this. If certain family schedules and dynamics create challenges to the child’s schedule, a good sleep consultant can work to find a plan that fits the individual family.
Be positive and hopeful about sleep changes.
Sometimes, the biggest thing you can offer your family is hope that things can be better! Many times, families have been in their sleep deprived state for so long that they’ve given up hope, and begrudgingly accepted that this is the way things are always going to be. Be confident that with positive changes, pretty much every (healthy, developmentally normal) child can and will sleep better given the opportunity and help they need, because their bodies are wired for good sleep.
Have specific questions about the family you’re working with? Email me directly at Lindsey@sleeplittlelamb.com, and follow Little Lamb on FB/IG for more tips: @sleeplittlelamb
My week in USA started at my old Nanny family’s home in the state Minnesota. Last time I saw them was when I said goodbye, in February 2016. I was so excited about seeing them again, especially my little Nanny babe that I cared for from 9 weeks old to 15 months. Noelle ran straight into my arms and immediately said ‘Do you want to play with me?’ It was a special moment; the little girl who was just learning to walk and talk was now running and using full sentences. I had an amazing few days spending time with her and catching up with the other American Nannies I got close too, during my time in US a few years ago. I organised a play-date with all our little ones and we reminisced about the good times.
Thursday came around quickly and that’s when my best friend’s wedding celebrations started. I was so excited to see her, it had been 8 months since we last saw each other on my birthday in Dubai. Her cousin had prepared a low-key celebration at her apartment which was so beautifully set out and organised, we all said it felt like we’d just walked into Pinterest. 8 of us celebrated, playing typical hen party games in teams, eating delicious sweet treats and got stuck into the main activity of the evening, making our own body and hand scrubs. It was so simple, yet so much fun! I’ve added the beauty recipes below for you to try out yourself or if your planning on hosting your own evening, why not do this as an activity with the girls.
Wedding bells were ringing, only one day away!
Brandy and I spent 5 hours creating and putting together 5 bouquets for the bridesmaid’s and 1 for herself. We were so happy with the outcome, its not like we have any experience in floristry but everyone thought we’d done an amazing job. We also had the wedding rehearsal that evening followed by a groomsmen dinner. There’s something special about watching someone close to you walk down the aisle to soft music while everyone stops and looks, I cried numerous times, so much love in one room.
This was my first time at a full ceremony wedding that I would remember and being a part of the bridal party made it more special. The wedding was beautiful, from the location, the company, the music and the colour schemes. Lots of greenery, blush and white roses. My favorite part of the wedding was seeing Brandy’s spin on things, being an Artist she had creatively thought out every fine detail by making her own invitations, signs at the church and reception, including the menu and other added extras like guest book signing etc. All hand painted by her so elegantly, I felt it really made their wedding that much more personal, something she had talked about doing for so long.
Due to all of us bridesmaids being in different countries and states when the wedding was planned, we couldn’t get together to go dress shopping. So, Brandy had sent us a colour pallet to go off and a few pictures from Pinterest and we all went online to different retailers and found our dresses. We decided we’d all get slightly different so everyone would be comfortable in what they were wearing for the big day. On the morning of the wedding we put on our dresses and stood next to each other not knowing if they were going to look mismatched or fit perfectly, it was a moment that could have gone either way and we all held our breath, but to our surprise all 5 dresses complimented each other so beautifully. It was meant to be! We were all so happy with them, each one slightly different and unique, no one would have guessed we’d done it all without being together.
Photographs followed and the ‘first look’ for the bride and groom. The ceremony took place in the afternoon at the bride and grooms childhood church, a pretty little building surrounded by gardens and the lake in their home town. They had the reception in a beautiful location right on the Lake, and inside decorated with soft fairy lights, green garlands spread across white tables and candle arbor’s lit across the head table. It was so beautiful and exactly how Brandy and I had imagined her wedding when we talked about it a few years ago when we use to have girly sleepovers, picnics in the park and explore the frozen lakes of Minnesota. It was the perfect day and I am so grateful to have been apart of it.
I had no idea how much planning, organizing and preparation it took to have a wedding, so this was another experience I loved having. I’ve learnt lots on American weddings and some of the traditions they have that are different to your traditional British wedding. Here are a few:
At an American wedding you can generally expect the toasts and speeches to be your standard touchy-feely fare, but in the UK the wedding toasts are more like roasts, they are usually rather rude and embarrassing.
At American weddings it’s not necessary to wear a hat, whereas in UK traditionally wedding guests would wear fancy hats or fascinators.
In an American wedding the bride enters the room last, but in the UK the bride, precedes her bridesmaids, who will hold up her train or veil as she walks down the aisle.
In the US the groom faces the bride and watches her walk down the aisle, but at a British wedding, its customary for the groom to face away from the bride and only turn around once she reaches the alter.
So, I just spent 6 weeks in Marbella Spain as a Temporary Travel Nanny for a family with two babies. Marbella is a part of Spain I had never visited before, so I was excited to get out and about and explore. MB (Mom boss) and I flew to Malaga and then drove 40 minutes to Marbella to their villa. The babies were great on the plane until about the last hour, they were tired as we flew at lunchtime and typically they both fell asleep as we landed. Why do children always do that?! So, getting off the plane with two sleeping babies, 5 bags and 2 prams was a mission. What could Marbella have in store for us?
Marbella is beautiful, lots of sandy beaches, palm trees, fun markets and surf cafes. When we arrived, it was low season and so it wasn’t busy at all, the temperatures in the morning and at night were quite chilly but in the middle of the day it got up to 28c.
A lot of our time was spent at the beach, I love the beach. I would recommend taking a visit to Playa Fontanilla and Playa Nagueles, which have luscious golden sand and stunning clear waters. But we spent most of our time at the closest one, South Beach, which was so convenient with the little ones and always full of locals.
Whilst on my day off, I took a trip out into town and whilst at Playa Del Faro beach I stumbled across something truly special. These incredible sand sculptures!!! Wow, I stood and watched the artist as he sat high up on scaffolding sculpting the face of a mythical male figure, it was clear to me that the artist always starts from the top and works his way down the sand, which would make complete sense if you thought about it. These sand sculptures were intellectual ownership of the sculptor and his work was not sponsored by the town hall, he worked purely for tourist entertainment and on donations/contributions.
The artist had a board with a bit of information on about his giant master pieces, so I’ve added them here for you to really understand just how much work goes into them.
He uses 22 tons of sand
Construction time – 250 hours
Material – Beach sand and sea water
Daily use of sea water – 3000 L
Maintenance – Water spray every hour during the day, every two hours at night.
Sand art really is a special talent, when most of us struggle to build a single sand castle. The artist had also sculpted the characters from ‘Frozen’ the movie.
I also went and explored Old town or Casco Antiguo, built in 1485. A place where if I told you to imagine a Spanish town in your head this is what you would picture. Old town has such a lovely feel, little streets surrounded with white buildings, old stone and flowered balconies. In the center of it all Plaza de los Naranjos or orange square. Where you are surrounded by orange trees and beautiful Castilian Renaissance Architecture. You may sit around the square at your typical Spanish restaurants, eating Spanish cuisine while enjoying the beauty and smell of the oranges hanging from the trees.
Things to do with children in and around Marbella
We went out and explored a few different parks and attractions to mix up our days and we discovered some great places for families. A great place to visit as a family is the Selwo Adventura in Malaga. I couldn’t believe how big this place was, it honestly felt like I was back in South Africa at the Kruger National park. It was so wild, so much space for the animals to roam, you are able to go on a guided tour in a jeep and get up close to some of the animals at an extra cost, alternatively, you can walk the park yourself. They have some amazing activities to make you feel like you’re really in the jungle, hanging bridges, zip-lines over the lake and archery are just a few. They have lots of demonstrations on throughout the day also to educate children more on the different species of animals and their habitats. This is well worth a visit!
If you don’t fancy the huge day at the safari park and wanted just a morning or afternoon doing something, I would recommend the Bioparc in Fuengirola. We enjoyed this very much. In the heart of a town you wouldn’t expect to find a jungle paradise with tropical birds and exotic pets. The park was smaller than a zoo but had lots of the usual zoo animals, in naturalistic enclosures. It was clean, well-kept and the staff were friendly and spoke great English. This is well worth a visit for anyone with small children traveling around this area, wanting to see something exciting that doesn’t consume the whole day.
We also visited the Butterfly Park of Benalmadena. Located in the heart of Costa del Sol, home to around 1500 exotic butterflies. These butterflies fly freely between the flowers, waterfalls and tropical paradises. As you explore their habitat you gain a beautiful sense of tranquility and peace watching all the different colours and patterns fly by. Children under 3 go free, so it was a cheap day out for us with two little ones.
Tip – I would recommend eating out or bringing food with you to any of the parks as most of the cafes/ restaurants sell your typical takeaway fast food and a lot of Spanish food is very high in salt which of course is not always good for children.
Marbella has an amazing coast-line and the sunsets over the water, are simply stunning. One of the best things about Marbella is where it is situated, on a very clear day as you stare across the Mediterranean Sea, you can see Gibraltar, (another part of Spain) and Morocco and the African mountains. You are able to take a short journey by Ferry across the sea to Morocco and visit the city of Marrakesh. Nothing more satisfying than ticking off multiple locations on your bucket list, in one trip.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve met quite a few adults that have told me they cannot swim. Every time I hear that I am always so shocked. When I ask them ‘why?’ their usual response is ‘I’ve just never learnt’. But one particular person I spoke to, told me ‘my parents were too busy, there is so many life lessons a child needs to learn and swimming is just one that they never taught me to do’.
Oh wow! I didn’t even know how to respond, which is why it has brought me to write a post on this.
Teaching your child to swim should be one of the most, if not the most important life lesson
Drowning is still one of most common causes of accidental death in children and swimming is the only sport that can save your child’s life. I cannot express how important it is that your child learns to swim.
Swimming not only can save your child’s life but swimming is also an amazing form of exercise because you have to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. It builds muscle strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness which can be so good for children in the long term.
Traveling the world, I come into contact with so much water and after becoming a qualified lifeguard I am always switched on in my surroundings. There has been more than one occasion I have been sat around the pool at hotels and beaches with my NK’s and I have had to rescue other children that have slipped off the step or got into difficulty because they couldn’t swim.
Incidents like this happen so often and young children are especially at risk – they can drown in less than 2inchs (6cm) of water. They can drown is places you would least expect it; toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, sink, and small bodies of water like where rain has fallen and created a puddle on the ground.
I am appealing to you parents! If your child is able to learn to swim then please make it one of your priorities to get your child swimming. Any children over the age of 4 should learn to swim, but also children as young as 6 months are able to get in the water and could benefit from it, but check with your doctor first.
If you don’t have time to teach your children to swim, get someone to do it for you and enroll them in lessons.
It’s also a good idea to make them water wise. Talk about the water, about where is safe for them to go and where isn’t. Children should learn what is good behavior around a pool to prevent any slips or accidents. Let children know that they should contact a lifeguard or an adult if there’s an emergency.
Although no child is safe around water unsupervised whether they can swim or not, they are still at risk of drowning. Knowing your child can swim surely is so much better for your peace of mind than if they couldn’t. Any infants, toddlers and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm’s reach to provide supervision.
These are the facts!
In the time it takes to….
Cross a room for a towel (10 seconds), a child in a bathtub can be submerged.
Answer the phone (2 minutes), a child can lose consciousness.
Sign for a package at the front door (4-6 minutes), a child submerged in a tub or pool can sustain permanent brain damage
Water safety and hiring a Nanny…
If you are planning on hiring a Nanny or hosting an Aupair, I suggest you ensure that the person you hire is a strong swimmer. Your child will be around water every day; meaning they drink it, play in it, wash in it or are learning to swim.
Families that travel extensively, have boats, live by the beach or own a pool are especially at risk of fatal accidents with children. I am sure you would not want the guilt on your shoulders if your child got into difficulty swimming and the person caring for your child couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything to help them, because they themselves were scared of the water.
It is so important that if you are wanting to leave your child in the care of someone else, they should be able to swim.
It takes as little as 20 seconds for a child to drown and not only are toddler drownings quick, they are usually silent. Most children do not yell for help.
Swimming is such a fun sport and activity, it is a skill you will have for life and something you will never forget. Swimming is something that could take a few months to learn but something that will benefit you your entire life. Swimming is really fun but if not taken seriously then can be dangerous.
PLEASE TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO SWIM AND PLEASE SUPERVISE THEM AT ALL TIMES!
