Great Nanny Conference Information

Each year the International Nanny Association hosts an extensive conference which includes multiple workshops for nannies on a variety of subjects. Speakers are leaders and experts in their field. There are also workshops and speakers on all aspects of the nanny industry from agency operations to new trends in the field to professional nanny topics. New this year is a series of workshops directed at Newborn Care Specialists which is a growing aspect of the industry.

This year's conference is being held in Tampa, Florida on May 12 - 14. There is an opening reception the evening of May 12 with multiple workshops and activities on May 13 to 14. Also, new this year is a 50% discount on conference registration for new members (since June 2010)! This is an unprecidented offer but you need to act quickly to take advantage since there is a deadline for these registrations. For more information about location, workshop topics and how to register please visit http://www.nanny.org/.

Also, this year two scholarships for conference registrations are going on - you could WIN a free registration. Check out http://regardingnannies.com/2011/02/conference-essay-scholarship-2011/ and http://familyhelpers.wordpress.com/. Believe me, once you attend an INA Conference you'll be asking yourself why you didn't do this before. The information is always valuable but it's the connections and friendships you make with others in the nanny industry that you will really appreciate.

If you have questions about INA or the conference please post a comment and we'll get back to you!

Bathtub Paint Recipe

Bathtime can be fun! Here is an interesting idea from our friends at Regarding Nannies - a recipe for bathtub paint.  http://regardingnannies.com/2011/02/bathtub-paints-by-kristen-kanoski/

No W-2: Now what?

Here is a link to a very good explanation what to do if you have not recieved your W-2 as a nanny working for a family. The link is from Regarding Nannies and written by Breedlove & Associates.

http://regardingnannies.com/2011/02/what-to-do-if-you-didn%e2%80%99t-get-a-w-2-from-your-employer/

Ice Castles and Igloos

by Kelly Miller

Each February, I go to the store to purchase sugar cubes, white frosting and an assortment of candy (gummy bears, spice drops, conversation hearts and m&m's are my favorites).  I gather the children I am currently nannying, and the fun begins!

Ice castles and igloos work well if they are built on cardboard with tinfoil wrapped around the top. We start by creating a castle base, and then we add towers and anything else we can think of.  (This year we had an ice skating rink made with frosting and blue sprinkles, as well as gummy bears sitting around a campfire).  School agers have the ability to make elaborate castles, and toddlers and preschoolers have fun with a simple castle. 

Another idea is to use the sugar cubes to create an igloo.  This year we had spice drops decorating the top of the igloo, with gummy bears inside.  Be creative and have fun with sugar cubes!

Happy Valentine's Day

From Nannies from the Heartland

Healthy Snacks - - - New Ideas

Need some new ideas for healthy snacks and fun ways to present them?
Family Fun is always a great resource. Check out this website for a lot of interesting options.
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cooking-with-kids/serious-about-snacks-714779/

Do you have other great snack ideas to share? Please comment on this post and we'll include your information in a follow up post so everyone can enjoy!

Time Flies . . . or does it?

There's no time like the present, Time on your hands, Time flies when you're having fun - - - talk about abstract! How do we explain and teach time to children?

The concept of time is one of the most challenging to teach and for children to grasp. Time consists of divisions which include - the clock, the calendar, seasons/weather and how all this fits into our lives. Although time is linear, it is also cyclical which makes it a concept both concrete and abstract. No wonder some of us struggle with it. Understanding time must be tangible and meaningful to children. That's the challenge - here are some ideas on how get started.

Color Your World

These ideas are from the International Nanny Association's cookbook Beyond Peanut Butter and Jelly which also features creative ideas for art, parties and more. All of these project are not only colorful but can be messy. Having children wear protective paint shirt and covering your project area is a great idea. Also, we used plastic utensils for stirring which we reused, plastic gloves to avoid dyed hands and tweezers to manipulate the colored items. Enjoy!