Words of Wisdom from Families

By Kelly Miller

This article is the second of a two part series in which we talked to nannies and parents that have been placed together for over 4 years. We asked, “What advice do you have for other families or nannies to have a successful long-term relationship?” Here is what employers had to say.

Words of Wisdom from Nannies

By Kelly Miller

This article is the first of a two part series in which we talked to nannies and parents that have been placed together for over 4 years. We asked, “What advice do you have for other families or nannies to have a successful long-term relationship?” Here is what experienced nannies had to say.

What time is 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.

Back-to-School Crafts

While looking for some fun back-to-school projects I found three on the Family Fun website that we have done over the years. I actually thought we'd "invented" them . . . now I see others have had these ideas.
                                                                                                        

After-School Snack Ideas

A good after school snack is important to children. It provides that time of day to relax over light refreshments and check-in with each child. For some families, the snack is also mini-meal to tide them over until parents are home and dinner is on the table. Here are a few of our favorites.

Warm Tortilla Chips and Dips

Large Tortilla

Seasoning

Cooking Spray or Oil

Cut tortilla up into strips, geometric shapes or using cookie cutters you'll get all kinds of fun chip shapes. Place tortilla pieces onto baking sheet. Lightly coat with cooking spray or a spray oil. Sprinkle with salt or other seasoning. You can also use a cinnamon sugar mixture for a sweet version. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes until golden.

Serve with salsa, veggie dip, hummus or other options. Delicious!

GORP Buffet

Gorp is a type of trail mix style treat. We'd gather a variety of cereals, dried fruits, mini-marshmallows, snack crackers, pretzels, nuts, etc. - whatever we had around. I'd put them into small bowls with a spoon. Each child would get their own bowl or cup to scoop up their favorite mix. The children would love the buffet idea and would often eat items that if served alone they weren't interested in. Great for munching while doing homework with a glass of milk, juice or water.

Snack Rollups

Large Tortilla Wraps

Sandwich Fixings

These are bite-sized sandwiches that are healthy and fill that gap between lunch and the evening meal. Take the large tortilla and build layers of their favorite sandwich items. Roll the tortilla up and then cut into one inch sections. I liked to provide several different choices to them including veggies, cheeses, meats, peanut butter or other options so they could sample. If you have leftovers they do well when placed in an airtight container and refrigerated.