The Best Nanny Coaches

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By Catherine Finn

I became a professional nanny because I genuinely enjoy children—their energy, their curiosity, their humor, and the wonderfully honest way they experience the world. Over the years, I studied child development, taught in preschool settings, raised two children of my own, and worked to make caring for children more than a job. I wanted it to be a profession.

That experience taught me something I did not expect: perspective can change after we step into someone else’s reality.

What Is “The Main Thing”?

We often hear the phrase, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” It sounds simple until two people discover that they have completely different ideas about what the main thing actually is.

I once had a conversation with a parent about childcare. As we talked, I believed we had reached an understanding that the children and what was best for them were the central concern. She smiled and nodded, and I walked away thinking we were speaking the same language.

Later, I realized we were not.

From my perspective as a childcare professional, the main thing was the children’s development, emotional well-being, safety, and nurture. From her perspective as a working parent responsible for keeping a roof over her family’s head, the immediate priority was having a dependable person arrive so she could go to work.

Neither perspective erased the other. They simply came from different responsibilities.

That realization stayed with me. It reminded me that words such as “important,” “priority,” and even “best” can mean different things depending on where a person is standing.

A New Perspective on Children and Technology

I think about that lesson now as technology—and especially artificial intelligence—becomes a larger part of everyday life.

My concern is not that children should grow up without technology. Technology is already part of their world, and artificial intelligence will likely become increasingly familiar to them. The more interesting question is whether children can grow up with both technological competence and deeply human skills.

The first years of life are filled with development that cannot be reduced to a screen or an algorithm. Children learn through relationships, conversation, movement, play, frustration, comfort, observation, laughter, and the experience of being known by another person.

Perhaps the goal does not need to be AI or humanity.

Perhaps it can be AI and humanity.

Children can learn how to use powerful tools while also learning empathy, patience, imagination, communication, resilience, and the ability to connect with another human being.

Keeping Humanity in the Conversation

Every generation grows up alongside changes that shape the way people live. We are watching an extraordinary technological change happen in real time. That makes this an important moment for parents, educators, nannies, and everyone who helps raise children.

We do not have to fear technology in order to protect what is human.

We can teach children to use new tools while continuing to give them what children have always needed: attentive adults, meaningful conversation, imaginative play, boundaries, affection, time, and genuine human connection.

My perspective has changed through experience. I have learned that understanding another person often begins when I stop assuming that their “main thing” is the same as mine.

And as artificial intelligence becomes part of childhood, perhaps our responsibility is not to choose between technology and humanity, but to make sure humanity remains part of the main thing.

Catherine Finn | Professional Nanny • Childcare Writer

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Beyond the Paycheck: What It Means to Feel Valued as a Nanny

By Catherine Finn

As a nanny, being valued and having value are two different things.

Most people understand the practical side of employment: you do a job and you receive a paycheck. But professional childcare involves something more difficult to measure. A nanny is entrusted with a family’s children, routines, home and, often, some of the most important moments of a child’s development.

That responsibility has value whether or not someone stops to acknowledge it.

There can also be a difference between a babysitter and a professional nanny. Babysitters provide an important service, but a nanny who works consistently with a family often carries a broader level of responsibility. She learns the children’s personalities, anticipates their needs, supports their development and becomes part of the rhythm that keeps the household moving.

I remember one morning that demonstrated this clearly.

One parent had worked extremely late on a construction project and had not gone to bed until around 4:00 a.m. The children’s mother had already left for work. When I arrived, the children needed breakfast, the baby needed changing, and the older children needed to get ready for school.

No one had to give me a list of instructions.

I prepared my car with the three car seats, got everyone fed and cleaned up, and made sure the older children arrived at school on time. On the drive, I sang songs with them and helped settle the emotions that can come with an unexpectedly hectic morning.

That is one of the things experience teaches a professional nanny: sometimes the family needs you to recognize what needs to happen and calmly make it happen.

Later that same day, I remembered that the youngest child was scheduled to begin swimming lessons later in the week. Because I had the opportunity, I took her to the pool for a short, supervised introduction to the water so she could become more comfortable before her lesson.

It wasn’t something I had been specifically instructed to do. It came from knowing the child, understanding what was coming next for her, and thinking about how I could help prepare her.

Those moments helped shape the way I think about value in childcare.

Value isn’t simply doing more tasks. It is judgment, reliability, preparation, initiative and the ability to understand what a child or family may need before someone has to ask.

Of course, nannies also want to feel valued. Recognition matters. Respect matters. Appropriate compensation matters. When someone is trusted with significant responsibility and consistently brings skill and initiative to the job, that level of professionalism should be recognized.

But I also believe there is something important in knowing the value of your own work even before someone else acknowledges it.

Childcare is relationship-based work. We nurture, teach, organize, comfort, observe and adapt. We help children move through ordinary days and unexpected ones. Much of that work happens quietly, without an audience.

That doesn’t make it less important.

For nannies, one of the best ways to remain motivated is to remember why the work matters. Continue developing your skills. Take initiative thoughtfully. Communicate with parents. Pay attention to the children in front of you. Let the quality of your work demonstrate the professional you are.

Being valued by an employer is important. Knowing the value you bring is important too.

And when professionalism, respect and appropriate compensation come together, both the nanny and the family benefit.

Catherine Finn
Professional Nanny • Childcare Educator • Writer

By Catherine Finn

My workday as a professional nanny often began before the sun came up.

I would wake at 4:45 a.m., leave the house thirty minutes later, and arrive before the three children woke for the day. By 6:00 a.m., I was quietly disarming the alarm, putting away dishes from the night before, clearing the kitchen table and getting the house ready for another busy morning.

Their mother usually left for work shortly after I arrived. Sometimes their father had already gone.

Then the children began waking up.

Like many families, we had one particular morning challenge: television.

The parents allowed the children to watch a show before I arrived, but once our weekday routine began, the television needed to go off. It was a perfectly reasonable rule.

Explaining that to a three-year-old who is halfway through a favorite show, however, is another matter entirely.

There were arguments about which program to watch. There were protests when it was time to turn it off. Sometimes a child would be so disappointed that even coming to the breakfast table became a struggle.

I could have spent every morning battling over the television.

Instead, I found something the children wanted even more.

I started reading to them during breakfast.

The arrangement was simple: as long as they were eating, I would keep reading.

Sometimes we read a favorite book again and again. Other times I brought home a collection from the local library. Around holidays, I looked for books that connected with whatever the children were experiencing and celebrating.

Before long, reading wasn’t simply my solution to turning off the television. It became part of our morning rhythm.

And I discovered something else.

Children’s books provide wonderful opportunities to introduce subjects that might otherwise feel like instructions coming from an adult.

Need to talk about brushing teeth? There’s a book for that.

Learning to swim? Sharing toys? Starting school? Managing big feelings? Welcoming a new sibling?

Books allow children to explore an idea through characters and stories rather than simply being told what they should or shouldn’t do.

For a nanny, parent or caregiver, that’s an incredibly useful tool.

The experience also reinforced something I’ve learned repeatedly while caring for children: a successful transition doesn’t always require stricter enforcement. Sometimes it requires giving the child something meaningful to transition toward.

I wasn’t simply taking away television.

I was replacing one enjoyable experience with another – one that gave us conversation, connection and learning at the same time.

Years later, I still think about those mornings because they illustrate what professional childcare can look like at its best.

The ordinary moments matter.

Breakfast can become literacy time. A difficult transition can become a comforting ritual. A children’s book can begin a conversation that might otherwise be difficult to start.

Sometimes the most effective childcare strategies aren’t complicated at all.

They’re simply thoughtful ways of meeting children where they are – and helping them move gently toward where they need to go.

Catherine Finn
Professional Nanny • Childcare Educator • Writer

The Art of Playing Along:
How Adults Can Encourage Imaginative Play

By Catherine Finn

There are only three things you really need to create a platform for imaginative play: time, an environment, and a subject. The platform itself is imaginary, so stay with me here. Children can turn almost any moment, place, or idea into an opportunity to create.

Playing with children is one thing. Children truly playing with you is another. Children are remarkably good at recognizing when an adult is genuinely enjoying the experience and when the adult is simply going through the motions.

I have watched well-meaning adults participate in children’s play while still remaining somewhat outside of it. They may sit on the floor, hold the toy, or respond when spoken to, but the child is doing most of the imagining. I sometimes think of this as “dressed-up parallel play.” The adult is present, but the child has not really been joined in the imaginary world they are creating.

Parallel play has an important place in child development. Children may play alongside one another without necessarily sharing the same story or activity. But imaginative play with an engaged adult can become something different. A conversation begins. One idea leads to another. The child contributes something, the adult builds on it, and suddenly both are participating in the same imaginary world.

That is where the fun begins.

Adults do not need elaborate toys, expensive materials, or hours of free time to encourage this kind of play. A few minutes can be enough. A living room can become an ocean. A blanket can become a cave. A cardboard box can become a boat, a castle, or a spaceship. The subject can come from almost anywhere, especially when we allow the child to lead.

One of the most valuable things an adult can do is listen to the direction the child’s imagination is already taking. Instead of immediately correcting the story or deciding how the game should work, ask a question. “Where are we going?” “What happens next?” “Who am I supposed to be?” Those questions tell the child that their ideas matter.

Imaginative play also gives children room to practice communication, problem-solving, creativity, and social interaction. They experiment with roles, emotions, language, and relationships while doing something that feels completely natural to them: playing.

For the adult, the challenge is often simple – be willing to participate. Put aside the need to make the activity productive or perfect. Follow the child’s lead for a while. Be curious. Be silly. Add to the story without taking it over.

Children do not necessarily need adults to entertain them. Sometimes they simply need us to enter their world long enough to show them that we see it too.

So get out there and pretend to be mermaids, mermen, explorers, astronauts, veterinarians, dragons – or whatever your child decides everyone is today. Give them a little time, a little space, and your genuine attention.

Then let imagination do the rest.

Catherine Finn | Professional Nanny • Childcare Writer

Hello all,

Today I would like to encourage all of you to intuitively look at your current job status.

Stop and breath if you are new at this.

Don’t stop breathing if you have done this for a long time!

“Add volume to your depth” is simply written to remind you of your importance.

It is an honor to be part of another persons development. This is deep and I encourage you to take a deep dive inwardly and look at all of the good qualities you bring to work with you. The depth of your care and nurture may be easy to see as you outwardly express what you hold internally. I want to encourage you to speak up and let others know the truthful importance of your care as a nanny or manny.

Many people have said they could not do child care and that is a true statement.

If you do not like what you do, then do something different so everyone wins!

If you like what you do, thank you, and think about how you can verbalize more of the important things that are going on while you partner with the parent/s to nurture our future generations.

Don’t loose your balance.

I used to believe that all I had to do was …

Work hard/play hard and be good to myself. To live a good life keep work life balance.

Nope not true. The truth is that the first thing I need is Jesus!

When life is hard Jesus helps me.

When life is good I praise the Lord.

When the sun comes up I ask God for help and thank the Holy Spirit for guidance.

I have learned how to find peace and Joy and it is in God alone.

Don’t loose your peace by working for Joy. Go straight to God to get it.

Hi again,

The Best Nanny Coach

“Nanny/Manny Land Minds”

Watch it now on YouTube.

The Best Nanny Coach Land …

I just finished making a video for youtube. The title is called Nanny Land Minds. I hope you will get the chance to watch it in addition to reading this blog. 

What are Nanny Land Minds? 

Basically, any person, place or thing that bumps into your daily rhythm flow, routine or ritual.

 I’m going to give you a few examples and I hope you find them helpful.

Nanny/Manny Land Mind #1.

A Traveling Land Mind….and treats.

 This is very common. When you have had a long day of travel and finally arrived at the hotel, watch out!

 The hotels have colorful packages full of snacks and treats on display inviting you to eat them. This is a potential land mind because when children travel, they do not typically eat as much as they would if they were in their home routine. If they see and want and get to eat a yummy snack they will be getting something they usually do not eat, after traveling without eating much, and they are already tired…now the swing of sugar goes up and what goes up must come down.👍👎

💥POW💥 A Travel Land Mind!

 But, here is the good news…

  Now that you have read this you will know how to avoid this from happening to you. When you are first walking into the room, ask a family member, friend, or team member to go in just before you and cover up all the treats with a bathroom towel. The children are always curious and excited about looking through the rooms. While they do that you take a few minutes to move the treats to a closet and get out something you have packed for them to eat.

*I will list a few travel food ideas at the end of this article:)

 Use daily preparation to avoid devastation.

Nanny Land Mind Example #2. 

What do you do when someone comes to visit the family and brings treats or it’s a holliday and treats are all over the place all the time?

Remember, daily preparation to avoid devastation. The holidays are full of sweets and treats.

 It’s Nanny Land Mind Season!💥 You will be better off if you go into it knowing and expecting sugar to abound. With that knowledge you can prepare something for the child/children to eat with protein every day. Every day, no matter the season, it is important that you offer a variety of healthy choices to balance it out.  

*I will add a list of healthy snack choices at the end of this article. They are easy “go to” snacks that I like to call RDCF.  “Routine Damage Controle Foods”

💨Nanny Land Mind Diverted💨

Nanny Land Mind Example#3 Outdoor Play

When a very young child wants to go outside and play football or soccer but does not want to put their socks and shoes on….what do you do? This can quickly turn into a teary outcome that I will help you avoid.

Let them go without their socks and shoes but bring them. Just bring the socks and shoes then encourage them to show you what they can do. That is usually when they will want you to help them put on their socks and shoes. 

💨Nanny Land Mind Diverted💨

Nanny Land Mind Example #4 Games and How to avoid disappointments because the games haven’t been put back in their boxes. 

This is an easy one to get blindsided with. If you open the box and the game is missing or parts of the game is missing 💥BAM!💥 Nanny Land Mind, direct hit. 

I’m writting this because I know how to prevent that from happening and I know how to prepare for what to do if that happens.

 First, always try to put away a game when you are done playing. I understand that is easier said than done for many different reasons.   

Second, only have games on display that you know have all the parts and pieces in their box.

Third, If you can see it’s an absolute favorite game, ask the parents to buy another one as a back-up.

Fourth, keep a new unopened age appropriate game or two in a nearby closet.

I hope you liked these examples of Nanny Land Minds and remember they come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are guaranteed to help you figure out new strategies. I want to encourage you because it’s a continual journey.  

Every age has a new milestone, and every milestone represents the journey and every journey creates a memory that lasts a lifetime. Thank you for what you do.

*Land Mind Example #1… a few travel food ideas at the end of this article:)

 Use daily preparation to avoid devastation.

Pre cook and pack in travel containers quinoa & oatmeal. It travels well and is a good carb with protein. Bring a variety of berrys and greens that have been pre washed, sliced and packed in travel containers. Dried organic fruits, *nuts(if no allergies) and crackers. Bring cooked washed and peeled organic edamame and a few Hard boiled eggs pre peeled and washed. Add some hummus pre washed and cut celery, carrots snap peas and broccoli. Apples and oranges travel well if they are not pre cut. Include a pack of hand wipes.

Nanny Land Mind Example #2 

*I will add a list of healthy snack choices at the end of this article. They are easy “go to” snacks that I like to call  “Nutrition Based Snack Foods”

Prepare some tiny pancakes from a protein based mix.

Have *nut butter to dip with sliced apples ready on a plate at all times.(*if no allergies to nuts)

Make a smoothie with some Almond milk and add a few walnuts.

Have a small bowl of mixed nuts and dried fruit always available. 

Slice some different colored bell peppers and offer them with some cheese and crackers.

If yogert is not a dietary concern, offer some plane organic yogert with a swirl of organic agava. 

Make your own popsicles out of fresh squeezed lemons or frozen smoothie mix.

Make a “Banana Burger” no crust.

Make “ants on a log” with celery sticks.

Birthday Party Craft and Preparation

Watch on utube 🎉