Your nanny is watching your kids, but who is watching your nanny? There’s the innocuous nanny-cam, or the infamous web site Isawyournanny.com. But for those who want a more effective and less Fox 11 News-worthy method of ensuring that their kids are receiving wonderful care while they’re away, it may be time to hire a professional.
Megan Matt, founder of Teachable Moments – a Newport Beach-based educational consulting service for families who employ nannies - is a former nanny and teacher with a master’s degree in early childhood education. She is passionate about not just checking up on nannies, but empowering at-home caregivers to do their infinitely valuable jobs with skill, knowledge and confidence.
Many Orange County families choose nannies, believing the one-on-one attention their child receives will be superior to that of their local day care. But, unlike the nursery school teachers around the corner, at-home caregivers are rarely formally trained and have accountability to no one but their employers. These employers, often new parents themselves, can be unsure how to best create a home environment that is nurturing and conducive to cognitive development in those critical early years.
Which is why Matt’s comprehensive menu of services includes laying some foundations, such as creating a “Family Mission Statement” which clearly articulates the parents’ goals and values regarding their children’s care. Complementing the Family Mission Statement, Matt’s Home 360° assesses the areas for growth in the home learning environment. Matt then meets with the nanny to offer training and insight on how to best accomplish the family’s goals.
In Southern California particularly, nannies are often from a different culture than their employing families and therefore have different values or priorities for childcare. For example, one nanny with whom Matt has worked was very energetic and involved, but didn’t allow the child access to sensory play, like water, clay or sand. “This caregiver really wanted to please her employers,” says Matt, “but without clear direction, she thought the parents would want her to keep their child clean and train him not to touch messy things, which was actually cutting him off from some of his development.”
As far as checking up on the nannies, Matt uses media in a far more effective and hopefully more trust-inspiring way than the nanny-cam. She encourages the caregivers to document their daily activities with the kids in creative ways, using family blogs, digital photography, large family calendars and other media to keep parents in the loop about how their children spend their days. This documentation also gives the caregiver a sense of accomplishment, because she knows her employers will notice her work. And ultimately, instilling pride is how Matt believes she will improve the level of at-home care for Orange County families.
“Caregivers are often unintentionally told, ‘There are “real” teachers out there, but you’re just here to change diapers and wipe down the counters after snack,’ so that’s how they see themselves,” says Matt. “I want them to see themselves as professionals with an important role.”
Megan Matt’s Teachable Moments. Teach-mom.com (949) 706-2408
