It’s a Hit!
Posted: July 19, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips | Tags: Big Cat, captain awesome, children, funny, grocery store, humor, injury, joke, joking, laughing, Mr.Man, nanny, park, princess, swings 2 Comments
Having been a Supernanny for years now, I’ve developed the ability to hone in on a kiddo’s individual sense of humor, and adjust my stand-up accordingly. With so many different little personalities there will naturally be a grand scale of things that make them “Haha!” and I mix it up to get a chuckle out of each of them. There are, however, two main veins of comedy that are met with a laugh- ranging anywhere from a snicker to a necessary change of shorts- across the board: 1) When I joke about inflicting disciplinary pain on the kiddos, 2) When I am actually, or just pretend to be, injured.
Great Experience, Better Birth Control
Posted: July 12, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl | Tags: baby fever, becoming a mother, children, motherhood, nanny, someday family 1 Comment“After nannying for so many years, do you still want children of your own?” This is the question popped to me by most people after they hear what I do for a living, and usually asked at some point by the parents of my charges. The answer is a very enthusiastic “YES! Absolutely!” I love children, part of the reason I got into the nannying game and have stayed in it so long. I look forward to having my own children someday. However that someday, is not anytime soon. Read the rest of this entry »
Separation Anxiety
Posted: July 2, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips | Tags: anxious, Doc, nanny, parents, separation, separation anxiety, stress 4 CommentsBeing a Supernanny affords me relationships with the kiddos that result in less tears when parents leave than the average caregiver, but by no means wipes them out completely. Even charges I have had for years, who love me, and feel comfortable being left with me for days at a time will have moments when they just don’t want parent/s to go. Sometimes it’s separation anxiety, other times it’s that combined with other factors that make it particularly rough on a child.
When I first started nannying Doc, his Aunt Aspen clued me in that he had been very sensitive to separation from his Read the rest of this entry »
Haircut Hysteria
Posted: June 25, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips | Tags: Big Cat, change, haircut, Mr.Man, nanny Leave a commentThree years ago I decided, after growing my hair out, to then chop it off for wigs for kids. It was something I’d been meaning to do for years but I had trouble letting go of my long locks. Turns out I was not the only one. Mr. Man and Big Cat (at the time 5 and 3) were livid when I told them I was cutting it short. I broke the news to them and was met with scowls and scorn for what Read the rest of this entry »
Dirt Off Your Shoulders
Posted: June 21, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Tunes | Tags: Boss lady, brave, Doc, falls, nanny, Rebel, trips 3 CommentsOne may not think of Jay-Z lyrics when it comes to child-rearing, but what can I say? The “Best rapper alive!” knows his stuff! Another of my nannying goals is to help children become self-reliant in any situation, even injury.
Now, it’s very easy for me to tell the children to buck up, now that I’m full-grown, with an increased threshold for pain, but back in the day I was anything but brave when it came to Read the rest of this entry »
Who’s the Boss Lady?
Posted: June 14, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales | Tags: Boss lady, girl, nanny, new charge, relationship 4 Comments“She will be mine- oh yes, she will be mine.”
Just as Mike Myers (of Wayne’s World fame) made this phrase unforgettable, so does it apply to one kiddo of mine in particular, Boss Lady. For the most part I have nannied for children who respond almost immediately to me- the vast majority do. With my cheerful attitude, and penchant for play, you’d be hard-pressed to find a child I can’t charm. So when a child doesn’t instantly bond with me, I don’t find it discouraging, I accept the challenge.
Part of the reason I have had little to no resistance in the Love-of-Miss-Cheryl department, is that I have had almost exclusively male charges. Out of over a dozen families I have nannied for, almost all have been boys. This has amazing advantages because- for lack of any other way to describe it- little dudes dig me. They recognize that, like them, I’m up for anything, I love being outside, and I horse around. On the flipside, when there is a girl thrown in the mix, it is an unexpected treat, and a true chance to hone my female-bonding skills. Read the rest of this entry »
Beautiful Disaster
Posted: June 7, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips | Tags: Big Cat, clean house, cleaning, discipline, Doc, eating, funny, messy room, Mr.Man, nanny, nannying, Rebel, tips 2 Comments
As a Supernanny, I uphold a very high standard of household upkeep for the duration of my time with a family. That being said, messes still happen. When I first started nannying for Mr. Man and Big Cat, they were 3 y/o and 8 months. At mealtimes, I was always trying to stay on top of things—cleaning up every spill, scooping every morsel off the floor as it fell, wiping Big Cat’s lips after every bite. But as our days together continued, I learned a valuable piece of mealtime know-how: During meals, let their freak flags fly. Let the proverbial chips fall where they may, and do a clean sweep after. Otherwise you’ll drive yourself crazy and waste valuable energy better spent confronting post-meal hurdles (a.k.a. naptime, the word “no,” etc.). Read the rest of this entry »
Howdy There!
Posted: May 22, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl | Tags: About, austin nanny, children, full-time nanny, love, nanny, nannying, nannying game, parents 1 CommentHowdy, y’all! Miss Cheryl here. Welcome to my blog!
Now, as a nanny, I don’t have much time for chit chat so let’s just cut to the chase. My blog will be my sanity saver, story store, and general jumble of not-quite-motherly wisdom. I’m a full-time nanny, living in Austin, Texas. I started babysitting as a pre-teen in Corpus Christi, Texas, then shortly before graduating college (@ Texas State in San Marcos, “Eat ’em Up, Cats!) I got pulled into the nannying game by a random, though turns out, rather serendipitous e-mail from a pal. I started commuting to Austin for nannying jobs, and even after graduating, just kept with it! I’m currently in my 6th year of being a certifiable, Texan Rugrat Wrangler, and I’ve enjoyed every (well, honey let’s be honest, almost every) minute of it.
Now, I’m sure some of you have read, watched, heard of, or experienced some form of surrogate childcare. You’ve seen the fictitious well-meaning bright eyed young governess, the dependable older au pair. Always in these stories the Nanny is an outsider to a world of wealth, emotional unavailability, and very lonely children. Welp, my experience is a little different! This ain’t no Nanny Diaries, my friend. The families I nanny for are not comprised of shopping/”charity” addicted mothers, absentee fathers, and neglected, unhappy children. Rather, I’m the helping hand to single moms, busy moms, working moms, moms and dads who want to keep the romance by having date nights, etc. and the firm (but always fun) guiding hand to children ranging from infants to school age. I don’t keep my emotions on a shelf, I adore and love all the children I nanny. I love them because they are all wonderful individuals and because I develop a unique and very special bond with each one.
Miss Cheryl
Y'all Behave! 