The Threshold Phenomenon
Posted: December 6, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Tunes | Tags: attitude, Doc, El Fuego, kiddos, outdoors, Rebel, Sassafras 2 Comments
There are some naturally occurring wonders that cannot be explained, only defined by their universally effective nature. Children being happier outside is one of them. I call it the Threshold Phenomenon, so named after the marked change between a restless rugrat’s immediately cheerful change to happy-go-lucky youngster when alfresco. Most “rough” days with the kiddos happen when, because of weather- the heat most often, and the cold sometimes (in Austin there’s not much of an in-between)-they are unable to go outside. Read the rest of this entry »
You Can Count On Me!
Posted: November 15, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales | Tags: attendance, big, Boss lady, capable, cat, commitment, dependable, Doc, Mr.Man, on time, punctual, Rebel, value 2 CommentsIf memory serves, my first several years of nannying, or babysitting rather, between the age of 11 and 18, were filled with mistakes. Not having yet developed the valuable skill of time management I was tardy at times(most times), irresponsible simply by inexperience and immaturity (driving kiddos without parental permission. AHHH!!!!!!), and generally clueless, finding my way as a caregiver. When you’re a teenager you have little to no common sense and are still learning to take care of yourself, let alone others. However, I have always had the best intentions, and tried very hard to be helpful and fun. I eventually hit my stride, able to take four kiddos (ranging in age from infant to school age) to and from the pool, and out running errands during the day for one week (Y’all may recall M1,M2,& M3,and M4.)! This achievement was actually my foot in the Austin nannying door; upon hearing I was capable of wrangling four kiddos, for five days, the Austin mamas knew I was the real McCoy! Read the rest of this entry »
Oh the Places Y’all’ll Go!: Exuma, Bahamas
Posted: October 23, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Oh the Places Y'all'll Go!, Tales, Tips, Tunes | Tags: Bahamas, Bahamian lifestyle, blue eyes, captain awesome, Doc. Big Cat, exuma, exuma bahamas, make new friends, Rebel, relax, schedule, the exumas, vacation 4 Comments
Exciting new sporadic series: OH THE PLACES Y’ALL’LL GO!
Though the life of a Supernanny may not afford me the same standard benefits of other jobs such as insurance, PTO, etc., it more than makes up for it in the invaluable advantage of making my own hours. Because my fiancé “Mr. Luke” is only home six months out of the year (he works one month on, one month off) we make the most of his time home (spending weekends together and when possible taking trips ranging anywhere from a weekend to two full weeks). For my nannying schedule this means that every other month (when Luke is offshore) my schedule is jam-packed while I try to work as many hours as possible and fill the families’ times of need and then some: working weekends, overnights, 16 hour days going to up to 4 different homes; the alternating months (when Luke is home) I tone the workload down to a respectable 40 hours per week and take weekends off to be with my man, family, friends, and then some vacation time. Read the rest of this entry »
Bite Me!…No, Wait! Don’t!
Posted: October 9, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips | Tags: anne rice, biting, children biting, Doc, edward cullen, eric northman, infants, no biting, Rebel, stop children from biting, toddlers, true blood, twilight, vampire, vampire children, vampires, vampires in literature Leave a comment
Edward Cullen of Twilight. You’re welcome, moms.
I understand the long-standing allure of the vampire as a mythical creature (I’m a huge fan of Anne Rice), and the resurgence of vampires in pop culture by way of literary franchises such as Twilight and True Blood (both the brainchilds of female authors, gotta love that!), comes as no surprise to me. It’s an attractive premise-the idea of immortality, strength, power, passion, and the lifestyle it affords: late nights, sleeping the day away, no grocery shopping -hey, being a vampire sounds good to me! However, there is one aspect of the vampire legend that gives me major pause (pause, Team Jacob, not paws) and that is the whole biting part. As a Supernanny, one of the issues I run into occasionally is kiddos “turning” into biters. Now, it’s my duty to break them of this habit during my time with them, hopefully preventing it from happening in my absence. Read the rest of this entry »
A Matter of Manners
Posted: October 4, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Uncategorized | Tags: considerate, gentleman, gentleman time, gentlemen, kiddos, manners, please, polite, Rebel, respect, thank you 4 Comments
Having grown up in a household where manners were next to godliness, I am constantly trying ingratiate manners into the habits and behaviors of my young charges. Manners, when introduced and reinforced become second nature, a reflex. It’s important to get those pleases and thank yous started early. It’s not about impressing people, it’s about raising conscientious children who will be considerate friends and partners to people in the future. First impressions are lasting ones. No one ever complained about a child being too polite. Read the rest of this entry »
Let’s Dance!
Posted: October 2, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Tunes, Uncategorized | Tags: Big Cat, captain awesome, children dancing, dance, dancing, dancing nanny, Doc, kids dancing, princess, Rebel 3 Comments
Hand in hand with singing, as part of my nannying repertoire, is dancing. I love to dance, always have, always will. It is a great outlet for energy and a wonderful way to bond with the kiddos. In some ways nannying is a lot like dancing. Supernannies leave stage fright at the door, as do dancers; people who are inexperienced with children have the same pained facial expressions and awkwardness as someone who doesn’t know how to dance. Supernannies just go with the music, and no matter the moves, feel natural. Confidence is king in nannying, just like on the dance floor. Read the rest of this entry »
STOP! Bellybutton Time.
Posted: September 14, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales | Tags: bellybutton, bellybutton time, bellybuttons, Doc, funny, game, midriff, Rebel Leave a comment
It’s amazing how in a matter of minutes something hilarious and heartwarming can happen- many times out of the oddest situations. Perfect example: “Bellybutton Time” with Doc and Rebel. On a typical (though no day with these two is ever “typical”) day with Doc and Rebel, the three of us were hanging out post “rest time” and nap, when all of a sudden Rebel lifts up his little shirt and says, “Bellybutton!” Doc follows suit and lifts his little shirt and says, “Bellybutton!” Then they both look at me expectantly, eyes wide, facial expressions reading, “Ok, Miss Cheryl it’s your turn.” I balked. Read the rest of this entry »
Little Radioheads
Posted: August 28, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Tunes | Tags: Big Cat, Boss lady, child appropriate radio, children, children music, children's playlist, Doc, melody, Mr.Man, music, pandora for kids, picking out music for children, playlist, Rebel 2 Comments
What kind of music someone prefers can tell you a lot about him/her. Some of the most revealing conversations I have had with friends and family have been about music, and it is through our mutual love of music, and The Doors in particular, that my fiancé Luke and I first fell in love. Music is a way to bond with people and provides a common denominator in relationships. (That, or bad taste in music can act as a red flag for someone you do not need to spend a road trip with!) Read the rest of this entry »
Right Round
Posted: August 21, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales | Tags: alice i wonderland, Big Cat, children, dizzy, Doc, glasses, intoxicated, Mr.Man, nanny, Rebel, spinning 2 Comments
As a Supernanny, I am privileged to be privy to many kiddos’ first brushes with intoxication. No, I don’t rub whiskey on their gums, I mean the intoxicating activity of spinning. I remember spinning, of any kind, being my activity of choice when I was a child. Whether I was on a tire swing, a merry-go-round at the park, or just holding hands with a friend/parent and whirling around, I loved the rush of adrenaline, the exhilaration of this seemingly simple activity. Read the rest of this entry »
Say My Name
Posted: August 17, 2012 Filed under: Miss Cheryl, Tales, Tips, Tunes | Tags: baby, Big Cat, calling babies by their names. proper names, funny, funny nicknames, Mr.Man, nanny nicknames, nicknames, Rebel, Snuggles Leave a comment
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, just because I’m a Supernanny does not mean I don’t make mistakes. It only means that I learn from my mistakes and hopefully become better at my job. One thing I’m always working on is referring to kiddos, particularly infants, by their given names, and not just by “baby”. It’s much harder than you think, considering that what I love most about them is their babyness- it’s the first thing that comes to mind, “Hey look, it’s a baby!” I have been working on being more mindful of this habit because it is important to refer to each child as an individual. Though I see each one as a unique person, Read the rest of this entry »
Y'all Behave! 