Originally from the Midwest, and now residing in the Bay Area, Elaina is a professional child caregiver with over 10 years of experience. She is especially passionate about development-focused, shared childcare.
We got the chance to interview Elaina recently to learn more about her caregiving wisdom, and what drives her to excel at her job.
1. How did you get into caregiving?
I started caregiving in 1996, the summer before high school. My first jobs were with neighbors—I lived in a family-friendly neighborhood and the moms would ask me if I wanted to make $20 to look after their kids while they went grocery shopping alone. This kept snowballing and by the time I was in high school, neighborhood parents would pay me to pick up their kids from school and walk them home—sometimes over 10 kids at once!
In the early 2000s, I started working as a secretary at a law office. One day I was sent to the owner’s home to pick up some files and noticed that his wife was running an in-home daycare. I realized how much better a fit this seemed for me than being at an office, so I started working for her instead. That’s when I really got into professional nannying.
2. Why do you love caring for children?
As a child, I thought I wasn’t smart. I wasn’t good at math or science, and those are so highly prized in our technology-driven economy. It took me a long time to understand that there are many ways to be good at being intelligent and that you are more likely to excel at something you are passionate about. I use the experiences of my struggles in traditional learning environments to figure out how to provide better learning experiences for the children in my care. I focus on activities that teach to their strengths and do my best to respond to their evolving needs to support a growth mindset and encourage resiliency. I love giving children intentional opportunities to construct knowledge outside of the conventional school setting.
3. You’ve mentioned the importance of building trust with the families you work with. How have you successfully done this?
People tend to think that parents have all the power. I think this is a disadvantage in the care industry, specifically to the caregivers. I treat my caregiving job as a real job—not a job where I sit on a couch and eat chips.
About 10 years ago, I sat down and created a list of interview questions for parents. I use this list with all new families I interview with. I also created a survey on my website that I ask parents to fill out before we even schedule a time to speak. This survey asks a question about their family, their schedule, their ideal requirements, and any other topics I think are valuable to ask to ensure we can work well together.
I treat myself as the thing that I am selling to parents: both of my parents were head-strong, hard-working and self-employed, so I had excellent models. I solicit feedback and reviews and use this to consider what I can offer and how I can best serve the communities I work in. I’ve found that this is helpful because most parents view me as a professional and treat me very respectfully. It helps create a better employer/employee relationship between us and makes for a more satisfying work environment. When I feel truly valued by my families, I go out of my way to be present for and accommodating to them!
4. What was a pivotal moment that stands out in your career?
I left an amazing childcare center after my mother passed away, and went back to nannying. After several years, the mother of the family re-wrote our contract without consulting me or her husband. When I finally got a chance to read it, I declined to sign it because there were things I refuse to do. For example, the contract listed housework, and I’m always very clear that I do not do “household management” or any chores. I remember thinking: “This is totally taking advantage of me and I need to leave now.” So, I did—I left the family. And it was very empowering. There were professional repercussions and there was the uncertainty of not knowing what my future was going to be, but I took the power to decide for myself that I was in a working environment that was detrimental to my personal and professional well-being.
Nannies—you don’t have to stay in a work environment that is not respectful to you. We cannot afford to be invisible. We’re all told to be respectful to the families and sensitive to their needs: we need to extend that same courtesy and respect to ourselves. There is nothing wrong with looking for a family or center where you feel valued, your dedication is appreciated and you are treated with dignity. We are part of the economy. We need to learn to treat ourselves the same way we teach the children to treat others. With respect, compromise and consideration.
5. What would you like your caregiving career to look like in the future?
I want to create a safe space for children and families. I’m working towards home ownership. Between Tuesday and Thursday, I’d provide part-time childcare for 3-4 children. One Friday a month, I’d open the center to parents who want to do playdates or visit for family yoga, a field trip or music class. Ultimately, I’d want to provide a space for parents (especially single parents, low-income parents, and parents of colour) to talk about things like home-schooling, setting up college funds, ways to incorporate better health, finance and lifestyle choices into their daily routines, getting together with the community, etc. I’d also like my home to provide a space where other nannies can come and prepare materials for their activities— volunteering at the Peggy Notebaert, I became addicted to Ellison die cut systems! I would love to be able to have a simple selection of them and a room set aside as a “toy library.” I’ve already started working on the kits! If I can save enough for a home in a few years, the next step would be licensing and looking into applying for grant money and small business loans.
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