It is always an honor to be featured on other sites and blogs, especially one as popular as ENannySource

When the best nannies need nanny advice, they turn to Glenda Propst, seasoned nanny extraordinaire.  With nearly three decades of nanny care under her belt, it shouldn’t be surprising that this nanny has seen both the best and the worst the industry has to offer and opens her heart to support and advise nannies as they face change and challenges working in this one of a kind career. When not mentoring a nanny personally, Glenda, who was also the 1991 International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year, shares her words of wisdom with the nanny masses at www.nannytransitions.com.
Over the almost 29 years I have spent as a professional nanny, I have learned a lot about people and a lot about the people who choose this profession. There are nannies who find jobs easily, breeze through interviews, and have great relationships with their employers long after a job ends. Then there are nannies who get stuck in a terrible rut of taking jobs that sound wonderful and end up not being as they were described, taking jobs with families who take advantage of their good nature and their willingness to be flexible, and taking jobs with families who work them long hours, pay them low wages and expect their nanny’s life to revolve around them. These nannies typically end up leaving jobs on bad terms with little or no future contact with their previous charges.
It seems like nannies who find great jobs always find great jobs and nannies who don’t find great jobs just repeat the same experience over and over with new families.
With nearly three decades of nanny experience under my belt, I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes and I learned a lot the hard way, but there are things that nannies do that perpetuate the pattern of being taken advantage of in job after job. When I visit nanny messages boards I read the same story over and over again – most often from the same nannies.
So what are the top 9 mistakes nannies make that make it difficult to be successful in this industry?
Read the rest of this article HERE

Featured Article on Regarding Nannies

As you may know I am one of the original Regarding Nannies Development Team Members.
I am still a huge supporter of Regarding Nannies and a Nanny Fusion Member.
Today, Regarding Nannies features an article from Nanny Transitions that was written by me with contributions from several of Nanny Transitions Support Group members.
What a Nanny Would like on her last day:

Moving Forward

Over the last several months I have been so fortunate to connect with some amazing nannies.
Sadly it's usually because they are going through transitions but they are brave women who are working hard to move through leaving a family and move on to the next chapter of their journey.
Yesterday I read this beautiful blog post by Melody Ross over at the Brave Girl Blog.
She says it so eloquently that I don't want to translate it, I just want to share this post.

No matter what kind of change or transition you are going through, it often feels like "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"

Don't miss this great blog post about moving forward.....and wouldn't you just love to have those green cowboy boots?

Job Transition Check List

Leaving a job is never easy. It's always an emotional time so it's easy to lose track of the little things you need to do in those final days before you move on.

The GTM blog addresses a "Transition Checklist" for Nannies in Transition."

Ending a job is never easy. Whether it is your decision, your employer’s or a mutual agreement to part ways, there are many things to take into consideration during this time of transition. To help you through this challenging and unsure time, we have developed a checklist and put together some helpful resources to get you back on track and on your way to the next great chapter in your career!

Transition Checklist

Make sure to return any items that your employer provided you during employment (i.e. car or house keys, car seats, garage door opener, gas card, cell phone, etc.).

Make sure you understand the process of receiving your final paycheck and any remaining pay (severance) that has been agreed upon.

To read the rest of this very useful "Transition Checklist" and get the list of helpful resources 

: go to the  GTM Blog 

Happy Birthday Harriette

Today (June 3, 2013) would have been Harriette's 71st  Birthday.
Maybe you are thinking " So...I didn't know her why are you telling me?........but what Harriette did in her life, impacted all of us. I made a promise to Harriette before she died that I would never let her be forgotten. I am happy to say that I honored her promise by founding the INA Service Award Pin program in 2010. The program was funded by contributions from former members of the National Association of Nannies. The Harriette Grant Service Award Pin is presented to nannies and specialty nannies.  This award pin, named in honor of Harriette Grant, reflects Harriette’s dedication to the nanny profession and it is one way we can continue to honor and remember her legacy.

For those of you who did not know her, here is her story, and why it matters.

Harriette Grant passed away on June 30, 2002. She had been a nanny for 40 years. You can read her story in the book Like a Second Mother but here is my tribute to her life and her enormous contribution to nannies everywhere.

The following article about Harriette Grant first appeared in the NAN Newsletter in June of 2001. In November of 2001, Harriette was diagnosed with Leukemia and she passed away on June 30, 2002.

A Nanny for the Ages by Glenda Willm Propst
These are some newspaper headlines from 1961:
U.S. Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations With Cuba;
John F. Kennedy Inaugurated as President of the U.S. Peace Corps Established by Kennedy;
UN General Assembly Condemns Apartheid;
Freedom Riders Attacked by White Citizens in Anniston and Birmingham; 
Bay of Pigs Invasion; 
Kennedy and Khrushchev Meet in Vienna to Discuss Disarmament; 
Berlin Wall Constructed; 
Actor Gary Cooper Dies at Age 60.

These are some popular books from 1961:
Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein;
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller; 
Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller (the first legal publication in the U.S.).

Some of the popular movies that year were:
"West Side Story,"
"The Hustler," and
 "Judgment at Nuremberg."
And among the most popular songs were:
"Love makes the World Go Round,
""Moon River,
""Where the Boys Are," and
 "Exodus."

How many of you remember any of these events and cultural markers? How many of you were even born in 1961?
Well, even if we are among those who were not yet born in 1961, there was an event that in some way affected all our lives that year. This event did not make the headlines, but it changed our lives all the same.
In July, 1961,Harriette Grant began her career as a nanny. At that time there were no newspaper articles about nanny salaries or benefits there were no formal nanny training programs in the United States, there were no nanny support groups, and there were no nanny organizations.Harriette was just 19 when she started taking care of Sylvia Whitman. In the book "Like a Second Mother," Sylvia writes about a very different Harriette from the person we know. Sylvia's "Rat," as she affectionately called her, changed her hair color every week, and their house was the best patrolled in the neighborhood because all the policemen had a crush on Harriette.Harriette was with the Whitman family for nine years, and she maintains a close relationship with Sylvia Whitman, who is now all grown up with a family of her own.In 1970 Harriette moved to Washington, DC, to care for the Brown children, with whom she stayed for 20 years. Even after the children were teenagers, Harriette remained and helped the Browns part time (she took a second part time job with another family in the neighborhood). Harriette was there when one of the Brown children graduated from Princeton University, and when her other "child" graduated from High School. While she was in DC, Harriette began to get serious about solving the problems surrounding the lack of support nannies had.Harriette Grant was one of the founders of the very first nanny support group in the USA. It was called ADCAN - the Association of DC Area Nannies. The group still runs strong today, and prides itself on being the oldest nanny support group in the nation. If you have ever tried to start or run a support group, you will understand what an accomplishment that is.Harriette was also a founding member of International Nanny Association, served on its board of directors, and was the INA's first Nanny of the Year in 1990.She co founded NAN with Glenda Willm Propst and Eva Harkness in 1992.When Harriette moved to New York City in 1999, she became one of the founders of the Professional Nannies of New York.
I first met Harriette Grant at the INA conference in Vail, Colorado, in 1988. We were going to be serving on the INA Board together. It did not take long for us to realize that we had the same concerns, the same vision, and the same passion for the nanny profession. After the conference, we burned up the phone lines on a regular basis.We became very good friends, and in 1992, along with Eva Harkness, we founded the National Association of Nannies.
In 1997, when Harriette asked me to run with her for Co-President of NAN, one of my greatest concerns was that it might hurt our friendship. We promised each other not to let that happen. I think we would both admit that at times it was a struggle, but we served as Co-Presidents for four years, and were still on speaking terms. We did not always agree, but we always respected each other and we have always tried to make what was best for NAN our top priority.
NAN benefited from her vision, her professionalism, her steadfastness, her wisdom, and her commitment to the Nanny profession.It's a little overwhelming to think of all the things that have happened in the last 40 years, and of how far the nanny profession has come. I think of all the changes Harriette saw and of all the nannies she encountered on her journey.When I think of Harriette Grant, I think of the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail."
Harriette led the way where there was no path. She blazed a trail for 40 years, .As her torch is passed, we can all learn a valuable lesson from her life, her example, and her dedication to her career.
It is up to each of us to continue the work that Harriette started. We are pioneers of the nanny profession, and it is our job to continue to blaze the trail.
Harriette, you have been our friend, our leader, and our inspiration. We will never forget you and we will work hard to continue your legacy.You leave us with many wonderful memories but a hole in our heart that only you could fill.
Rest in peace dear friend.I miss you every single day.
Glenda

Moving Through Sadness and Grief

By Marni Kent

Sadness…from time to time, days, weeks or months can feel hopeless and without relief. This can come in many forms, loss of a job, relationship, friend or even a longtime pet. During these challenging times, it may seem as life cannot go on, or at least not in the manner you are accustomed to.  Grieving is a struggle that should be expected during these unfortunate times. As difficult as it may be at times, try and view this time as an opportunity for new and exciting challenges.

Life as you once knew it may not be the same, but change is good, embrace it. Opinions vary a lot on this subject, but one consistency always evident, grieving is a process regardless of the life changing event. Some will take longer than others to overcome, but with your will and perseverance you will find your way once again. When you do, you can move forward and on.

The process grieving itself is many times only associated with death or the dying. This could not be further from the truth. People define themselves in different ways, their job, a relationship, their family. All of this is normal. We are from childhood to death a product of our environments, not just one environment, but many as we age. The discourse of how best to cope with the loss is as individual as the opinions about the subject. What is suggested in a text book or from a so called expert may simply not work for you. Grieving will take a predictable pattern, but you have to be willing to let it run it’s course.

Denial and/or refusal to accept your circumstances typically will be your initial challenge. Take a breath, see the loss for what it is and let the aforementioned process begin.

Your anger over what transpired will be ever present. Like sadness, angst is a powerful emotion with explosive tendencies. It’s an impressive sight watching an adult allow their emotions get the best of them. Actually, it can be a very frightening event, anger is normal, but control it, don’t let it control you.

Pleading or bargaining, this stage is or can be frustrating.  You ask, why not me, why her/him. You are trying to get an answer to something there may not be an answer for, remember your dealing with the human kind, sometimes there is no right or wrong answer to this question.

The guilt associated with loss is normal. Feeling guilty for the said, the unsaid, in-action is typical. It is a normal aspect of the grieving process.

Acceptance, there comes a time when reality will set in that there is nothing you can say or do to regain or remedy the life altering events. It is part of life, it’s up to you to accept your new circumstances so you can move forward.

Your will to move forward depends on your drive to be happy again. Some people may never attain the stage of having hope and willingness to be happy again. There is no shame or dishonor in feeling happy again after someone has passed. Achieving this stage of the process can be difficult, but given time and your determination it will be upon you before you know it. During this especially challenging time, be focused on other very important personal things, your health, diet, re-establishing family ties, reflecting on your career goals, and be clear about what really makes you happy.

Lastly, always remember, there are great numbers of very successful people that have experienced significant failures. But instead of wallowing in their failures, they picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and use the failure as opportunity and lesson of how to be stronger and more successful than they originally were striving for. When you overcome difficult times, you become stronger, more disciplined and driven. With all these new found personal attributes, you will need to find balance. Use your wisdom and experience to achieve it. Remember, life is about decisions, as time goes, we become these decisions.     

   

    Marni Kent has been a professional nanny for almost 27 years. She has cared for children of all ages, and was the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year in 2002

How My Professional Nanny Connections Helped Me through a Difficult Time In My Career

by Cynthia Augustine 

The nanny agency that I currently work with (Family Helpers) has helped me through many hard times over the years that I have worked with them.  Before I began working with my current agency, I was working for a family in the state where I grew up.  All of my friends and family lived there too.  The family I was working for got transferred to the other side of the US and asked me to go with them to continue working as their nanny.  I found myself in a state far from home, where I knew no one.  I continued to work for them for the next three years.  Three years later, the wife got transferred again, so I decided not to move with them to yet another new state and so, my job ended.  I had a very small circle of friends because as a nanny, I had worked many hours every week, which left me very little time to socialize.

I found myself looking for a new job, but because I was in an area I was still not too familiar with, I needed help.  I investigated several agencies, some of which I applied to.  When I met the people at the agency I currently use, I knew it was a good fit.  Finding Family Helpers has become a life line for me.  I could tell that they would be honest with me and help me to find the right job.  I got a job through them quickly, and soon I was back on my feet.  They have been there for me ever since.

The jobs I have gotten through them over the last few years have been very different from one another.  But, each job has been great and I have been challenged and have become a better nanny.  A good example is the first job they placed me in.  It was with a family where the mother had terminal cancer.  I had to go into work being happy and not let my emotional stress show.  Whenever I needed help, advice or support, I would call Family Helpers  and they always helped me figure out the best way to approach the situation.

The agency I work with is more than a name, they really are like family.  I have been working with them for the last five years.  It takes the stress away, knowing I have a good group of people standing behind me, ready to help me find a new job, or just listen to what’s going on.  They are always there when I have a question.  I call them family because they don’t just place me, collect their fee and move on.  They check on me to make sure everything is going well.  They help me if there is a problem and share in my accomplishments.  I know that if I ever need them, they are just a phone call away!