Chris Nickerson
Baby Nurse - Nanny - House Manager - House Cleaner

Qualifications:	CPR & First Aid Cert. Early Childhood Edu. Nicu RN
Based in:	Little Falls, NJ (North NJ) 23 minute drive to NYC
Area Served:	NYC - North NJ - Florida - California - Europe - I love a new adventure!
Rates:	$675.00 and up
Available:	M-F 24/5 & some weekends or 24/7 in some cases

Contact Chris Nickerson

Hello!

My name is Chris Nickerson!

I am a former RN where I worked in both NICU and pediatrics. I also owned a child care center for infants to 5 year olds. I made the switch to being a nanny from a registered nurse because I could not stand by and watch the administration sacrifice patient care over politics and money.

It was important for me to establish a strong and trusting bond with all the families I worked with and found that what I really wanted is a career that went beyond the hospital doors. So I became a career nanny!

In addition to being an RN, I have an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education/Social Services and a BA with a triple major in Psychology, Sociology and Cultural Diversity. My 20 + years of experience covers all age groups from preemies up to age 18 and a wide variety of different family situations. I also provide "House Manager" responsibilities as well.

When selecting a family to work with it is important for me that we all connect and relate to each other on a gut level. It is important for me to work with a family that share and have similar values to that of my own. That we are all on the same page and can communicate freely with one another. Communication, respect, honesty and trust are paramount for me. I expect the people I work with to be frank with me and express their suggestions, concerns and needs but I also expect that they are able to be receptive of my suggestions and concerns as well.

My goal as your nanny is to care for your child/en and your family as a whole. I know that when you are home with your child/en you want to be spending time with your child/en and be the best mother, father and partner to each other that you can be. I can help you with that by alleviating some of the daily stressors that take you away from spending quality time with your child/en and family as a whole. I will care for your family with the same love, compassion and commitment that I provide for my own family.

I become part of the family unit. My priority at all times is what is in the best interest of the children. When I come into a family we become a team working together to raise strong, loving, compassionate, confident, and spiritual individuals (open to your interpretation) who are not just who they are as people in the universe but who also represent a reflection of the people who are guiding them as they continue to mature to attain their life choices.

I strongly feel that it a group effort as parents, caregivers, teachers, spiritual advisors (open to personal interpretation) along with friends and family (Some people refer to use this concept: "It takes a village to raise a child/en" and I agree 100%) to model for them what is right from wrong, respecting people and belongings and showing love and affection to them and the people around them and ultimately to support them as they grow and become the people we dream them to be, but more importantly what they dream for themselves to be...no matter what it is.

If you are interested in what I have to offer your family please take a moment and look at my resume.

You can contact me at: 802-399-9642 or 973-339-9147 and the best email to reach me at is: fireflyinfants@aol.com

Thank your for your time and I hope to hear from your soon!

Regards!

Chris Nickerson

Dear Sir and/or Madam,
Hello,
My name is "Chris".
I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to look at my resume and give me a call if you find that you are interested in what I have to offer your family.
I have lengthy and in depth knowledge with more than 20 yrs experience caring for children of all ages. These children have varied widely in social, intellectual, physical, emotional and psychological developments. I love all children and every phase that they go through as they get bigger and older. I have always felt children teach me about the joy , discovery and wonder that life brings us. I love seeing the world through their eyes. I love getting on their level on the floor to see how the infants and babies view the world. Just taking the world in as it comes at them and they just seem to have a greater sense of awareness that we as adults have lost touch with. With being a maternity nurse and a career nanny I can spend my time doing what I love doing the most, and that is to swaddle and hold the babies I care for in the same way I would as if they are my own. I spend a great deal of time reading, playing and nurturing them.

As a nurse & nanny and the former co-owner of one of the higher end infant child care centers (it is still open and running I sold it in March of 2008), I am very confident that I can not only meet your job requirements but, I can surpass your expectations. I need virtually no direction as long as the lines of communication are always a priority and that they stay open mutually with everyone one involved. Consistency and open communications make things operate much smoother.

I am a well educated & well rounded individual who has traveled to Europe, the Caribbean, and many wonderful destinations in the US. I am confident, outgoing, honest & loyal. I am seeking a specific type of position with a family that only wants the best care for their children. I am looking for a "career nanny" position. I take my job as a nanny seriously & intend to use all of my skills & education to enrich your children/child. I have extensive experience with newborns and multiples. Although I have experience with older kids my heart is really with newborns and infants. What I am really looking for is for a family that is willing to take me on as a full time nanny and then just become part of the family and work with you to help with anything that is needed as things come up in every family situation. I want you to feel secure enough in knowing that I will love and care for your entire family as if you are my own family. I only ask for communication, mutual respect, honesty and a trustworthy bond between us all. I am looking for a long term commitment. I want to be there with you, and to share in the joys of watching your children grow and I want to also have the opportunity to watch your family grow as well! I love the idea of starting with a new family and watching the children grow into healthy, strong and fantastic young people and so on. I am willing to work around a family’s schedule if it is the right fit for both of us. Of course, on special occasions or vacations I would be happy to stay for weekends or extended time as well. I am very flexible with my time & enjoy being an extended part of the families I work with. I am open to travel at any time
I enjoy working with other people and being part of a team. I am very flexible and organized. I adjust well to new situations and schedules. Although I have loved being a nurse, my experience as a nanny has changed my career goals. I would like to be a full-time career nanny with a family I can grow with & give individual one-on-one attention to. I love being able to work closely with children & families and enjoy being able to use my skills to provide a nurturing, supportive, safe and educational environment for children in a family setting. I look forward to talking with you!
Regards,
Chris M. Nickerson

Experience

O9/87 – 07/91 - NEW SEASONS INC.. Shift Supervisor
This was a group home agency for adults and children with severe disabilities. As a Shift Supervisor, it was my responsibility to maintain a strong staff base so that every need of every person residing in the group home was met. There were 6 clients in this home. I was in charge of medication distribution, providing healthy and nutritious meals, organized field trips with the residents, transported them to day camp or to their places of employment, and medical appointments or for weekly visits with family members. I arranged outings with them so as to integrate them into the community by encouraging them to participate in the state of CT Special Olympic Competitions.
It was my duty to hire, terminate and train all staff members that became a part of the New Season’s Agency. It was my job to prepare weekly menus, due the grocery shopping, scheduling of any appointments whether it was for the needs of the clients, the staff reviews or the daily maintenance of the physical home; such as landscaping, cable issues, plumbing issues, the changing of oil in the vans, making sure that the central heating and cooling systems were cleaned and the list goes on.
Another expectation that came with this position was to actually go into the Institutions and screen the clients that would be appropriate for a group home setting. A devastating experience in that many of the residents in the Institution that I dealt with which was “The Mansfield Training School” had been in the institution for their entire lives. Some were as old as 80 years old. Some were as young as 15 years old and every one of them had a very sad story to tell. Many of my clients and a large portion of the residents that were placed within our agency were what I had become to term “Environmentally Delayed”. Back in the early 30’s, and 40’s and most definitely earlier, children who simply had Epilepsy were admitted to an institution even though they were by our standards today 100% normal. Some had simply fallen and hit their heads at the age of 8 and as a result suffered from seizures and were just left at the doorsteps of the institution with a note pinned to their jackets.
I had to read through over 350 files and narrow my search for clients that would be a good fit for a group home setting and I had to consider how they would interact with each other. I could only choose 6 for the house I worked in. Even though at times it was the saddest, challenging, and difficult work to do, Yet, I learned so much about humility, compassion, unconditional love, joy, and endurance. This experience was what put me on the path of taking care of children and well, people in general! Through my clients, I learned that I have so much more strength and resolve to make the world a better place for all of us. It sometimes seems so small and contrite, and I struggle to figure out how to do more, so I say to myself one family at a time!

06/87-09/91 - Emergency Medical Technician East Hartford, CT Part time– 24 hour shifts
Responsibilities included,, Taking and recording vital signs, Basic airway management, Managing soft tissue injuries, Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways, Splinting bone and joint injuries. Pharyngeal Suctioning pneumatic anti-shock garment (PASG). Managing medical emergencies, Administration of oxygen, Emergency childbirth, Mask and nasal cannula, CPR and obstructed airway maneuvers for infant, child and adult, Use of bag-valve-mask device, Administration of oral glucose and activated charcoal, Automated defibrillation, Assisting in administration of nitroglycerin, prescribed inhaler and epinephrine auto-injector.
Trauma assessment and management; Medical assessment and oxygen therapy. Cardiac arrest management, Spine immobilization - seated or supine.
Patient, Immobilization of long bone injury, Immobilization of joint injury, Immobilization with traction splint, Bleeding control and shock management, Upper airway adjuncts and suction, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
Medication administration,; Establish and monitor peripheral IV (including saline locks), Administer medications upon verbal order. Infuse crystalloid solutions, Collect blood samples, and Administer 50% dextrose. Administer naloxone (Narcan) and of course the most important part of the job; comforting patients. By reassuring them and their family members that they are okay and will be fine that they are safe, along with respecting them, being open minded and considerate of the differences of every patient you work with and to treat everyone as if they were and are a family member. A little kindness goes a very long way when a person is ill or injured.

09/91 – 11/99 - Fletcher Allen Health Care Medical Ctr. Floater/Rotation RN
As a floating rotation nurse I usually worked in 3 departments, NICU – Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatrics, and the Emergency Department! As an ER nurse, my responsibilities included, but definitely were not limited to providing professional nursing care to patients in varying states of health and illness by assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the nursing plan of care. A critical part of my job was to functions as an essential member of nursing and multidisciplinary teams, providing direct patient care, instruction, and preparation for continuing care after discharge or through the admissions process. The importance of being able to have the ability to implement every function of the nursing process and to provide top notch care within the diverse patient population is essential in the Emergency Room atmosphere. An absolute must for this job was to be able to apply critical thinking due to the high passed nature of the ER and I had to find the balance of dealing with Triage situations, and other times when the ER is running at the highest level of capacity and intensity without sacrificing patient care.
NICU & Pediatrics Departments: My responsibilities as a nurse in the NICU were: to provide the absolute best care possible for both the child and the parents. Generally while the babies are in the NICU they generally were either premature or critically ill. The NICU was a place for these infants to develop organs, especially the lungs and heart, and to recover from surgeries and other traumatic issues they have suffered. Because premature babies sometimes experience health setbacks, it is important to maintain a high level organization, cohesiveness with the team you work with. There was always a crisis in the NICU. Another large part of the job description was to be a support system for the families who have a child and sometimes twins or triplets in the unit. We have to prepare parents for the highest of the highs and then the absolute lowest of the lows when a child can just no longer hold on. No one ever thinks they are going to go to the hospital and have a baby that they have carried and loved and then have to go home without him/her.
This position, definitely a lot about bells and whistles and treatments and tubes and everything you can possibly imagine in between, but for me this position is about the love, the fight, the prayers, the desperation, the suffering, the sadness in the small child’s eyes when they have no parents to care for them or the utmost fear and anxiety that they express through their cries and screams and finally with the tight white knuckle grasp they have on your shirt with the last few hiccups of their sobbing, you can get them to sleep to ease the pain for another hour or so. The teenagers with balding heads and no eyebrows rebelling against the orders of staying in their isolation room because they have no immune system.
To me this job was so much more than trauma and drama of it all as I once used to thrive on…It is about the silence that is left behind from the boy who died from a brain tumor, it is about the quiet sobbing you hear in the 16 year old girls room because she is about to lose her leg and thinking how could anyone ever
like or love her with only one leg? It is about the newborn baby that was left behind by his drug addicted mother and now he screams all day and night because he is having with drawls from crack. It is about the mother screaming in the hallway at the relief that her child’s double lung, heart transplant was a success, and she kneels in the Chapel and prays for the people who have lost their loved one and who in that time of absolute agony they found a way for their loved one to live on.
With every child and family that came into my life through my work as an RN, all remain in my memories and in my heart. They all have a face, a story and a message that will live forever. The smallest children who have passed after only a day and the kids who are fighting and those who have, by the grace of god survived.

2/1996 – 8/2000 Full time Nanny - Wendy Dorsey, Burlington, VT
I was responsible for 1 infant child, full time from age 5 months, through age 5 years. Performed nursery responsibilities including but not limited to: feedings, bathing, preparing homemade baby foods with organic produce, laundry for the family, occasional meals for the family, light housekeeping, organizing play-dates and many other activities to library, bookstores, swimming etc., transporting the child from place to place, taking the child to the doctor for both well baby check-ups and for common everyday health issues that may arise for children. Did occasional overnights and weekends at either my home or theirs, purchased groceries, supplies and ran other errands that were needed for the day. Helped parents manage things in the home while they ran their aromatherapy business. Reason for leaving: Family relocated to CT.
Reference:
Wendy Dorsey
96 Golf St. Newington, CT
1-860-716-4388 (C) 1-860-667-2734 (W)1-860-297-1367(H)

4/2001 – 2008 Full time Nanny/Private Nurse – Laurie Eddy, South Burlington, VT
I cared for a newborn baby girl and her three year old sister full time. Performed nursery responsibilities including but not limited to: feedings, bathing, laundry for the family, occasional meals for the family, light housekeeping, organizing play-dates and many other activities, transporting the child from place to place, library, story time at bookstores taking the child to the doctor for both well baby check-ups and for common everyday health issues that may arise for children. These two girls both have Cystic Fibrosis. With these girls, I am responsible for performing chest percussion therapy, administering enzymes at any point that the children are going to eat anything that has fat or protein in it, monitor weight, lung function, picking up prescriptions, giving vitamins, maintaining a high fat, high protein diet for the children and working with all the therapists needed to keep the girls as healthy and safe from virus and bacteria that could prove to be potentially fatal. I was also, required to administer the nebulizer mask with Albuterol each morning. Spend many over nights and weekends at my home or theirs, purchase groceries, supplies, clothes and run other errands that are needed for the day. Continued full time care while the girls were in the hospital so the parents can attend meetings and other obligations while the girls are in the hospital. Help parents manage things in the home while they run their Scuba Dive Shop business.
Reference:
Laurie Eddy
69 Joy Drive # F 6 South Burlington, VT 05403
1-802-355-0732(C) 1-802-656-1442 (W) 1-802-862-7695 (H)

09/2000-11/2006 Event Planner/Producer FIREFLY ENTERTAINMENT Burlington, VT.
Co owner of a production company where we produced concerts/dances, wedding receptions and fundraising events open to the public at local Burlington venues which include: the Burlington Hilton Hotel and the “FlynnSpace”. All shows included live acts, buffet dinner, and late evening DJ. Hired and negotiated contracts with entertainers, caterers, DJ‘s, decorators and Flynn Theater box office. Managed all advertising including graphic design for local print media, email, posters, hand-bills; did total food prep and decoration for each event. Entertainment included bands, comedians, and dancers. Produced 4-6 events per year; portion of proceeds donated to CF Foundation. General attendance: 200-300 people.
Reference:
John Zahn - Enterainment Executive of Burlington Hilton Hotel
Battery Street Burlington, VT 05401
(802)658-6500 (802)859-5063
Mary Abar – Volunteer Assistant - louisecrag@aol.com

8/2004 –3/17/08 – Firefly Kids: Owner & Operator, Shelburne, VT
Run a fully staffed state licensed Childcare Center for children ages 6 weeks through 12. Firefly Kids is licensed for a total capacity of 42 children per day. We currently have 34 children enrolled. Many of them have been with us since we opened 3 years ago. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: maintaining the license and all the regulations that come with it on an hourly at times but mostly daily basis, hiring employees, doing background checks on each employee, maintaining a file system that is approved by the state, supporting staff with ratios, deal with terminations, reprimands, holiday scheduling, accommodate the needs of parents currently enrolled, tours for potential enrollments, waiting lists, grant writing, keeping the center as clean as possible to prevent spreading of germs between children, payroll, ordering supplies from vendors, advertising & graphics. Developed all the legal forms needed for parents to sign, designed a brochure, parent handbook, and employee handbook. Provide in-services to employees in the field of early childhood development, employee reference checks, maintain all of my Infant/Adult/CPR as well as first aid certificates, perform monthly fire-drills, develop a curriculum for each age group, shop for art supplies and other supplies as needed, parent notices, plan field trips, conflict resolution, general maintenance of the actual facility and the overall appearance and safety and hands on care of all children.
Reference:
Barbara Volz
145 Pine Haven Shore Rd. Suite 1161 Shelburne, VT 05482
802-399-9731(Barbara Volz) bav123@aol.com

3/10/06 – 10/10/07 - “High Profile Family” - Baby Nurse for newborn boy/girl twins
My role was to provide assistance during the post-delivery recovery period and assisting the parent’s with all aspects of newborn care including feeding, changing, bathing, infant laundry, sterilizing bottles, taking children to their well baby check-ups, caring for their umbilical cord, monitoring their Jaundice, and any other needs that came up. Another part of my role as a Baby Nurse/Nanny/House Manager is to teach the new parent’s (and more often couple’s who already have children) how to find and maintain a balance of being able to take care of the things that are extremely important in a family and a home. To do this they have to learn how to prioritize the things that are most cherished. The major things are; each parent as an individual, their relationship, their new babies, family and then work.
As with any and all of my Baby Nurse and Nanny positions it is my duty to monitor all aspects of a child’s growth and the rest of the family’s needs. This includes, but is not limited to: Child Development, Health and Nutrition, Child Safety and Accident Prevention, Universal Precautions, Breast and Bottle Feeding, Car Seat Safety, Crying and Colic, Homemaking Skills, and my favorite Love and Affection!
Due to the nature of the status of the family, I was required to sign a confidentiality clause that bars me from disclosing their names, address, and phone numbers.

10/02/07 – 11/14/07 “High Profile Family”. Private Infant Care Specialist for Infant Boy w/medical needs. 24/7 NYC
This was position was with a “High Profile Family”. The infant was born full tern, and was a normal pregnancy right up until the baby literally was born, at which time he ingested meconium and it got into his lungs. This child ended up being in the hospital for approximately 3 months with severe lung infections and potential loss of brain activity as a result of lack of oxygen to his brain due to his inability to breath. When the baby came home, he was required to have full oxygen and to be slowly decreased in increments depending on his ability to breathe on his own without it him setting off his Pulse Ox Monitor. His cared required all the same care as a healthy developing child as far as feeding, changing diapers, napping, bathing, laundry, cleaning up from the day with him, and so on. I also slept in his room with him and cared for his overnight needs as well.
This Job required more detail in that I was responsible for organizing all of his therapies and in-home well baby check-ups. When the therapist were gone it was my role to follow through with the therapies so as to augment the baby’s breathing issues as well as advance all the other areas of his health, his growth both cognitively and socially and his motor skill, both fine and gross. There was also the intense documentation of this baby’s daily progress, as every advance he made was a joyous occasion for the family. I would also bring the log to the Dr’s office so that they too could track his development. Again for me, the most important part of my job description is the love and nurturing aspect.
Along with caring for the children, it was also my responsibility to maintain the highest level of confidentiality for the parent’s of the children, but more importantly for the safety and protection of the children and at times for my own protection as well. Due to the nature of the status of the family, I was required to sign a confidentiality clause that bars me from disclosing their names, address, and phone numbers.
The position ended on a very high note, I was hired for a 5 to 6 week position to get the baby stabilized at home and help the parents adjust to having him home with all of his medical equipment and monitors and to help him to adjust to him new home environment.
Due to the nature of the status of the family, I was required to sign a confidentiality clause that bars me from disclosing their names, address, and phone numbers.

11/17/07 – 12/22/07 “High Profile Family”. Private Infant Care Specialist. 1 infant boy with special needs. 24/5
This position was with a 4 month old baby boy who was born 7 weeks premature. He suffered from a bleed in the frontal lobe of his brain thus causing him to develop at a slower rate than a healthy developing child of the same age. At 4 months the child was barely opening his eyes, was not responding to familiar voices, rarely smiled (in fact the only time he smiled was in the bath tub!) He made no noises, coos or giggles. He was unable to roll from side to side and had very little to no head control.
My responsibilities were to take care of this baby’s daily needs and care as I would with any child. I spent hours upon hours holding the baby and interacting with him, by singing to him, talking to him all the time about anything and everything! I read books to him and held them in front of him. I did massage therapy on his arms and legs. I put him in a “Bumbo” chair so that he could see himself in the mirror. I rocked him to sleep, and at times I held him close all night. Then one morning I went to his crib and his eyes were wide open! From that day forward I continued all the things listed above and I incorporated occupational therapies, physical therapy, respiratory therapies as well as Social group therapy. I did all I could do to help him achieve a new goal every week. I used toys, books, balls, mirrors, music, face to face mirroring, I held him all the time and I took him for walks every day, I worked on his gross, and fine motor skills, I worked with him on his interactions with people. After just 5 weeks in the position the baby had made such amazing progress! He was tracking books with his eyes, he was seeing himself in the mirror, he was responding to my voice, and he had built such strength in his neck muscles that he was holding his head up perfectly! He was reaching out for toys and he was starting to roll over from stomach to back. The best moment for me was when I made a noise at him with my mouth he was able to do it back to me! This child made such progress in such a short period of time. It was a Joy to work with him and watch the changes happen right before my eyes!
Due to the nature of the status of the family, I was required to sign a confidentiality clause that bars me from disclosing their names, address, and phone numbers.

1/02/08 – 06/30/08 “High Profile Family” 24/7 Baby Nurse NYC – Newborn Baby Girl
My role was to provide assistance during the post-delivery recovery period and assisting the parent’s with all aspects of newborn care including feeding, changing, bathing, infant laundry, sterilizing bottles, taking children to their well baby check-ups, caring for their umbilical cord, monitoring their Jaundice, and any other needs that came up. Another part of my role as a Baby Nurse/Nanny/House Manager is to teach the new parent’s (and more often couple’s who already have children) how to find and maintain a balance of being able to take care of the things that are extremely importantly in a family and a home. To do this they have to learn how to prioritize the things that are most cherished. The major things are; each parent as an individual, their relationship, their new babies, family and then work. As with any and all of my Baby Nurse and Nanny positions it is my duty to monitor all aspects of a child’s growth and the rest of the family’s needs. This includes, but is not limited to: Child Development, Health and Nutrition, Child Safety and Accident Prevention, Universal Precautions, Breast and Bottle Feeding, Car Seat Safety, Crying and Colic, Homemaking Skills, and my favorite Love and Affection!
Also, it was my responsibility to maintain the highest level of confidentiality for the parent’s of the children, but more importantly for the safety and protection of the children and at times for my own protection as well.
Due to the nature of the status of the family, I was required to sign a confidentiality clause that bars me from disclosing their names, address, and phone numbers.

07/01/08-12/30/08 Infant Care Specialist. 1 infant Girl
My role was to provide all aspects of newborn care including feeding, changing, bathing, infant laundry, sterilizing bottles, taking children to their well baby check-ups, caring for their umbilical cord, monitoring their Jaundice, and any other needs that came up. Another part of my role as a Baby Nurse/Nanny/House Manager is to teach the new parent’s (and more often couple’s who already have children) how to find and maintain a balance of being able to take care of the things that are extremely importantly in a family and a home. As with any and all of my Baby Nurse and Nanny positions it is my duty to monitor all aspects of a child’s growth and the rest of the family’s needs. This includes, but is not limited to: Child Development, Health and Nutrition, Child Safety and Accident Prevention, Universal Precautions, Breast and Bottle Feeding, Car Seat Safety, Crying and Colic, Homemaking Skills, and my favorite Love and Affection!
Reference:
Tom & Laura Baginski lauraklein6@hotmail.com
North Caldwell, NJ 1-201-247-3998

12/05/08 - 07/30/09 Nanny/House Manager/Cleaner
My role with this family was to care for the needs of two girls age 7 and 14. My responsibilities included though were not limited to preparing the kids for school, taking them to the doctors, planning and arranging play-dates, taking them to after school activities such as drumming, swimming, guitar lessons and to provide them culture, education, and to support all their endeavors with compassion, patience and love! I also managed the daily running of the household which included making arrangements for plumbers, carpenters, landscapers, snow removal, gutter and fire place cleaners. Making appointments for doctors, dentist & orthodontist. I also did all the grocery shopping, cleaning, meal preparation, dry cleaning, bringing dog to groomers, purchase gifts for parents to give to children, and much more. I supervised kids with homework, intervened with behavior issues, administered medications and supported the children with their responsibilities and in completing their chores and homework. I also from time to time had to disciple the children and teach them better ways to handle situations and to be responsible for their own actions and to follow basic life rules pertaining to respect, kindness and treating people the way they would like to be treated!
Judy Cohen & Donna Laurence

Education

1. 12/1987 – 3/1988– Dept of Health & Windsor Ambulance Training Academy - EMT-IV - D, EAST HARTFORD, CT
2. 9/1993 – 5/1997 – Community College Of Vermont, Pearl St. Burlington, VT
a. Associate Degree – Early Child Development & Human Services
3. 9/1993 - 5/ 1995 - University Of Vermont, Burlington, VT School of Nursing - RN
4. 6/1998 - 5/1999 – Johnson State College, Johnson, VT
a. Bachelor Degree – Liberal Arts – Triple Major: Child Development, Psychology, Sociology, & Cultural Diversity

Continuing Education & Certificates

1. INFANT/CHILD & ADULT CPR & FIRST AID TRAINING (Completed: 9/2006 Valid For 3 Years)
2. Temperaments & Transitions
3. Staff Supervision Parts 1, 2, & 3
4. Observing and Recording Patterns of Play With Children
5. The Juggling Act: Setting Boundaries in Work, Family & Personal Time
6. “Ready to Learn” Language To Literacy
7. Playful Places: Encouraging Learning and Creativity With The Arts
8. Communicating With Families
9. Commitment to Professionalism
10. Professional & Program Organization
11. Early Birds And Bookworms: A Work Shop on Expressional Reading and Story Telling
12. Never Too early: Training on Engaging Infants and Young Toddlers in Books, Reading & Story time 13. Childcare and Preschool Guide to Managing Food Allergies
14. Looping: – Keeping The Same Group Of Children and Teachers Together For The First Three Years
15. Child & Youth Development
16. Families and Communities
17. Healthy & Safe Environments
18. Principles Of Child Growth & Development
19. Certified Professional Development Experience = 30 Hours
20. Teaching & Learning
21. Effective Program Operations
22. Productive Relationships With Families
23. Physical & Intellectual Development
24. Social & Emotional Development
25. Learning & Leading Together: Using Your Outdoor Classroom: Tips for Teaching In The Outdoors
26. Successfully Working With Challenging Behaviors
27. Effective Communication In the Work Place
28. Managing the Behavior: Is It Really about Fixing the Child?
29. Stories For Toddlers & Twos

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME

Dear Sir and/or Madam,
My name is Christine but I prefer to be called Chris! I am sending you this letter to ask if you could take a at my profile and if interested give me a call if you would like to meet. I have been caring for children of all ages for 15+ years. I am a former RN who used to work in NICU, Pediatrics and in the ER. I was also an EMT. I also owned a Child Care Center for 5 years in Shelburne, VT. I am an extremely organized person who loves to laugh, have fun, music, reading, scrap booking, traveling, going to plays, museums, shopping, my family most of all my job which is being around children.
I view the children that come into my life as valuable and important people in my life. Accordingly, the parents, and extended family members will also be treated with fondness and respect as if they all are a part of my family as well!
My responsibilities and what you can expect from my as your Maternity Nurse, Nanny, Personal Assistant, and or House Manager and most of all newest member of your family, no matter what position you choose to hire me for you can expect the highest level of care and professionalism!
· Providing superior infant/toddler/school age/tween & teenage child care.
· Knowing what your child is doing and where he/she are at all times!
· When I come into a position it is critical for me to have all of the initial tools of the trade that we are used to working with. This is at the expense of the family, as all items are for & used by the children.
· Maintaining the highest standard of safety for the children.
· Immediately responding to children’s crying; comforting babies/children
· Maintaining a cheerful and helpful attitude while on duty; promoting feelings of security and warmth with the children through daily cuddles/read/talk time with them. Family and nanny will both discipline children in a way that supports and reinforces each other’s authority. I do not allow, enforce nor support any type of spanking, physical discipline or corporal punishment with children.
· Planning/preparing and cooking nutritious meals and snacks for the children. For the babies, this may be a combination of formula and more solid foods; also responsible for ensuring baby is properly digesting food and is comfortable after feedings – i.e. burping.
· Cleaning up after the children's snacks and meals; wiping tables, highchairs, countertops, bathroom sink-tops, etc when needed; loading and emptying dishwasher and taking out garbage when needed. I prefer to use non-toxic cleaning agents.
· Changing & dressing children; providing bath as needed (as needed, even if every day, this is my preference); clipping fingernails as needed.
· Doing the laundry, etc.; looking after children’s clothes, rooms, toys, etc.; keeping their rooms tidy, including needed cleaning of other rooms used by the children (e.g. playroom, family room); Keeping the changing table and diaper bags fully stocked and clean.
· Stimulating and playing with the children at age appropriate levels.
· Proactively suggesting and recommending new activities/toys/books, etc. based on the children’s ages and developmental needs, sharing positive experiences learned from previous jobs and childcare experiences.
· Driving/taking children to park, playground and to other activities like play-dates, library, school/classes, etc.
· Taking children to the doctor’s office when needed
· Communicating with the parents about how the children's day has gone, sharing any new skills the children have acquired, (for ex, rolling over, new tooth , lost a tooth, got an A on a paper..etc) or any special problems that they have had. Throughout the day, fill out the Daily log sheet I have designed for the children.
· Reading/reviewing any pertinent literature provided by the family to promote a broader knowledge of child or child rearing philosophy and child education.
· Running errands when needed (e.g. go to drugstore for supplies, do grocery shopping for family, etc.).
· Help with simple children’s dinners.
At the risk of sounding cliché, I truly believe in the old African Proverb “It takes a village to raise a child!” (Anonymous) I take the message one step further and say “It takes a village to raise a FAMILY!” Especially, in these days and times when both parents have full time careers. I happen to respect this a great deal. This is why I do the work I do. It makes working professional parents feel happy, safe and secure in their life choices.
I look forward to speaking with you very soon
Sincerely,
Chris Nickerson
802-399-9642
fireflyinfants@aol.com

WRITTEN REFERENCE!

Name of Applicant: Christine Nickerson
We have recently registered the above named person on our books and are currently checking her references. I would appreciate it if you would take the time to fill in the questions below! Thank You!
All In what capacity and how long have you known the above?
I have known Chris as friend, co - business owner, and partner since 1999.
Together we own and operate Firefly Center (aka Firefly Infant Development Center), a licensed commercial childcare center located in Shelburne, Vermont USA. Firefly serves up to 35 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 years. Our staff of 8 to 10 employees includes a director and manager.
Date and length of employment?
Chris and I began Firefly in August 2001, and continue to own it at the present time.
Sole or shared charge? Chris has worked in every type of child care situation imaginable, from sole charge, to working with one other care giver, to working with and managing a full staff of up to nine others.
Ages of children in his/her care?
Newborn up to 12 years of age. Chris has also had occasion to work with teenagers, as we sometimes use teen volunteers in work study programs at the center.
Duties? (Briefly) I have worked with Chris in private home care settings, in a small in-home child care environment, and in a licensed child care setting of 30+ children. I have seen her perform every duty imaginable for children ranging in age from infant, toddler, preschool to school-aged children: Feeding, changing, clothing, grooming, putting to sleep, administering vitamins and medications, purchasing foods and supplies, taking care of linen, laundry and dishes pertaining to the children, entertaining and teaching using learning materials such as books, toys, games, taking children on walks, taking children on field trips to places such as science centers, farms, museums, and libraries; accompanying children on doctor’s appointments, designing art projects, supervising sports and outdoor play. In short, Chris has successful experience with all facets of child care and development.
In addition, Chris has extensive experience with children who have special needs.
Chris has cared for Kelly and Maureen Eddy, two sisters born with cystic fibrosis, since the girls were diagnosed at age 2 weeks and age 3 years respectively. They are now 7 years and 10 years of age. Care for cystic fibrosis patients includes: chest physical therapy using percussion cups or electronic Vest; nebulizer treatment; extensive nutritional therapies including administering of pancreatic enzymes with each meal, specially formulated vitamins, laxative treatments; and particular hygienic attention to exposure to bacteria. Chris has accompanied the girls to the hospital for tests and treatment, and makes visits during hospital stays for sinus surgeries and 2 week IV antibiotic treatments. Chris and I are both very active in fundraising efforts sponsored by the cystic fibrosis foundation. We recently attended the “Breath of Hope” walk to benefit cystic fibrosis research held in Burlington, Vermont September 23, 2007. Our team, “Team Eddy”, raised over $12,000.00; the entire sponsored walk raised over $60,000.00!!!
We started Firefly Center to provide an extra-clean germ-free environment so Kelly Eddy could attend day care with fewer risks of infection.
At Firefly, Chris was in charge of the care of children coping with health issues that include: treatment of children with allergies (use of EPI-pen and other treatment); working with a team of therapists caring for a child born with cerebral palsy; methadone treatment for an infant born with addiction issues.
Chris also was responsible for teaching staff members much of the treatments and special care involved with these children.
Could you comment on the applicant’s competence in the following areas?
Stimulation of children?
Excellent; Chris has an innate love for, and interest in, children which makes her care giving unique. She loves to interact with children, has a delightfully upbeat personality, and is constantly finding new and fascinating materials such as books, toys, games etc...To use with the children. Chris is also very nurturing, and keeps a nice balance in providing good direction for play time as well as rest time to suit the needs of each child. She is truly “a natural” with children of all ages.
Discipline and patience with children?
Chris is very caring and patient with children, and is able to provide necessary guidance and direction when needed. In matters of discipline at Firefly Center, we have a written policy (which Chris helped to author) advancing the redirection of children and the guidance of children in learning how to make appropriate choices; we do not believe in, nor allow, corporal punishment or negative speech. Chris has had lots of experience working with parents on collaborating with strategies of guidance and discipline so that everyone is “on the same page” so as to provide consistency and success for everyone involved.
Organizational skills?
Excellent
Ability to cope in emergency?
Excellent, excellent! There is no situation I can think of that she could not handle. Her training as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and nurse, combined with her lifetime of experiences and natural instincts regarding children make Chris the person you want to have around during any medical issue or crisis. As far as any potential general emergency, Chris is extremely responsible and capable in every manner one could imagine. She is mature, “take charge”, and very resourceful when the situation arises. She is alert, yet calm in emergency situations. She could easily run any household, and all the issues that come with that responsibility, for any amount of time if necessary.
Driving?
Chris is a good and safe driver in both rural and urban settings.
Flexibility?
Chris is quite flexible, especially in child care environments. She understands that the demands of daily living often make life unpredictable. She is very good at designing schedules and plans, but also is quite willing to change plans should the need arise. I have seen Chris deal with changes in family work and school schedules so many times with ease; she is very reasonable and oft times happy to help solve problems that come up, be it coming in earlier or staying later than scheduled, or transporting children to last minute doctor’s appointments.
To have living in your home?
Chris is extremely clean, organized and conscientious of the families privacy and need for family time. She has clear boundaries and respects the house rules and the family expectations at all times
Reliability, honesty and trustworthiness?
Always reliable, honest, and trustworthy.
Would you re-employ?
Yes, I would open another child center business with Chris. I would work with her in our home caring for children and I continue to work with her in live-in and out nanny situations as we have worked together for the past 8 years. She has a knowledgeable, yet affable, manner that inspires confidence (deservedly so) and eases the worries of even the most unsure parents; as well as having remarkable child care skills.
Any other comments that would be helpful:
In my opinion, Chris has child care skills that far exceed the average good child care provider. She is exceptional with all ages, but I would mention that she has a special affinity for infants.

Name: Barbara A. Volz
Address: 161 Main Street Unit H
Little Falls, NJ 07424
Date: June, 15, 200-9
Bav123@aol.com

WRITTEN REFERENCE!

Other References:

House Management Skills and Abilities:
Worked on the building , designing and organizing of building a custom home. This included everything starting from excavators, act 250 for preservation of trees, Septic & sewer, & special hospital air quality venting systems so that the child could breath at the highest capacity considering this child’s special breathing issues, Once the home was built and the family moved in, It was also my responsibility for organizing the child’s summer camp schedule, sports activities, play dates, home work, & Sunday School at the UU Church., Taking him to any spur of the moment activities ranging from local street performers in Burlington, VT as well as in ballet in the theaters. I also attended parent student camp overnights with this child, attended every concert, play, or team sport or scrimmage he played in. I also was the chaperone for every school trip and or event. ,At the home my role there once the child was studying or watching the Television, I used this time to do the laundry in the house, I also cleaned the entire house, top to bottom, Including windows. I cooked meals for the entire family. Laundry. Took the baby/boy to the doctors etc. Basically I was Nanny, Governess, House manager, Personal Assistant to the mother of the home, house cleaner, one to smooth things over between mother and child. But at the end of the day I was always that boys nanny and I always will be.

Sara Brown – Former Supervisor in an Emergency Bed Group Home for children with severe emotional issues and who were in crisis. In addition, she is one of the many parents whose child attended Firefly Childcare Center on as needed basis and because I have known her for 12 years + she is an excellent character reference for me!
(802)279-5760 (C) (802)888-4914 vtbequia@aol.com
Martin Gold – Commercial Landlord for Firefly Kids Childcare Center
802-846-2022 – 802-734-1201 – 802-862-5699
Beverly Bayliss – Provided childcare for her two children many, many years ago and have been friends since 1983.
She is an excellent childcare and character reference for me!
(802) 823-5292
bev.bayliss@gmail.com
Ellen Royce - Former mother that I worked for in the early 80’s as well. I cared for her three children and would often spend weeks and weekends at her home depending on her needs. She has remained a dear and close friend ever since and would be a great character reference and an employer reference.
1(860)870-0386
redtruckzoom@aol.com
Christine Hayner: Son Jacob attended Firefly Childcare Center. We forged and excellent relationship with Mom and continue to have contact with her and her son.
(802)-999-8189
Brandy Raymond: I hired Brandy 1 month after my childcare center opened. Her initial position was head teacher in the infant room teacher with me. As a benefit, her 5-month-old daughter Samantha was able to attend the center at no cost. Within 6 months, Brandy was promoted to head teacher in the infant room and at 1 year later she was promoted to co-director, which is the position she still carries today 5 years later! Her daughter Samantha will be starting Kindergarten this year after being able to go to childcare everyday where her mm works! It is a great system and we had a lot of employees whose children attended the center while working!
(802)-985-8118
(802)985-9883
Fireflyinfants@aol.com
Denise & Christina Founding members of “Sister Funk” one of the bands that we hired to perform at several of our dance/fundraising events in Burlington, Vermont
(203)710-6827
(203)415-9153
*NOTE:
Many of my references are full time professionals and are often extremely difficult to reach by phone. They have suggested that if you cannot get them by phone, then please send them a list of questions that you would like them to answer and they will respond to every question and send it back to you via email. All of the Nanny Placement agencies that I work with use this method as they understand that my clients are extremely busy with their high power, high stress and demanding professions. There are 3 written resumes above that were submitted by an agency that I work with out of London, England called “Occasional and Permanent Nanny Service”. These are the actual questions devised by the agency and answered by three of my most current references.

WHO I AM AS A PERSON!

WHO I AM REALLY IS DEFINED BY THE PEOPLE I HAVE IN MY LIFE, AND THAT WOULD BE FAMILY, CHILDREN, BOOKS, TRAVELING AND MUSIC!! MY LIFE IS MY WORK AND MY WORK IS MY LIFE. IF SOMEONE TOLD ME TODAY THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK AGAIN, IT WOULD SERIOUSLY BREAK MY HEART AND SOUL. I CAN OFFER YOUR FAMILY MY SKILLS TO HELP MAKE YOUR LIFE AND LIFE STYLES FLOW AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE.

I ACT AS I WOULD IN THE COURSE OF GETTING THROUGH A NORMAL DAY WITH MY OWN FAMILY. I AM FINE DOING LIGHT HOUSE CLEANING AND LAUNDRY, (I AM NOT ONE TO WALK BY A MESSY BATHROOM AND LET IT STAY THAT WAY OR A SMUDGED WINDOW. IF I AM THERE AND I AM AVAILABLE, I WOULD JUST DO AS I WOULD IN MY OWN HOME AND CLEAN UP!) KIDS BATHS, STORYTIME AND BEDTIME, SHOPPING, PREPARE BABYFOOD, (NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER THOUGH! HA!) AND DO ALL THAT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE YOUR CHILDREN THE BEST THAT LIFE CAN OFFER.

I CAN MULLTI-TASK AS WELL. IF YOU MEED ME TO DO SOMETHING OUT SIDE OF THE NANNY/HOUSE MANAGEMENT BOZ I AM ALL THERE. I LOVE TO LEARN AND DO NEW THINGS. IT IS NOT IN MY CHARACTER TO LET GO BY OPPORTUNITY TOBETTER MY SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE. ONES I AM ON A JOB I AM THERE 200%.
I HAPPEN TO BE AN AVID SCRAP BOOK FAN AND I LOVE TO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING, SO I WOULD LOVE TO RECORD EVERY MILESTONE THAT YOUR CHILD ACHIEVES! I SAVE EVERYTHING AND I CONSTANTLY TAKE PICTURES! I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT GIFT TO YOUR FAMILY AND AGAIN THIS IS ANOTHER AREA OF MUSIC FOR ME. I WAS RAISED TO LISTED TO MUSIC….I MEAN REALLY LISTEN TO MUSIC. I LEARNED AND WROTE PAPRES ON MUSIC AND THE HISTORY OF BLUES AND JAZZ ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FIELD HOLLORERS AND THE JUKE JOINTS. MUSIC IS EVEN OLDER THAN THAT BUT THAT IS WERE ARE MUSIC CAME FROM, I ALWAYS PLAY ALL TYPES OF MUSIC FOR MY CHILDREN AND I EXPOSE THEM TO ALL DIFFERENT FORMS OF ARTS AND CULTURES SO AS TO FOSTER CREATIVE AND OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS.
I FEEL THAT I AM LOADS OF FUN, HAPPY, LOVING, OPEN-MINDED, ENERGETIC, FUNNY, OUT- GOING, AND MOTIVATED. (PERHAPS A BIT CONCEITED TOO, NOW THAT I READ THIS BACK TO MYSELF!!). I HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR (AT LEAST I THINK I AM FUNNY!!) AND I LOVE TO GET GOOFY AND DOWN RIGHT SILLY WITH KIDS.

FOR THE PARENTS, I CAN OFFER YOU MY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS AND GIVE YOU THE SENSE THAT EVERYTHING IS TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL. I NEED ORGANIZATION - THAT IS WHAT KEEPS ME CENTERED AND KEEPS A FAMILY FLOWING. I DO FEEL THAT I AM A VERY LAID BACK INDIVIDUAL IN THE SENSE THAT YOU CAN DEFINITELY THROW 3 TO 7 THINGS AT ME AT ONCE AND I NEVER GET FLUSTERED. I AM GREAT UNDER PRESSURE AND RESPOND VERY WELL TO CRISIS AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SHOULD ONE EVER ARISE! I ALSO LOVE A GOOD DEBATE. I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE REAL AND IMPORTANT. THINGS THAT ARE EFFECTING THE WORLD EITHER IN A POSITIVE WAY OR NOT SO POSITIVE. I AM FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THIS TYPE OF WORKING RELATIONSHIP IS COMMUNICATION. I AM THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO PUTS IT OUT THERE. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, I WANT TO COME TO A RESOLUTION, IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, I WANT TO KNOW NOW, IF YOU NEED THINGS DONE OR HELP WITH THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION, ASK ME - I WILL BE GLAD TO HELP OUT WHEN ANYTIME YOU NEED IT.

REMEMBER I CAN NOT READ YOUR MIND BUT, I CAN READ YOUR GESTURES FOR INSTANCE WHEN YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE FAMILY TOWELS IN THE WASHER AND I WAS NEVER TOLD THIS AND I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU USE A DIFFERENT DETERENT OR WHAT BUT, ONE MAY KEEP GOING IN AND OUT OF THE LAUNDRY ROOM IN A HUFF AND NOT SAYING ANYTHING TO ME AS I KEEEP DOING THE CHILDRENS LAUNDRY AND MY OWN LAUNDRY BUT YOU CAN NOT TAKE A SHOWER UNTIL THE TOWELS ARE CLEAN AND DRY AND I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT ALL YOUR TOWELS WERE DIRTY. SO YOU BECOME EVEN MORE ANGRY AND ANNOYED AND MAD BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE LATE FOR YOUR LUNCH DATE WHO HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE LEAD SINGERS IN THE BEST BAND EVER WHO IS COMING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AN EXCLUSIVE RECORDING DEAL. NOW THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO HANDLE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SAY “HEY CHRIS, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT OF MY CAREER AND LIFE TODAY AND THERE ARE NO CLEAN TOWELS CAN YOU PLEASE WASH THE FAMILY TOWELS FIRST BEFORE YOURS AND THE BAMBINO? I WILL 100 % OF THE TIME DO EVERYTHING TO HELP YOU GET YOUR DEAL! I WILL IRON YOUR CLOTHS, STYLE YOUR HAIR, STRAIGHTEN YOUR TIE FIX YOUR HEMMS AND MSKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR CELL,PHONE, BREIF CASE AND BILLFOLD!

I AM HERE TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR YOU, TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER AND TO KEEP THINGS CALM AND PEACEFUL FOR EVERYONE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BECOME A PART OF YOUR FAMILY AND WHO WILL EMBRACE YOUR FAMILY AS HER OWN, THEN THIS WOULD BE A GREAT MATCH. I AM LOOKING FOR A PERMANENT, FULL-TIME POSITION. I AM FLEXIBLE, RESPONSIBLE AND I FEEL THAT ANY FAMILY WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY FROM MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER NURSE, TEACHER, AND ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCER. I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT YOU CAN FEEL COMPLETE SECURITY IN KNOWING THAT, WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR WORK OR HEAD OUT OF TOWN, I WILL PUT EVERYTHING IN MY HEART AND SOUL TO KEEP YOUR CHILDDREN SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY AS IF THEY ARE MY OWN. AND, IF YOU NEED ME TO WORK WITH YOU ON YOUR INDUSTRY WORK, I AM THERE AS WELL. I AM VERY CREATIVE AS FAR AS GRAFICS, PHOTOGRAGHY AND ALL OTHER PROMOTION PROJECTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
RESPECTFULLY,
CHRIS M. NICKERSON

My approach to Parenting!

My approach to caring for children is the exact same approach that I use to parent my son. This is called "Attachment Parenting" It is about raising children to be compassionate, loving, and peaceful and nurturing souls and beings. I give all of my time with the children I work with holding, hugging and positively reassuring them so that they feel safe and secure in our love. I believe children need boundaries and limits, but I believe those can be set in the way that we raise them and that this will come naturally. I firmly believe in communication, trust, respect, and honesty. It is also important to praise our children for all their milestones and it is critical to support and encourage them in any area that needs work. My philosophy is to love every child no matter what and to foster their sweet hearts and souls and let them blossom in each one’s own time.
Babies and young children have an intense need for the physical presence of a consistent, loving, responsive caregiver: I spend hours holding, rocking, playing, snuggling, reassuring, and doing all that is necessary to strengthen the bond between us. There is nothing more important to me than to make sure that the children feel as safe and secure as possible. I feel that it is important for me to form a bond with the child/children as the person who cares for them in the capacity that I do. All the hugs, and every time I rock the baby to sleep and when the baby has fallen asleep with me for her afternoon nap on the couch and wakes up and she pops her head up and gives me the biggest smile she has, that strengthens the attachment relationship for me and for baby. I live for those moments
My Discipline Philosophy: Discipline is another word for "teaching". Teaching our children new and appropriate ways to manage and cope with their feelings and difficult behaviors.
Here are my ways of dealing with Children's behavior issues;
First off, I am morally opposed to any and all spanking, slapping or any type of corporal punishment of any type.
Here are some of the basics of my discipline style. I always keep them in mind when I am dealing with more specific discipline issues. I sometimes combine them for a greater effect.
When I am in a position to have to discipline a child I always have to consider the developmentally appropriate behavior of the child before taking disciplinary action. Disciplining a small child for playing with their food is completely ineffective and inappropriate unless your intention is to kill their curiosity and spirit. I try to understand why a child acts in certain ways, it may make it easier to tolerate.
When I come into a home I ask all parents if I can childproof their home so that it will keep their children safe and allow their children to explore freely and know what the limits and boundaries are. Avoiding circumstances that bring on undesirable behavior, such as shopping when a child is tired or hungry, is an example of ways you can prevent the need to actively discipline. This is one of the most effective tools you can use, especially when children are small.
The biggest thing in any child’s life is consistency (this also happens to be the same for me) Children do not deal with change very well and we are constantly taking them here and there and doing this and that with them, and everyone says that children are very resilient. They are. But they get stress out from all the action and then act out.
I do my best to keep my rules "to the three “F’s" Few, Fair and Firm! “Routines” Ahhhhh, I love routines! So do children! Like bedtime nap time, mealtime, family time, story time etc and follow through are also essential discipline tools. This is how I establish my trust in the parents and with the child.
Don't make idle threats. If you say you are going to take away a toy if it is being misused, DO IT. Nothing trains a child quicker than saying that you are going to take something away and then do not follow through with it. Constant threats that are never followed up by decisive action take away our credibility and trust with the child. No one is consistent all of the time, but if you really make an effort to be consistent in terms of behaviors & discipline it all becomes much easier.
It is also my belief that it is our responsibility to correct undesirable behaviors like whining when it first appears, it can become a learned behavior for children and will only get increasingly difficult to eliminate.
This is my favorite discipline tool and though the experts say that it is most effective only with infants, I use this on everyone I know who is displaying inappropriate behavior. About the only truly appropriate disciplinary tool for infants and toddlers, the art of redirection is invaluable. I am constantly using this technique as it is appropriate for almost any situation. It is often referred to as “Distract & Redirect!”
Items that are off limits: "Uh-oh, not for baby, let's come over here and you can play with your blocks" Impending tantrums: "Oh WOW! Look at all of those rocks over there! Shall we walk over that way so you can pick one up before we leave the park?"
The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you have a YES option for each NO situation. I spend a lot of time validating where the child is "coming from." I ask if the child is having big feelings. I have a sheet of paper that has about 10 faces on it that shows different emotions on it and I ask the child to point to a face and then we discuss why he is feeling that way.
Respect your child's emotions, I try to teach Children that it's okay to have negative emotions like anger and help them learn how to channel those emotions productively. It does then no good for us to try to stifle those emotions All human beings have negative emotions and children need to learn how to handle them appropriately.
One of my favorite techniques is to give the child choices, especially for toddlers. The more choices you can offer a child, whose independence is blossoming, the better he will tolerate the situation he has no control over. Here are some of the choices I use: food choices, clothing choices, now or later choices, toy and activity choices, etc. I call my all time favorite choice the "self or help choice." We hit on it as soon as she began asserting her independence and the word "self" entered her vocabulary.
"Do you want to come here for your diaper change by yourself or do you need help"
"Do you want to put on your hat by yourself or do you want help"
I use this in any situation where there really is only one choice...the thing I want/need done. Remember this falls in to the same as earlier where if we ask her if she wants to do this herself or does she want help, and she will not comply she needs to understand that I will help her and she will not be happy about this. This is all a part of following through again. I am a strong believer of Natural consequences; especially once children are a bit older, natural consequences are a great tool. If they won't eat, they will be hungry. If they refuse to put on their coat, you will have to cut short the play time in the back yard because it is cold. The natural consequence of not getting ready for bed might mean that there is only time for one story. Natural consequences are for situations that aren't life threatening.
I never tell a child they are bad or I don't like them. I always explain to them that it is the behavior that is not ok or the action that I disapprove of. I work very hard to find alternatives to the word "No"
I use these whenever I can. My goal is not to eliminate the word "no' from my vocabulary altogether, it is to reserve it for those circumstances which really require it, so that it will have more impact.
My favorite saying is “Pick your battles and pick them wisely.” I try to distinguish the "biggies" from the "smallies" and consider letting some of the "smallies" slide. These will vary widely from family to family. What is tolerable to you might be intolerable to someone else. I would suggest that disrespectful and annoying behaviors like back talk and whining should never be considered "smallies" These have an enormous impact on the way your child is perceived by others. Remember your children are a reflection of you. When your children are with me they are a reflection of you and me. Long winded explanations will bore, and maybe confuse a child. Statements like "The rule is no hitting" or "No cookies before lunch" are easy enough to understand...and there is less for your child to argue with.
It is my mission to end every situation with a hug and for the child. This helps the child to understand that no matter what, at the end of the day he/she is loved and cherished and that will never change.

Compensation:

When we get to this part of the interview process I feel strongly that we should walk through this one together as there are things that we are both considering and thinking about when we started this process such as: Is this live in or live out? How old are the children? How many kids, Pet care?, How much cleaning & cooking, Are there overnights?, Number of hours per week, Are there weekend & evening hours?, Is there a car being provided?, Is there Health Insurance being provided? Are you paying on or off the books? ETC... There are many more variables to consider during this process. Every situation is different.
This has never been my favorite part of the negotiations and interview process. The reason why is that I love doing this work and though I know I need to make a living and have to make enough to cover my expenses. It is hard to explain. It is on principle. I get to love and cuddle and see children experience the world for the first time through their eyes and with every child it is different and funny and exciting. Their first roll over, sitting up, baby food flavors, first words, crawling, smiles, touching grass, giggles and belly laughs, first steps, teeth, shots, reading books, learning a b c 's & 1 2 3's, taking naps with them, potty training them, waving bye-bye, patty - cake, and everything in between! Every child's growing process is so awesome. I look at that list and I say to myself "I get paid to watch these beautiful little beings unfold and blossom into amazing children."
I feel so incredibly blessed to be the person that is there when all those synapse' take place and on top of it to be trusted with those memories.. It is so hard putting a dollar value to this. So that is my dilemma.
I don't know many people who say this, but I am a very lucky person in that I get to get up every day and do something that is completely rewarding, fulfilling and that makes me smile and allows me the opportunity to be downright silly!
I am not a person who is just passing by to pay for my college courses. I am not from another country, so I am completely stable, available all the time and I offer a great deal of flexibility.
My point is this. I am a "Career Nanny" and If I were to be accepted by your family...I can promise you that right from that moment on I am committed to your family and to putting every bit of my heart and soul into every aspect of caring for and nurturing your child/children and family no matter what dollar value we put on it. My goal is to reach a dollar amount that feels comfortable for you and that is within your means and at the same time will cover the cost of my living expenses and allow me to provide for my family.
I just want open communication, and I prefer to avoid any tension that could build between us because you are stretched too thin. The end result is that I want to make sure that everybody is happy and comfortable with the fee that is agreed upon. I say this all the time and I truly mean with all my heart: If I were independently wealthy, I would do this for free!

Why I Know You Should Hire Me!

I am confident, motivated, energetic, organized, I show great initiative, enthusiasm, and an intense desire to work and a commitment to perform at standards that will far exceed any family's expectations. You will not be disappointed!
I know that I can enrich your family’s life in so many ways with the skills and knowledge I possess. I owned an Infant Child Care Center called “Firefly Kids”. It is Located in Burlington, VT. The center is licensed for 34 children up to age 5. Our curriculum is based on the Montessori School of Learning. This is a national accredited curriculum. I also have a bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education.
I appeal to you to consider me and my resume not only for my extensive years of experience, but because I have chosen to be a "Career Nanny" and “House Manager” simply because I love babies for no other reason than they represent absolute love, joy, happiness and wonder. I love watching them grow; I love how they smell after a bath with baby magic baby soap. I love brushing their hair; I get mad if I can't fold their laundry. I love organizing their clothes. I love scrap booking their milestones. I am constantly taking pictures of them. I love putting them in the cutest clothes. They could care less. I, however, have to have everything matching! I love holding them until they fall asleep in my arms and tucking them in. I love when they wake up, and I go to the crib at the absolute first peep they make and I look in to their crib and they give me the best smile. I wait for hours while they are sleeping to see them again! I love preparing their bottles, and food and buying their clothes. I love sitting with them on the floor at their eye level and see how excited they get and their feet go crazy and their hands go wild and they squeal with delight. When adults do things that are unusual to them they notice it. I am always making babies squeal! I love the sound of a baby laughing! It lives in my heart forever! I love starting with a family that has a newborn because I develop a history with the baby and the family. The bond is almost instant and it is long term. I have been with families for as long as 5 and 6 years both starting at newborn. I have no other way to convey this feeling or experience. It is not intellectual, it is not an educational thing and it is not about money though I need to make a living. It is a spiritual and emotional desire. I just absolutely love each and every day of a baby's growth and development, spirit and unconditional love that exudes from their innocent and open hearts.
I love absolutely everything about the work I do. The Babies, tots, kids, All ages! The families I connect with. The opportunities I am given. The differences in cultures, traditions, rituals and the way people live and experience life. It is a lifelong connection for me. I grow attached to the children and the family. I grow to love the extended family members as well. I meet people I would have never encountered before without this connection. Every day when working with a baby I get to watch this child have all of his or her firsts. I get to jump up and down with joy for this baby. I get to take the pictures, I am watching this child grow everyday and when I am not there I miss them. They become my own. I miss the family, because they become part of me. They do not just rely on me, I too rely on them. It is a comfort that goes both ways. We all rely on one another. We become comfortable with each other, enough to come shuffling down stairs in our PJ’s and bed head without worry of judgment. When I click with a family and it works, we share very close that connection that never ends.
This is why I have references from families that I was hired to work for from 11 years ago. The mom, Wendy is one of my absolute best adult friends. (Remember, I have two sets of friends, adults and kids!), I would trust her with my son’s life. Same goes with Laurie Eddy. The other thing I love about this work is that every family that I have worked for in the past 8 years whether they are a long term family, or a baby nurse position for shorter periods; every family I have worked with have completely welcomed my partner Barbara into their homes and families without batting their eyes at all. Many of the positions ultimately would hire Barbara to work for them as either a nanny to the older child/children or as a house manager. It has always been a fantastic arrangement because if I had an appointment she was always there to back me up. If she had an appointment, I was there to back her up. Anyway, I can honestly say that I do this work because I love doing this work. It fills my heart and soul with a deep sense of gratitude and satisfaction in knowing that I am making an impact in your family and not just by caring for your children, but by caring for your family as a whole unit.
All I ask is that you give yourself the opportunity to meet me, see what you think. Find out if we click. I know that in the end for me when I was looking for care for my son, when it came down to it, I wanted the best person for the position. I am willing to do all that is expected of me. I am a quick learner, I am extremely flexible, capable, I have a high endurance level, I am extremely organized, I don't fluster quickly. I love to travel. I can juggle many things at one time! I need very little sleep! I am totally legal as I am a US Citizen. I have a valid passport. I have traveled already, I know what every baby needs when traveling! When going on a plane, to the mall, in a restaurant, etc.
I have years of experience as a Nanny and a Baby Nurse. I owned an infant Child Care Center for 5 + years. I designed the entire interior, I purchased all materials, I have experience with setting up nurseries, and I have extensive knowledge with making homes safe for babies and toddlers. I purchase baby clothes, furniture, supplies, equipment (I have a sales and use tax ID # for bulk purchases) I have also traveled near and far for families to purchase items for families I have found for nurseries in other countries. I have experience as a 24/7 Baby Nurse. I work closely with mom helping her after the birth of the baby, and working with older siblings dealing with jealous behaviors. I am infant CPR and first aid certified. I have experience with High Profile families. I love to travel, I have extensive fundraising experience. I have experiences planning parties and dances, weddings and other events for large groups. I have done catering for the events as well. I have experience with graphics and advertising, promotion, etc.
I have more than 15+ years’ experience. I have cared for kids ranging in age from 0-16. I have cared for multiples, and single children. I have done live in and live out situations. I have cared for children with, Cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, new born drug addiction, Down syndrome, and premature babies. I was an EMT, I used to be a licensed RN, and I went to the University of VT for my Degree in Nursing. I worked in the Neo-natal intensive care unit, pediatric unit, labor and delivery and maternity unit. I also spent a great deal of time in the emergency department as well. I ended my nursing career because I was unwilling to sacrifice patient care for politics. Hospitals and Government continually cut funding for patient care and I was not going to be a part of that. I knew that I could put my skills to better use by opening an infant childcare center were we accept a large population of special needs children and I knew that I could offer the private sector a fantastic service at a great price for the qualifications and experience I bring to the table. For me this is my passion, my calling. I am doing the work I truly was meant to do and that completes me as a person.

My Hobbies & Interests;

I love to scrap book. I love shopping and reading and traveling. I love to be spontaneous and just pick up and travel somewhere. I love to learn new things and I love meeting new people. I love to cook and entertain, and I love the smell of apple pies in the oven. The holidays are my favorite time of the year. I love Holiday music. Though I only play it from the day after thanksgiving until January 2nd. I love celebrating my birthday. I love getting gift cards for either clothes or scrap booking stickers and The “Life IS Good Store”! I love to see Broadway shows (on and off). I spend a lot of time in Cape May, NJ. My partner and I spend our vacations in the British West Indies, on a remote Caribbean Island. We have been going there for 8 years. I love to snorkel! I love to take pictures and I love to spend time with my family. I dislike onions immensely, I am deathly afraid of snakes and I am not all that fond of other reptiles either, but I am respectful that we all have a place in the universe! I love to label things. It is a part of my organizing frenzy. I love to watch old movies with my partner. I love Katharine Hepburn. I love to buy baby clothes! It is much more fun though when there is a baby to put them in! I have a great sense of humor, I love to laugh and have the fun. It is my honest opinion that the best naps are had when you are snuggled up with a baby! My best friends (aside from my partner) and I have many adult friend but, the ones that actually get me and put things in the most logical non thinking way are my entire circle of friends who all happen to be under the age of 10! They all completely understand me, they listen to everything I say, they totally love me unconditionally, and they know that I am not always looking for advice. Most times they just sit and listen, and never say a word!! They laugh and giggle at me from time to time, but they are the best friends a girl could ask for! They even laugh at my jokes…after brutally telling me how ridiculous it was!

My Childhood - Growing up & My Parents:

My Mom and Dad were the best parents ever. I am the youngest of 3. I look just like my mom! I have her awesome sense of humor and my dad’s crazy desire for needing everything organized! There are 5+ years between my brother and I and 3+ years between my sister and I. My brother was and is my hero, growing up, My Dad too. My Dad was in the Naval Reserves and the Chief Engineer of the West Stafford Fire Dept. He worked as a computer engineer for 35 years with the New England Telephone Company. My mom was a house wife.
My family thought I could do no wrong...I think because I was the baby. I was given every opportunity available. I lived in a beautiful old refinished farm house on a country road. We had a beautiful apple orchard where my dad would give me rides in the bucket of the tracker. I remember, there being rows and rows of strawberries, and I was supposed to pick them for my mom, but by the time I got the basket back to her my face was covered with strawberry stains and I had 3 berries left in the basket.
I have a lot of love, encouragement, support, and attention from my family. I was brought up with very strong moral values. We had family night, we had mommy and me nights. My mom took us to the photographer every single year and had a group picture taken of me, my brother and sister. All our clothes had to coordinate, it was a tradition/ritual, but it was something we always had fun doing!
We learned that honesty is always the best policy. Help those in need, always help the elderly, even when they do not ask. Don't stand by and watch a person hurt another person, say something to stop it. My parents made me a very strong person. My parents gave me the love for traveling, taking pictures and learning about new cultures, and always opening my heart to new people and lifestyles.
My mom used to hold me when I was a little girl and sing “Simon & Garfunkel” songs to me until I fell asleep. I still listen to that music to this day. Even now, when I get a cold, I can call my mom and tell her I am sick and she will make a tray of “No Bake chocolate Oatmeal Cookies”. I know…COOKIES??? It’s a family thing!
We had our issues as every family does, but we always had family meetings and talked things through. My Mom and Dad are my life. My family is very important to me. They have supported me in everything I have done and continue to do. They are two of my greatest champions! They love me unconditionally. I was and am very lucky to have them then and now! My parents taught me about respect, honesty, humor, integrity, loyalty, commitment, trust, Faith, family, relationships, traditions, manners, generosity, and most importantly unconditional love! I love the children that come into my life like my parents love me. If I can give them half as much as my parents gave me then I know I am on my way to doing a great job!
I look forward to meeting with you and your family!
Sincerely,
Chris Nickerson

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Chris Nickerson Baby Nurse - Nanny - House Manager - House Cleaner

Chris Nickerson
Baby Nurse - Nanny - House Manager - House Cleaner