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’Tis the Season to Spread Love

by Educated Nannies | Dec 2, 2015

’Tis the Season to Spread Love

The holidays are undoubtedly our favorite time of year. Here at Educated Nannies, we love the weather, the music, the food, the comradery, and spending quality time with our families. But more than anything, we love the opportunity to serve alongside our children as we spread holiday cheer. We teach our children about showing concern for others throughout the year; but during the holidays, we truly focus on showing others how much we care. ’Tis the season to spread love!

Research shows that volunteering yields impressive benefits for people. Those who participate in service projects perform better in school, have increased self-confidence, feel a greater sense of purpose, and are less likely to experience depression later in life. Volunteering also increases social and relationship skills and creates memories that last a lifetime.

This holiday season, we encourage you to gather your children (even the littlest ones), get involved, and volunteer. Here are a few ideas!

Sing holiday songs at a local nursing home. It would be great fun to invite a few friends and extended family to join in on the activity. The coordinators at nursing facilities welcome guests. Residents thoroughly enjoy spending time with young people and watching them put on a great show. The smiles on the faces of the residents will remain etched in your children’s minds forever.

Visit a homeless shelter and wrap donated gifts for children who live there. This is a great way to teach your children the importance of being grateful and show kindness towards other children. Call a shelter near you and inquire about opportunities.

Donate gently worn clothes and toys to Goodwill, Hope of the Valley, or Rescue Mission Alliance. Children can clean up and make room for additional goodies in their home, and then donate to those in need. It’s a win-win!

Volunteer at a local food bank. Help unpack, sort, and re-pack boxes of donated holiday goods to distribute to families in need. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is a great place to start. (https://www.lafoodbank.org/)

Adopt-a-Soldier. Write a thank you letter, draw a picture, and send a care package to a troop who is serving overseas. There are hundreds of thousands of men and women who help keep our country safe. Adopt-a-soldier and let him/her know you care and appreciate his/her sacrifice. (http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/index.php)

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and PURPOSEFUL holiday season!

Educated Nannies Award

by Educated Nannies | Nov 19, 2015

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Educated Nannies Receives 2015 Los Angeles Award

Los Angeles Award Program Honors the Achievement

LOS ANGELES November 18, 2015 — Educated Nannies has been selected for the 2015 Los Angeles Award in the Child Care Agency category by the Los Angeles Award Program.

Each year, the Los Angeles Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Los Angeles area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2015 Los Angeles Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Los Angeles Award Program and data provided by third parties.

The Los Angeles Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Los Angeles area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Los Angeles Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Award Program

Educated Nannies Award

The ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving

by Educated Nannies | Nov 10, 2015

The ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving

It is November and in a few short weeks, Thanksgiving will be upon us! Last year we blogged about compassion, caring and gratitude here and this year we want to build on that. It’s easy to get swept away worrying about all the details that make Thanksgiving dinner come together, but we have a few ideas and fun activities that can help you slow down, have fun and savor this whole month!

A “thankful” jar: Throughout the month of November, each member of the family can write down one thing they are thankful for every day. Then, the family member puts it in a “thankful jar” (bonus points if it’s decorated!) and reads each entry before the feast on Thanksgiving. It’s a great way to look back on all the moments of gratitude that month!

Be present for big and small moments: Since it’s easy to fall into a routine and forget the details of everyday life, this little change can make a huge impact. If the kids bring home Thanksgiving crafts, ask if they can teach you how to do it and recreate the craft at home! If they can’t remember, we have a great craft in our newsletter that is fun for both adults and kids. Also, asking about the little details of their day is fun for them to recall and great for adults to know what their little ones are doing! To sign up for our newsletter please click here and go to the bottom right of the page.

Include the kids: Tackle a creative project with the kids! They will love feeling included, and it’s one less thing you have to do alone! Some of our fondest memories involve helping in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Standing on a step-stool rolling out dough for the dinner rolls, and helping pour pie mix were some of my favorites that I still do every year (without the step-stool now, ha! ). If your little helpers aren’t ready for the kitchen yet, you can venture to a farmers’ market or pumpkin patch with them to find something that gives their personal touch to the tablescape.

Thank those around you: Take this time of year to let those around you know how important they are! Tell your partner, your kids and even your favorite Starbucks barista how grateful you are that they are in your life. Most importantly, let your nanny know how important she is to your family. The relationship we have with our nannies is so incredibly special, and a simple thank you will go a long away this holiday season.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Educated Nannies

National Nanny Recognition Week!

by Educated Nannies | Sep 20, 2015

It’s time to celebrate your nanny! National Nanny Recognition Week is this week! This is a special week set aside every year to honor your nanny and show her how much you appreciate everything she does for your family. It’s a time for your children to show gratitude to their nanny for being such a positive role model. Remembering to say “Thank you” to your nanny throughout the year is so important, and here are some ways to make her feel extra fabulous this week!

1. CREATIVE APPRECIATION

If your children are musical, have them sing a song (or write a poem) to thank your nanny. It will make her smile and it’s super creative for the kids to write their own lyrics.

2. DRAW A THANK YOU CARD

Are your children great artists? Have them create a special thank you card for your nanny.

3. PAMPER YOUR NANNY

Is your nanny working 10 hour days? Gift your nanny a relaxing day at the spa or treat her to a massage.

4. GIFT OF EDUCATION

Has your nanny always wanted to take a special class to add to her list of skills or learn another language? Sponsor her to attend the International Nanny Association conference, take a cooking class, or purchase Rosetta Stone in her language of choice.

5. BONUS

Tell your nanny how much you appreciate her, and then gift her a bonus or a health insurance stipend to contribute to her well-being.

6. WORDS OF KINDNESS

Simply say thank you and tell your nanny how wonderful she is. It feels good to be loved and hear positive things!

7. PAID DAY OFF

Treat your nanny to a paid day off. Many nannies work long hours, so they will really appreciate finding the time to visit the dentist, get a haircut, or treat them to a mani/pedi. Feeling polished is a win/win for everyone

8. THROW A NANNY PARTY

Decorate the house, make some cupcakes, put on your nannie’s favorite music, and celebrate her awesomeness!

9. DINNER AT A FAVORITE RESTAURANT

Many times nannies spend hours preparing meal plans for the week, grocery shopping, and cooking delicious meals. Treat your nanny to a night off from cooking and send her out to her favorite restaurant.

10. MAKE A DONATION

Do you already spoil your nanny and treat her like part of the family? Maybe there is a cause that is near and dear to your nanny’s heart? You and the kids could donate your time or make a kind donation? Get creative and think outside of the box!

HAVE A FABULOUS WEEK CELEBRATING YOUR NANNIES!

Five Ways to Pamper a New Dad on Father’s Day!

by Educated Nannies | Jun 4, 2015

As new mothers, we are responsible for wearing many hats throughout the day. It takes a lot of time and energy to keep the ship afloat, and behind every multi-tasking mother, there is a hard-working father who deserves a little pampering! Here are five ways to pamper a new dad on Father’s Day!

Complete an act of service

Wash dad’s car, wash all of his laundry or tackle a project such as organizing his office or closet. These little tokens of kindness will set dad up for success and make him feel loved.

Primp him out

Treat dad to a haircut, day at the spa, or a manicure. It feels good to have your body loved, and it gives a man some self-confidence to look good.

Quality Cooking Time

When a new baby arrives, it may be hard to find time to cook and also spend quality time together. Book a couple’s cooking class or schedule a private chef to come to your home to help you create a loving meal together.

New clothes and compliments

Spit up on the clothes again? No worries! Dad has some new duds coming from his favorite store. Buy him an outfit from head to toe (shoes too!) and watch his face light up. Tell him you appreciate everything he does for the family, compliment him, and say I love you. Words of affirmation go a long way.

Schedule a date night

You may be thinking who has time for a date night as a new parent? We all do. Yes, before you created your child, it was mommy/daddy time. Now it’s hard to even sleep in the same bed uninterrupted. Put the daddy first today and take him out for some good old-fashioned fun at a memorable venue.

Welcome To The Blog!

As one of the premier nanny referral agencies in greater Los Angeles and as parents ourselves, the safety and happiness of children is always our priority. On this nanny blog, we further our commitment to strengthening families by sharing resources and nanny articles we hope you’ll find helpful. We will also let you know when we’re having upcoming events, because we’d love to see you! Thanks for reading!