Episode 10: Canadian Career Stories.

Summary

In this engaging interview, Emily, a seasoned family nanny with over a decade of experience, shares her journey from high school into a fulfilling career in early learning and childcare. She discusses the importance of education and the joys of building personal relationships with children and parents. Emily's aspirations to grow her career, possibly by starting a licensed Christian day home and having her own website, reflect her passion for making a difference in children's lives. Her advice for others seeking a career is to explore interests, seek mentorship, and gain practical experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Emily is a family nanny with a focus on Early Learning and childcare programs, which she started during high school and has turned into a career.
• 🏫 She has been in the profession for over 10 years, helping families and realizing the importance of education and its benefits.
• 🚗 Emily's workday involves traveling to families' homes, often starting as early as 5:00 a.m., and includes tasks like meal preparation, potty training, and educational activities.
• 👶 She emphasizes the importance of age-appropriate activities and helping children discover their interests to lay a foundation for future careers.
• 🔄 Emily has continued her education with first aid and CPR certifications, and has interacted with over 100 families across Canada.
• 🌱 She finds it rewarding to see the potential in children and help them explore their interests, including discussing future career aspirations.
• 🏠 The challenge of working in a family home includes maintaining healthy boundaries while being a positive influence on children's lives.
• 💼 Emily has career aspirations to grow her work, possibly by starting a licensed Christian day home and having her own website to share her experiences and knowledge.
• 🤝 She acknowledges the need for a mentor to guide her in expanding her career and is actively seeking advice from those with experience in the field.
• 🎓 Emily's educational background includes Bible college and involvement in children's ministry, which has influenced her career path.
• 📝 Her advice for those seeking a passionate career is to write down interests, seek advice from professionals in the desired field, gain experience, and never give up.

Q & A

What is Emily's current profession?

Emily is a family nanny specializing in Early Learning and childcare programs.

How did Emily's career in childcare begin?

Emily started her career in childcare during high school, which eventually turned into a full-time career.

What is Emily's perspective on the importance of education in her job?

Emily believes that having parents who are strong about education is crucial, and she sees the benefits of that in her own career, helping to make it better.

How does Emily's work contribute to family ministry?

Emily's work has turned into family ministry as she uses her Early Learning and childcare program in different environments, including licensed daycares and potentially public schools.

What is a typical day like for Emily as a family nanny?

Emily's day starts early, often picking up children from preschool, preparing meals, assisting with potty training, and engaging in age-appropriate educational activities.

What challenges does Emily face in her role as a family nanny?

Emily finds maintaining healthy boundaries within the family to be challenging, as she aims to be a blessing to the family while also providing personal relationships with the children and parents.

How long has Emily been in her career and what additional training has she undergone?

Emily has been in her career for over 10 years and has completed first aid and CPR training multiple times through St John Ambulance.

What is Emily's approach to understanding children's interests and aspirations?

Emily engages children in conversations about their future aspirations, such as asking 5-year-olds what they want to be when they grow up, and then discussing different careers with them.

What are Emily's career aspirations moving forward?

Emily aspires to have a licensed Christian day home and possibly create her own website to share more about her work and experiences with families.

What advice does Emily have for people looking to pursue a passionate career?

Emily suggests writing down interests, talking to people in the desired field, gaining experience, and never giving up while seeking mentorship from those with experience.

What educational background does Emily have and how did it influence her career path?

Emily attended Bible college and was involved in children's ministry, which allowed her to participate in after-school programs and led her to pursue a career in childcare.

Outlines

00:00

👶 Early Learning and Childcare Career Journey

In this segment, Emily, a family nanny, discusses her career in early learning and childcare, which she began in high school and has continued into her 30s. She emphasizes the importance of education and the surprising realization that her early interest in childcare has blossomed into a fulfilling career. Emily shares her daily routine, which includes waking up early, traveling to families' homes, and engaging with children in various activities such as meal preparation, potty training, and educational play. She also highlights the personal relationships she forms with the children and parents, and the challenge of maintaining healthy boundaries in a home setting.

05:01

🤝 Building Strong Relationships with Families

Emily elaborates on the significance of maintaining strong relationships with the families she works with, even after her professional engagement with them has ended. She talks about the joy of being remembered fondly by the children she has cared for as they grow older. Emily also shares her aspirations to grow her career, possibly by establishing a licensed Christian day home and creating a website to share her passion and expertise in childcare. She acknowledges the need for a mentor to guide her in achieving these goals and discusses the importance of continuous learning and networking with others in the field.

10:03

📚 Education and Career Development in Childcare

In the final paragraph, Emily reflects on her educational background, which began with Bible college and involvement in children's ministry, leading to her interest in teaching and after-school programs. She shares her family's history of teaching and how her career path was influenced by her experiences and the encouragement from a friend who worked in child evangelism. Emily offers advice for those seeking a passionate career, suggesting they identify their interests, seek out mentors, gain practical experience, and remain persistent in pursuing their goals.

Keywords

💡Family Nanny

A family nanny is a professional caregiver who works within a family's home, providing childcare and early learning support. In the video, Emily, the interviewee, has been working as a family nanny for over 10 years, emphasizing the personal relationships she builds with the children and parents, which is central to the video's theme of career and personal fulfillment in childcare.

💡Early Learning

Early Learning refers to the educational processes that occur during the first few years of a child's life, which are crucial for cognitive and social development. Emily mentions that her work involves Early Learning and childcare programs, indicating the importance of structured educational activities for young children's growth, which is a key aspect of her job as a family nanny.

💡Childcare Program

A childcare program is a structured system of care and early education for children, often provided by professionals like Emily. The script discusses how Emily uses such programs in various settings, including licensed daycares and potentially in public schools, showcasing the versatility and importance of childcare programs in supporting children's development.

💡Career Aspirations

Career aspirations are the professional goals or ambitions that an individual has for their future. Emily talks about her aspirations to grow her career, such as owning a licensed Christian day home and having her own website to share her expertise, which reflects the video's focus on personal and professional growth.

💡Potty Training

Potty training is the process of teaching a child to use the toilet instead of diapers. In the script, Emily describes her responsibilities, including potty training, as part of her role in a childcare program, illustrating the hands-on nature of her job and the developmental milestones she helps children achieve.

💡Age-Appropriate Activities

Age-appropriate activities are those designed to suit the developmental level of children of a certain age. Emily stresses the importance of providing such activities to ensure children enjoy their childhood while also learning, which is a central theme in the video about balancing education and fun in childcare.

💡First Aid and CPR

First Aid and CPR are emergency medical procedures that are essential for those working with children to ensure their safety. Emily mentions having done First Aid and CPR training, highlighting the importance of these skills in her career as a family nanny and the video's broader message about the responsibilities of childcare providers.

💡Mentor

A mentor is a person who provides guidance and support to help someone develop professionally or personally. Emily expresses a desire to find a mentor to help her grow her career, indicating the value of mentorship in achieving career aspirations, which is a recurring theme in the video.

💡Bible College

Bible College typically refers to an educational institution focused on religious studies and often prepares individuals for ministry or related work. Emily's background in Bible College is mentioned, showing her initial involvement in children's ministry, which has influenced her career path and the video's narrative about finding one's calling.

💡Children's Ministry

Children's Ministry involves organizing and conducting religious education and activities for children. Emily's participation in children's ministry at Bible College is highlighted, demonstrating how her early experiences led her to her current career in childcare, which is a key part of the video's story about career development.

💡Nanny Work Agreement

A nanny work agreement is a formal contract outlining the terms and conditions of employment between a nanny and the family they work for. Emily discusses the importance of having such an agreement, which underscores the professional aspect of her role and the video's emphasis on establishing clear boundaries and expectations in a working relationship.

Highlights

Emily is a family nanny with over 10 years of experience in early learning and childcare.

She started her career in high school without realizing it would become her profession.

Emily believes in the importance of parents being strong about education and its benefits.

Her work has evolved into family ministry, using early learning for licensed daycares and public schools.

She values the personal relationships formed with children and parents in a home setting.

Emily's daily routine involves long commutes, picking up children from preschool, and preparing meals.

She focuses on age-appropriate activities, helping children enjoy their childhood while learning.

Emily has completed first aid and CPR training multiple times to ensure children's safety.

She has interacted with over 100 families across Canada, seeing the potential in each child.

Emily encourages children to explore their interests and understand different career paths.

Maintaining healthy boundaries is crucial to being a blessing to the family, not just an employee.

She has received many nicknames from children, with 'Super Nanny' being the most popular.

Emily finds joy in the children's smiles, hugs, laughter, and the lessons she learns from them daily.

Her career aspirations include owning a licensed Christian day home and having her own website.

She is considering using her early learning program in children's ministry at a church.

Emily is seeking a mentor to guide her in growing her career as an entrepreneur.

Her educational background includes studying at a Bible college and involvement in children's ministry.

She advises others to write down their interests, talk to people in their desired field, and gain experience.

Emily emphasizes the importance of never giving up and seeking advice from experienced professionals.

Transcripts

welcome to the show Emily let us know

what you do for work I am a family nanny

so it uh has to do with Early Learning

and childcare program I started actually

when I was in high school and didn't

realize that it would become a career

later on so it's a little a little bit

of a surprise and not a surprise cuz

I've helped many families in more than

10 years and now in my 30s I realize

that it's never too late to continue

education um I think that having parents

who are strong about education and maybe

not realizing the benef benefit of that

when I was younger and now realizing it

also makes me think that this helps the

me to to actually make the career better

MH but it's also turned into family

ministry which is very interesting cuz

can use Early Learning and childcare

program for you know licensed dayc

carees I think you could use you could

even work in public schools for me

families have always been very important

to me okay and so I I I I definitely

would say I'm being led to go

into the home which I find is very

challenging um I think because you have

you you learn you have more personal

relationships with the children and with

the parents but it is interesting to see

how early learn how the Early Learning

and Child Care Program can be used in

different ways or in different

environments and in different ways can

you tell us what do your workday look

like as a family Nanny oh I could tell

you that um well I get up at I would say

500 a.m. most families have not been

close to this the southeast of Calgary

um my husband and I are living in an

apartment building so I find that the

families are all over the place right

now I go all the way to Rundle so it it

the you know it's a it's it takes a long

time to get there so I give myself a

good 2

hours um then I get to the family's

house if the children are in preschool

or they're just if they're not in if

they're they're not going to school yet

then of course I would the children

would already be there but when if

they're in preschool I would have to go

pick up the kid the the how many well

one or two or could be three of them in

preschool and then bring them back to

the house and then it's more like

getting their meals ready uh there's

potty training which in Pre when they

when they're in preschool most of the

time they don't need the potty training

but if they're not in preschool

definitely potty training and then I

find that it's helping them to with

their you know their alphabet with their

numbers uh making sure there's age

appropriate activities making sure they

enjoy their childhood and

also helping them helping them to to

find out what they really enjoy doing so

in a way I'm also helping them to think

to to to like to like education so that

they can have a good career in the

future especially as a kid uh it is very

important to have somebody lead them uh

to to their life that just growing yes

because uh uh a lot of childhood traumas

happens where uh parents are not taking

care of their kids that's right that's

right now you mentioned you are into

your career around 10 years it's been

definitely more than 10 years and uh

during that time I've done my first aid

in CPR more than once cuz you think you

have to do that every two or three years

most most of the time I go to St John

Ambulance I've definitely talked to more

than 100 families not just in Alberta

but I would say with all the families

I've talked to in different places in

Canada it's definitely been more 100 and

it it is true like there's I think it's

important to definitely I think to to

see po to see the potential in the

children and then help them to um help

them to like learn more about what they

really like to do like I I um sometimes

I ask 5-year-olds you know what would

you like to be when you grow up which is

always a good question yes and some of

them will say a teacher some of them

will say a police officer some of them

will say a firefighter and then I think

oh well now I have an opportunity to

talk about different careers and then

explain it to them so they understand

that you will have some challenges like

there will always be challenges in every

career the most challenging for me uh

work going into the family HS is always

just uh I would say keeping those

healthy boundaries so that you're still

a blessing to the family because you

know I children call me Super Nanny I

have many nicknames uh right now Super

Nanny is number one I get Skittles I get

Emy I get E I get M&M's and children

definitely enjoy being around me so I

find that um going working with a family

it is important to have a nanny work

agreement so you know your start date

your end date how much you're getting

paid and then to I think even when

you're done with the family uh just you

every you know maybe once every couple

of months find out how the children are

doing how's the family doing so you know

you keep the relationship going when

when you're still not in the home but I

I um I do enjoy like I do enjoy knowing

that I can make a difference in in

different people's lives and you just

never know how you just never know how

big that difference is but what's

amazing is as a children get older when

you have that strong relationship with

them when they're young and let's say

when they're 13 it's amazing how they

still remember me and say I'm still the

best Nanny they ever had wow that's

actually inspiring for sure I'm super

happy you know when uh when you can make

a difference in any any people's life

now I understand you do have a lot of

challenges in your job but at the same

time you are in your career for over 10

years yeah which

definitely um make me feel that you love

what you do yes so so what what are the

things uh do you think uh couple of

things what makes you get up in the

morning and get ready for work

definitely thinking about those children

thinking about the smiles on their face

the hugs the the just the laughter the

what I'm going to learn from them that

day um for example five the 5-year-old

told me today you know you're supposed

to chew with your mouth

closed and I didn't realize I don't chew

with my mouth closed I guess I chew like

with my mouth

open so they like to they like to remind

you of your manners um that you know

it's not just the children who need the

manners it's also the adults um so I

think you know knowing that there are

children that are just they get up in

the morning they can hardly wait for

super dny to arrive it does make me very

happy I'm happy for you too let's JP

back to your career I'm a strong

believer in people pursuing a career and

then growing in that career to higher

level so what's your career aspirations

uh I have definitely been thinking about

how to grow it because um I've always

had this I I guess you'd say I don't

know if you call it a dream maybe it's

more like I'm very visual so I've always

had this picture of one day I'd like to

have a licensed Christian day home I

don't know exactly where my husband and

I will be cuz we just celebrate 12 years

of marriage in Mar March 24th we've

moved around a lot we're living in

apartment building and so that is that

is a question that I find that I am

still have I'm still like have many

ideas on putting on paper on how to grow

it but I definitely would like that to

happen mhm um I think too I even thought

about um maybe having my own website so

that so that so families could know more

about my education more about just hear

more about why I love what I do what I

can bring to the family um and just

thinking of the different environments

like even if it means um I don't know

using Early Learning childcare program

and for children's ministry in a church

uh anyway I I want to make sure that I'm

with the children I want to make sure

I'm making a difference for that family

um so if I I to to for it to grow I'd

also like my knowledge I think of what's

going on with that particular family and

what what their needs are to to for me

to really know that very well so that I

can I can actually um help them maybe

not just in their home but in other

places congratulations on your

anniversary first um

secondly um sounds like you want to be

an entrepreneur which is which is great

I think so right yeah I think I'm

learning more about what that is but I

definitely think that is a good word

yeah uh when it comes to your career um

always the bigger step is starting

something of your own the other thing is

having a mentor look up to look up to oh

I still need to find a mentor for that

because I think that would be really

important cuz right now I find myself

really talking to um people who have

licensed day homes or or work in a

licensed daycare and asking them lots of

questions and asking them about their

how did they actually finish their Early

Learning and childcare program what kind

of help did they get from the government

um any connections they might have to

other people who have been doing this

for many years um that has been

something that I would like to be able

to find one person who who really could

take the time um you know once twice a

month to really just help me with just

being able to make this grow more last

question for our interview I would like

to know what did you take uh in school

and and why for me it started actually

at bible college because I was

definitely involved or participated in

children's ministry which actually

allowed me to do after school programs

at Public Schools so I was able to

actually uh learn more learn more about

being a teacher which is really funny

because I come from a family of teachers

so I'm surrounded by teachers and the

joke is is well eventually it was that

that was going to catch up to you and

you weren't going to be able to run away

from it uh and I never I was never

interested in really teaching in a

public school but I did like the after

school program because you were it was

like it was usually in a gym or

something and then you would have the

children there with you different ages

and you would still have a curriculum

and all of this

um so I think for me it's the it's I

don't I'm not interested in teaching in

the public school but I do like uh the

the family's home I do like after um uh

after school programs but that's when it

started when I went to Prairie Bible

Institute and actually a good friend of

mine who's worked for child evangelis

evangelism Fellowship for many years was

the one that encouraged me to continue

to be involved or say to help families

um he always pushed me to continue to

actually um be in contact with families

and find out what their needs are and

how could I help so I think that I think

that that's what really started me

thinking about okay I'm a teacher but I

want to be I don't want to be a teacher

in a public school how can I be a

teacher in a home you do have a lot of

teachers in your home oh yeah and uh it

feels like you don't have m Mentor you

have group of mentors people who are

listening what's your advice for them um

especially people who are just

struggling to figure out a a passionate

career I would say the first thing is

definitely take a piece of paper and a

pen pen and paper still good you don't

have to use a

laptop and write down what are your

interests what makes you you know what

do you enjoy doing and then talk to

people who are doing what you would like

to do and definitely ask ask them how

did they start cuz I found that to be

very extremely helpful um I think

also if you

are let's say you're interested to you

want to be a gym teacher uh I'm sure

that there's there's definitely lots of

gym teachers you know uh you might have

the opportunity to maybe just you know

be involved or should say participate in

what that gym teacher is doing for the

class you know maybe the gym teacher

will say oh yeah okay I could I could

get you know could you help me with with

what I need to do in the classroom um

that's always a good idea um but I would

definitely say that that those are those

would be the those would be that's what

I would encourage people to do and never

give up never give up and definitely

look at what PR what programs are

required to actually do what you want to

do but also remember it's not you know

education's important but it's also the

experience with it and also not being

scared to talk to the people who've

actually done this for many years there

you go great advice um super nanny Emily

it was a great career chat with you I

wish you all the best in your career and

I hope uh you continue to make uh

Children's Life happy and uh successful

thanks again