The Official Blog of Morningside Nannies
Whether you are taking a vacation or if you live in the Houston area, there are several places to go to keep your kids entertained. Many of the attractions also give opportunities for kids to learn new things.
Discovery Green, open since 2008, is a 12-acre park located in downtown Houston. The fountain is an interactive place for the kids to play on hot summer days. Free events throughout the year and nearby restaurants make it a one-stop location for a day of entertainment. When the kids are tired of running through the water, they can climb around on the playgrounds located within the grounds of Discovery Green. During the winter, a giant ice-rink is formed for outdoor skating for all ages.
Founded in 1980, the Children’s Museum of Houston has the motto “A Playground for your Mind,” and it certainly lives up to that reputation. Throughout the year it hosts workshops for young children in the areas of literacy, science, math, health, engineering, civic engagement, culture and social studies. If you’re on a budget, Thursdays are considered family free nights from 5 to 8 p.m. The museum’s 14 galleries make the small admission fee well worth it.
The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art holds hands-on workshops for adults and kids alike. Annually it hosts the Art Car Parade and Festival, which showcases more than 250 vehicles from all over North America. The Orange Show is also home of the Beer Can House, a monument to recycling.
The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is the perfect place for nature lovers of all ages. Not only are there walking trails throughout this 155-acre sanctuary, but also events such as “Tadpole Troopers” and “Tyke Hikes” that are geared toward the interests of the youngest members of your family.
A zoo is always an entertaining place to take the kids for a day. They get to see their favorite animals while learning a little something new about each one. The Houston Zoo is more than just typical zoo, however. There are animals that create paintings. Your child can pick one of 10 species to create a masterpiece. The zoo is also a great place to have a birthday party for your child.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science has a butterfly center and a planetarium along with extraordinary exhibits from all over the world. After viewing the permanent collection, the young ones might want to watch an educational 3D movie on the giant screen. If a day at the museum is not enough, consider a group overnight adventure.
An indoor adventure center, Wonderwild is the perfect place to visit on a rainy day. There are open play times as well as the opportunities to hold themed parties for your little princess or superhero who is eight years old or younger. For your older kids, you can head to Wonderwilder.
500,000 gallons of water fill this underwater menagerie. You and your kids can visit the rainforest, swampland, the Gulf of Mexico, a shipwreck and more at the Downtown Aquarium. The whole family can watch as sea turtles, fish, sharks and more glide through the water, living out their lives. Get a taste of the carnival with the games and rides available at the aquarium.
Ice skating is an American pastime that families have enjoyed for ages. Ice at the Galleria is open to skaters from beginners to experts year round. If your children – or you! – are a bit shaky on the ice, that is not a problem because classes are offered to learning to skate. What makes this a truly unique skating rink is that it is located in the atrium of the Houston Galleria Mall.
Planet WOW in Houston is the perfect place for your little ball of sunshine to burn off some energy. The 10,000 square-foot facility houses inflatables from giant slides to giant basketball hoops. The kiddies can run around in their stocking feet and bounce from one inflatable to the next. When they are done jumping around, they can play one of the many arcade games available at the facility. You and your kids can enjoy open play time or come together to book an afternoon of fun for friends and schoolmates.
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Each year the International Nanny Association holds an annual conference that brings together nannies, nanny agency owners, industry service providers and educators for continuing education and networking.
Nannies from across the United States attend the conference to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. This year’s event will be held April 12 – 15, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky.
While the workshops are broken down into three tracks, one for newborn care specialists, one for nannies and one for agency owners, all attendees are invited to attend all workshops.
This year, the workshop lineup for nannies includes topics on early childhood education, working with teenagers and professional development. From creating a toxic free environment to learning how to teach responsibility, nannies will learn practical strategies that will improve their caregiving skills.
For those interested in learning more about newborn care, the lineup includes sessions on newborn care basics, safe sleep and traveling to families.
Nannies who attend the conference are also encouraged to take the INA Nanny Credential Exam while they are there.
For those who are new to INA and have never attended an INA conference, members who joined after June 1, 2013 are eligible for 50% off of their conference registration.
To learn more about INA’s annual conference, visit https://nanny.org/2013annualconference. Members of the Morningside Nannies team will be in attendance and we do hope to see you there!
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While it may seem like the Dewey Decimal System is a thing of the past, in libraries across the country, it’s still alive and well. With the advent of eReaders and digitized children books, it’s easy to come to the mistaken conclusion that a library card is an archaic membership that’s going the way of the dinosaur.
For families of the Greater Houston area, however, there are still lots of reasons why getting a Houston Public Library card is essential.
1. The HPL Mobile App
With the Houston Public Library app for your iPhone, Android phone, Kindle Fire or a host of other mobile devices, you can access the HPL catalog, search for both physical copies and eBooks, place holds, renew checkouts and check your account. The HPL app also allows you to obtain information about Houston Public Library branch locations and special events hosted by HPL.
2. To Browse Books
Browsing books in person is an entirely different experience then browsing titles through a virtual platform. When you and your children can touch and feel paper books, you have the opportunity to stumble upon books that interest you that you might not have otherwise discovered.
3. Britannica Online for Kids
With a valid Houston Public Library card, your children can access the vast stores of knowledge that is Britannica Online for kids. Searching through encyclopedias, magazines and informative video content can help your children ace that big report or research an important assignment.
4. Patron-Placed Holds
If you or your children are anxiously awaiting a popular title, you no longer have to hope to catch the last copy before it’s checked out again. Services available to Houston Public Library cardholders include a patron-placed holds system, which allows you to request a title and have it sent to the location of your choice for pickup.
5. Interlibrary Loans
Because there’s no library large enough to hold copies of every book ever published, you may run into a bit of difficulty obtaining more obscure titles. HPL cardholders, however, do have the capability to obtain their books from other libraries through the interlibrary loan system.
6. Novelist K-8 Plus
It’s never too early to instill a love of reading, which is why the Houston Public library offers the Novelist program for kids with HPL cards. Kids can find their next favorite book with this service, which keeps them coming back for more and helps to foster a genuine affection for reading.
7. Kids’ Admission to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts
Houston Public Library cardholders under the age of eighteen are admitted to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for free on Saturdays and Sundays, encouraging a thirst for fine arts knowledge along with a passion for reading.
8. Houston Public Library Express
HPL Express is a facility installed within existing buildings around the community offering full access to the same information, data, services and collections of the full library system in more convenient locations. Cardholders are encouraged to request materials from any Houston Public Library branch to be delivered to the HPL Express nearest them for pickup or use if they’re not already on-site.
9. Ask a Librarian
There are times in everyone’s life when a little bit of help can go a long way. One of the services extended by the Houston Public Library is the “Ask a Librarian” online service. Email, text, tweet, live chat or call for book suggestions and library assistance.
10. Electronic Book Collections
Owners of popular eReader devices can access an expansive collection of electronic books through the Houston Public Library with their existing library membership and library card numbers.
Whether you’re a visitor or a native Houstonian, the Houston Public Library is an amazing resource worth taking advantage of. While resident library cards are free, if you’re traveling in the Houston area you can obtain a non-resident card for $20.00 that’s valid for six months, or a $40.00 membership that is valid for one calendar year.
To find a branch of the Houston Public Library near you visit https://www.houstonlibrary.org/home.
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You’re six months into your nanny placement and everything was going great, until recently. You love your nanny, but you’ve noticed she’s been spending a little too much time on your personal computer, telling you when she needs a day off rather than requesting one, and hasn’t made much of an effort to pick up after herself or your little one while you’re away. You don’t want to put a wedge in the relationship, but you really can’t let these issues slide much longer. What should do you do?
Take a deep breath. Like many new relationships, the nanny and employer relationship also has a honeymoon period and chances are that the honeymoon period is over. But don’t panic. This is a natural progression in the relationship and indicates that your nanny is feeling comfortable in her role and her in position with in the family. This also means that now is the time you’ll need to establish boundaries and reaffirm your commitment to your expectations.
For most nanny employers, confronting their employees is a difficult task – even for those who manage people for a living. Nannies work in your home, caring for your most prized possession, so it’s not surprising that talking business with your household employee can be a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to make managing your employee feel a bit more natural and set the frame work for providing both positive and negative feedback to your nanny about her performance.
1. Be sure to complete your nanny work agreement.
If you didn’t sign a written work agreement with your nanny prior to her start date, it’s not too late. Draft up your agreement and request a meeting with your nanny to review it. Schedule your meeting for a time when you can meet with your nanny without the children present. Take responsibility for not completing the agreement sooner and let her know you’ve put it together so that you have a mutual understanding of each other’s duties, responsibilities and expectations, as well as any house rules you wish your nanny to abide by.
2. Review your work agreement.
If you do have a mutually agreed upon working agreement, give it a once over to be sure it covers what you think it does. If your nanny is violating the agreement, set aside a time to meet with her and call her attention to your agreement. “When we signed our agreement, we both agreed that computer usage was off-limits.
3. Establish a weekly meeting.
Each week, plan to spend a half an hour meeting with your nanny, ideally when the children are not present. Use this meeting as an opportunity to offer positive feedback, to ask questions, to troubleshoot problems and to provide constructive criticism. Remember to always sandwich negative feedback between positive feedback. Doing so will make it easier for your nanny to process. After sometime you may wish to meet every other week or once per month.
4. Address issues as they arise.
Like with any relationship, when an issue comes up the longer you wait to deal with it, the more your feelings about it will fester. When this happens, you’ll be less likely to address the issue is a calm, constructive manner and more likely to make an off the cuff comment that won’t go over well. When something comes up that bothers you, let your nanny know. Use I feel statements and sandwich negative comments between positive ones to help the message be well received. “I really like how you spend so much time playing with Anna, but I feel the kitchen needs more attention after meal preparation. Can you please be sure to wipe down the counters before heading off on your afternoon adventure? I love that you take her to so many great places.”
5. Keep the lines of communication open.
Having a daily check –in call, using a nanny log book, and ending the day with a short debriefing can help to keep the lines of communication open. Encourage your nanny to ask questions, when she has them and be sure to communicate with your nanny in a direct and respectful manner.
6. Have professional boundaries.
At the end of the day, even in the best relationships between parents and nannies are those of an employer and an employee. It’s important to establish professional boundaries so that this line remains as clear as possible. Avoid talking to your nanny about financial and relationship issues and don’t pry too much into your nanny’s personal life. While of course it’s always thoughtful to ask if she had a good weekend, avoid asking for too many details about how she spent her off-duty time can easily blur the professional line.
Managing a household employee can certainly have its difficult moments. If you’re experiencing an issue and you need some advice, give our office a call. We’re proud to offer ongoing support to all of our clients and are dedicated to helping them grow healthy nanny and employer relationships.
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While Texas nanny employers are not legally required to obtain a worker’s compensation insurance policy, many voluntarily opt to do so – and for good reason.
Workers’ compensation is an insurance policy that is purchased by employers to extend benefits to their employees in the event that they suffer a job-related injury or illness. Employers pay an annual insurance premium and in exchange, their employees are eligible for assistance with medical bills and lost wages in the event of a work-related injury or illness.
While it may seem like employees are the only ones who benefit from a policy, having a workers’ compensation policy in place can benefit employers too. Employers who purchase workers’ compensation are protected from lawsuits stemming from work-related injuries and illnesses because employees who opt to receive benefits generally forfeit their option to sue their employer, regardless of who is at fault.
Breedlove & Associates has announced their exclusive partnership with PMC Insurance Group and the availability of HomeStaffPROTECT, the first worker’s compensation insurance product created specifically to meet the needs of families and nannies. The HomeStaffPROJECT is an affordable, standalone workers’ compensation solution that is available to Breedlove clients.
For more information about workers’ compensation and the HomeStaffPROJECT contact Breedlove & Associates directly at 888-273-3356. They’ll be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the set-up process.
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Morningside Nannies and the Houston Nanny Society are pleased to present the 2nd Annual Houston Nanny Training Day in conjunction with National Nanny Training Day, which is organized by Nanny Biz Reviews.
April 20, 2013 {9am – 3:30pm}
Downtown Aquarium
Featuring three in-depth educational workshops geared specifically towards nannies, networking opportunities and a complete lunch, all Houston area nannies are invited to take part in this one day training event.
Early Bird Registration
ends March 1, 2013
$28 includes lunch and parking!
Registration
starts March 1, 2013 through April 16, 2013
$32 includes lunch and parking!
Optional
Full-Aquarium Pass
$10 (ends April 16th)
Schedule
9:00am – 9:30am
Registration
9:40am – 11:40am
Positive, Effective Discipline
11:45am – 12:45pm
Lunch
12:45pm – 1:45pm
Being a Professional: What That Truly Means
1:50pm – 3:15pm
Child Led Play
3:15pm – 3:30pm
Wrap Up and Raffle Prizes
Sessions
Positive, Effective Discipline – Deborah Fry
There is so much information available today on the “right” way to discipline children that it can be confusing and overwhelming. Learn the roots and causes of children’s misbehavior, and how to diagnose the misbehavior and apply the proper remedy to redirect behavior.
Being a Professional: What That Truly Means – Michelle LaRowe
Many nannies call themselves “professional nannies,” but what does that truly mean? From understanding the unique role nannies play in the lives of the children in their care and the families that employ them, to ensuring that you’re following the rules when it comes to bringing home a paycheck, learn the 10 things you can do to become and be perceived as a professional.
Child Led Play – Dr. Ehrin Weiss
Join Dr. Ehrin Weiss and discover how child led play impacts a child’s social and emotional growth and development. Learn practical strategies for engaging children to help them develop a healthy self-concept and increase their expression of socially appropriate behaviors when they take the lead in play.
Speakers
About Deborah Fry
Since 1990, Deborah Fry, Ph.D. has been leading enthusiastic workshops and informative presentations on a variety of child development topics for parents and caregivers. Certified and trained by Kim West, The Sleep Lady, as a Gentle Sleep Coach and as a certified instructor of the International Network of Children and Families, Dr. Fry uses stories, group exercises and humor to assist people in improving the relationships in their lives.
Dr. Fry completed her graduate work at Southern Illinois University in child language acquisition. Her undergraduate work was in elementary education.
In addition to presenting workshops and seminars on a wide range of topics, including parenting, pediatric sleep coaching, family wellness and personal development, she also offers private consultations for both parents and educators and teaches the young 3’s at the Westminster Weekday School.
Dr. Fry has been interviewed on PBS’ Living Smart television broadcast and has been featured in various publications including the Houston Chronicle.
About Michelle LaRowe
Michelle LaRowe is the editor-in-chief of Longhorn Leads, the parent company of Morningside Nannies. Michelle manages the content across their portfolio of nanny sites, including eNannySource.com, NannyPro.com, GoNannies.com, and their sister sites that help parents find the right nannies and household help for their families.
With her background as an International Nanny Association Credentialed Nanny specializing in caring for multiples, Michelle has been partnering with parents in raising their children since 1994. In 2004, Michelle was honored as the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year and received accolades from President George Bush for her dedication to improving quality in-home child care.
Michelle has been featured on Parents.com, Parenting.com and BabyTalk.com and regularly contributes to ModernMom.com, Momtastic.com and other popular parenting websites. She has contributed to TWINS Magazine and wrote a chapter for the best-selling Experts’ Guide to the Baby Years.
Michelle has also authored four books of her own entitled, Nanny to the Rescue!, Nanny to the Rescue Again!, Working Mom’s 411 and A Mom’s Ultimate Book of Lists. She also co-authored Beyond Parenting Basics: The International Nanny Association’s Official Guide to In-Home Child Care.
Michelle serves on the advisory board of the International Academy of Baby Planner Professionals and has served on the board of directors and as vice president of the International Nanny Association. She has also served as the executive director of the International Nanny Association and as a trainer for The Academy of Coaching Parents International.
About Ehrin Weiss, Ph.D.
Ehrin Weiss, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and a registered provider with the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a child and family focus from the University of Houston, where most of her graduate work focused on working with victimized children and divorcing families. During graduate school, she provided therapy services to children who had experienced traumatic events, conducted court-ordered custody evaluations, and co-developed a manualized group intervention for parents and children from families of divorce. She completed her Internship at the University of Texas—Health Science Center, through which she had the opportunity to work in the Katy Independent School District with their school psychology department. Following graduation, she completed a two year APA accredited post-doctoral program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, where she received more intensive training in working with children and adolescents with a wide variety of presenting problems. Since returning to Houston, she has been involved in running stress-management and relaxation groups for cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Weiss enjoys working with children, adolescents and adults. She has experience with people of all ages and has done work with individual therapy, groups and assessments in a variety of settings, including schools, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and independent practice. She has taught undergraduate classes in Abnormal Psychology and the Psychology of Adolescence, and has presented to other professionals on various topics, including the diagnosis and treatment of disruptive behavior disorders. Her diverse experiences have helped her become uniquely trained in working with both children and adults with a wide array of presenting concerns. She is particularly interested in the treatment of anxiety and related disorders, stress, parenting issues, ADHD, and behavior problems. She enjoys helping children and their parents find ways to live more harmoniously and function more effectively in their environments.
Lunch
Lunch is included with the cost of registration.
Downtown Aquarium
410 Bagby Street
Houston, TX 77002
Google Maps
Parking
Self parking is included with the cost of registration.
Additional Information
This event is open to all nannies in the Houston area. Nannies do not have to be registered with Morningside Nannies or affiliated with the Houston Nanny Society to attend.
Registration tickets are non-refundable.
Discounted aquarium passes are available for purchase.
Schedule is subject to change.
Registration
https://houston-nanny-training-day.eventbrite.com/
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Welcome to the newly launched corporate website of Morningside Nannies, created with you in mind.
At MorningsideNannies.com we’ve aimed to create a website that will provide a user-friendly experience and a wealth of helpful information to parents seeking nannies, nannies seeking employment and others interested in the in-home childcare industry.
For parents seeking a childcare provider and nannies looking for employment, we believe you’ll find our new website and online applications easy to navigate. While we always encourage site visitors to call our office and speak to a placement specialist directly anytime during business hours, with our newly integrated site, we’re better able to carefully monitor electronic queries and provide faster responses to those who wish to reach a placement specialist by email or electronic form submission.
When it comes to learning about nanny and employer expectations, responsibilities and relationships, our on staff industry experts have written fresh web content, employer and nanny quizzes and blog posts designed to empower you to make educated and informed decisions that are in your best interest. And if you don’t see information on a topic you’re looking for, contact us. We’re here to answer your questions and to be inspired by you.
Whether you are considering relocating to the Houston area for a nanny position or are a young family already living here, we think you’ll find our detailed information on Houston area communities valuable. With statistics on public schools, information on houses of worship, area businesses and colleges and fun local activities to do with the kids, we’ve created a Houston area resource guide to help you learn more about the community we serve.
At Morningside Nannies we’ve been matching the best nannies with the best families in the Houston area for over 20 years. We can help you too. We invite you to browse our website, learn about our services and explore our resources. We hope you are as pleased with our new site as we are.
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As we enter the new year we are entering a new season at Morningside Nannies.
In the early 1980s, Pat Cascio, a mother of four young daughters, experienced the lack of professionalism and top-quality screening practices that existed in what was then known as “domestic agencies.” As a result, Nannies and Such, Houston’s first agency specializing in making nanny referrals was born, opening for business in 1983.
As you may know, Pat played an active role in the evolution of the nanny industry, serving for a decade on the International Nanny Association’s board of directors and eight terms as the association’s president. In 2008, under Pat’s leadership, Morningside Nannies was awarded the highest industry honor bestowed to placement agencies, the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies Agency of the Year award.
On December 3, 2012, I purchased Morningside Nannies from Pat with the commitment to continue the Morningside Nannies tradition of matching the best nannies with the best families in the Houston area.
With my background in owning and operating companies dedicated to helping people find the right services for their families coupled with passion for ensuring that children cared for by nannies receive the highest quality of care, myself and my dedicated team of industry experts are committed to helping parents and nannies find their right employment match.
Morningside Nannies has been helping Houston-area parents and nannies connect for nearly 20 years. We plan to continue that tradition for at least 20 more.
Sincerely,
Ken Myers
President
Morningside Nannies
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When it comes to determining how much you deserve to paid for your nanny services it can be tempting to base your wage expectations on what you feel your employer can afford to pay you or what you need to earn to cover your cost of living, however both of these methods of determining wage expectations are seriously flawed.
When it comes to wages, what a nanny needs to earn and what a nanny perceives the family can afford to pay her have no real bearing on a nanny’s true earning potential. While of course a nanny may need to earn a specific amount per month to cover her household expenses, her wage expectations have to be justified by more than that need.
So what can be used to justify wage expectations and ensure you’re being paid a competitive fee for your services?
Your Experience
Like in any career the more nanny experience you have the greater your earning potential. Nannies with five or more years of experience can earn significantly higher wages than those just starting out as nannies.
Your Education
A degree in early childhood education or specialized nanny training can also impact your earning potential. The more knowledge you have, the more you’re typically able to charge for your services. Knowledge plus experience is definitely a winning combination.
Your References
In the nanny industry, references are worth their weight in gold. A well-referenced nanny can command wages that her references support. Just as a glowing reference can increase earning potential, a negative one or lack of references can decrease earning potential.
Your Location
Where you live can also significantly impact your wages. Nannies in major metropolitan areas with large nanny markets tend to earn more than those who aren’t. Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta have strong nanny markets where high paying jobs can be found.
Each year the International Nanny Association publishes the results of its annual nanny salary and benefits survey at www.nanny.org. Morningside Nannies encourages Houston area nannies to take this annual survey so we can accurately gauge nanny salary and benefits trends in the Houston nanny market.
If you are in the market for a new nanny position give one of our placement specialists a call at (713) 526-3989 to discuss your qualifications and to begin your nanny job search.
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