A Spoonful of Sugar by Brenda Ashford

Weekly Trip to the Library I urge all nannies read A Spoonful of Sugar: A Nanny’s Story. It’s been a long time since I’ve been lost in a book but I literally fell in love with A Spoonful of Sugar: A Nanny’s Story by Brenda Ashford and I couldn’t put it down. It is a delightful true story […]

Aesop’s Fables

Weekly Trip to the Library Aesop’s Fables are stories that teach morals through the use of animals and nature. These stories have been passed down from one generation to the next over the course of thousands of years. The animals in fables are representative of the most powerful human emotions – both positive and negative – […]

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Weekly Trip to the Library Jamberry by Bruce Degen Since it’s berry season there’s no better time to take a trip to the farmer’s market and pick out the kids’ favorite berries. Then, stop by the library and borrow a copy of Jamberry by Bruce Degen. Serve the kids a snack of berries and whipped cream while […]

How Kids Bully Their Nannies and Parents

“Permission to Parent: How to Raise Your Child with Love and Limits” I just read a great article that explained that it used to be that kids were scared of their parents. Now parents seem scared of their kids. That’s how I sometimes feel when it comes to disciplining the kids left in my care […]

Novels Both Boys and Girls Love

photo from dreamstime.com Weekly Trip to the Library I make a very conscious effort to allow the kids in my care to play with any toy they want to and to avoid creating strict gender roles. I want the girls to be independent and strong and encourage them to play sports. I want to encourage […]

Read Mo Willems Books!

Weekly Trip to the Library Mo Willems is a genius author for preschool and elementary school-aged children. The number one New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator is best known for his Caldecott Honor winning picture books Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. In addition to such picture […]

It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Weekly Trip to the Library Working as nannies and au pairs the readers of this blog already know they play an important role in helping raise happy, healthy, secure, and thriving children. This week I recommend caregivers read It Takes a Village because it further validates the importance that people outside the family unit play in […]

A Blizzard of Snow Lesson Plans for Nannies and Au Pairs

Teaching Kids About Animal Tracks One of the greatest joys for kids is when they first walk outside after it snows and they leave footprints in the snow. Kids love comparing the different size and shapes of the footprints of their family members. So this week we recommend borrowing The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack […]

10 Benefits of Reading Aloud to Babies

Without the Motivation to Read, Children Don’t Read It is vital that nannies and au pairs read to children of every age to help kids develop the love of reading. In the book, Baby Read-Aloud Basics,Caroline J. Blackmore and Barbara Weston Ramirez they explain that without the motivation to read, children don’t read. In Baby […]

The Five S’s

Review of The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp Author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block books, and DVDs, Dr. Harvey Karp is endorsed by the Surgeon General as well as La Leche League, Lamaze, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Dr. Karp […]