Mondrian Sidewalk Chalk Art

Creative Wednesdays Known for his Modernism abstract paintings, Piet Mondrian used the simplest combination of straight lines and right angles, creating geometric shapes of bold primary colors. After showing the kids paintings by Mondrian and reading “Coppernickel Goes Mondrian” go outside to make similar art using sidewalk chalk. Of course on a rainy day you […]

Germs vs. Soap by Didi Dragon

Weekly Trip to the Library Despite telling children to wash their hands over and over again since the pandemic started I’m still having trouble getting one of the kids I babysit to wash his hands every time he enters the home. I have to hover over him because he often turns on the water and […]

The Perfect Shelter by Clare Helen Walsh

Weekly Trip to the Library If you and your Nanny Kids are like most during the coronavirus pandemic you inevitably know someone who has been terribly sick due to Covid-19. The Perfect Shelter, by Clare Helen Welsh and illustrated by Asa Gilland, is a moving picture book which is profoundly relevant at this time. This […]

A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary

Weekly Trip to the Library June is Pride month in the United States so its the perfect time to start teaching kids about different family structures. I love reading A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O’Leary with children to start the conversation about different types of family units. A Family Is […]

Does Punishing a Child that Lies Make them Lie More?

Nanny Confessions I confess, it drives me nuts when my Nanny Kid’s lie (or an adult does for that matter). It’s easier to fix a problem if people of all ages are just honest. I think it’s pretty normal for many kids to exaggerate or stretch the truth for attention or to help them feel […]

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry

Weekly Trip to the Library You undoubtedly saw the Oscars last Sunday and that Matthew A. Cherry took home an Oscar when Hair Love won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film! I highly recommend buying or borrowing the children’s book from the library and watching the short film. Chicago native Matthew A. Cherry […]

Building a Work Ethic: The Role of Chores

How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims I am reading How To Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims. The book makes a great point that I have often thought about working as a nanny for affluent children. Compared to their less-advantaged peers, children in middle-and upper-middle-class families often have the tasks of daily life […]

A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson

Weekly Trip to the Library for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day This is a great book to read to children in honor of MLK Day and civil rights day. In A Sweet Smell of Roses there’s a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls, Minnie and her sister, sneak out of […]

“Kugel for Hanukkah?” By Gretchen M. Everin

Weekly Trip to the Library I love giving my Nanny Kids children’s books as gifts for the holidays. This makes a great book to give to children for Hanukkah but also fun to read to children of any faith. After reading this bright and cheerful book with your Nanny Kids make this noodle kugel recipe […]

“Being Both” by Susan Katz Miller

Interfaith Book for Holidays I strongly believe that there is no harm in children learning about all religions. In the process, children will learn to love their own religion, customs, and traditions even more. And in my personal experience, children raised in Interfaith families learn to appreciate both faiths by practicing both in their home. […]