MEET NANNY: OLIVIA R.
Part-time - San Francisco
“After graduating magna cum laude from UCLA with a degree in English and Comparative Literature, I spent some time interning as a youth leader/coordinator in San Jose, then worked for over a year as an English teacher for middle and high-school students at a private school in Palo Alto.”
ABOUT ME
Neighborhood/Area: Inner Richmond, SF
Experience: 5+ years
Compensation: $40 - $45+ / hr
Preferred Schedule: 40-45 hrs/week, flexible with timing, but would love a M-Th (4-day) schedule OR the ability to have Friday mornings until 2pm off. Again, this is flexible, and not deal-breaker!
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Hey there! My name is Olivia, and I'm a professional nanny living in San Francisco, CA. After graduating magna cum laude from UCLA with a degree in English and Comparative Literature, I spent some time interning as a youth leader/coordinator in San Jose, then worked for over a year as an English teacher for middle and high-school students at a private school in Palo Alto. When I chose to enroll in SJSU’s MFA program in Creative Writing, I decided that I wanted to pivot careers, and jumped back into nannying after a few years away! I can easily say it was one of the best and most significant life changes I made.
My return to working as a nanny came rather seamlessly, and that is all thanks to my years of nannying and childcare experience—including years of volunteer work with children and teens. I’ve nannied all ages across the board, from newborns up through kids in their early teenage years! Most recently, I’ve worked almost two years for a high-profile family in Presidio Heights watching their three boys, who are now ages 6, 4, and 1.
Though my career is one of the most important things in my life, I also have a lot of fun off the job! Music is a huge passion of mine; I love to sing, play guitar, and frequently go to live music shows. (And, of course, I love encouraging musical exploration with the kids I work with!) I also love to run, rock-climb and practice yoga at the local climbing gym, and explore the city with friends. I love cooking—and am open to a family who would like to benefit from this hobby of mine—and attend improv classes from time to time. Finally, one of the biggest ways I spend my free time is reading and writing—both for enjoyment and in fulfillment of my minimal graduate coursework.
I genuinely appreciate any time you take to consider me as your next nanny, and I look forward to meeting you!
MY BELIEFS AS A GENUINE NANNY
I believe... that children are innately kind, generous, sensitive, and authentic.
I believe... that every caregiver's job is always to respect and assume the best in the children under her care.
I believe... that a gentle, respectful caregiving approach makes life calmer and easier for everyone--children and caregivers included!
WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A NANNY?
I absolutely love being a nanny. While I’ve always had a nannying approach that was fully respectful of children’s agency, authenticity, and emotions, deepening my understanding of and practicing the RIE method has exponentially improved my experience as a nanny. Not only does this approach have countless developmental and relational benefits for children—it actually makes work as a nanny remarkably calm and rejuvenating. In that regard, witnessing developmental milestones, behavioral improvements, or strengthened relationships (whether between a child and me or two siblings) that are direct results of my caregiving approach is one of the main things that keeps me excited about the work I do.
PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY, STRENGTHS,
WORK ETHIC, AND VALUES:
I have a firm trust in every child’s innate ability to be compassionate, generous, kind, and loving. As a caregiver, I believe that my primary role is to both model these qualities and provide the nurturing and boundaries children need to help them thrive and fully embody their authentic selves. As a nanny, I am gracious, easy-going, playful, energetic, and gentle-yet-firm. I look forward to working with a family who values a respectful caregiving approach and is willing to communicate openly about the best strategies to use in supporting their specific child(ren)! Generally, I adhere to a RIE approach in my caregiving—in fact, I will be completing the RIE Nurturing Nanny course this June!
As an employee, I am dependable and communicative. I respond easily and quickly to feedback and always prioritize direct communication. I value an employee/employer relationship that is mutually respectful and beneficial. As your nanny, your child(ren)’s safety, well-being, and development will always be my utmost priority.
WHAT IS YOUR COMMUNICATION STYLE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR EMPLOYERS? ANY EXAMPLES TO SHARE?
I am a huge advocate of direct communication—always! I like to keep it brief and cordial and hope that my employer(s) can trust that I value direct, respectful feedback and won’t take it personally. (Trust me—as a writer, and I am more than comfortable with taking and implementing critical feedback!) I’m happy to accommodate whatever my employer’s preferred communication method is (text/email/in-person/etc.), though if it’s a situation where something needs to be addressed and there aren’t ample spaces in the day to have an in-person dialogue, I like to send out a brief text or email.
I believe it’s essential for any healthy employer/employee relationship to have periodic scheduled check-ins where both parties have the space to offer feedback, voice concerns, or celebrate wins together. I look forward to working with an employer who is willing to have monthly or bi-monthly check-ins to help ensure communication always remains consistent and open.
