Nanny Employer Blog

Wherever we go in today’s society, we are constantly bombarded by media.  TVs are in almost every room of your house; most of us have an iPhone or Blackberry which allows us to always be connected, and the radio is usually on while we are sitting in rush hour traffic.  Unfortunately, most of the news we hear is often negative.  This certainly holds true to nanny-related events.   However, nannies around the world have been caught in some pretty heroic acts lately.  These nannies have been inadvertently been placed in tragic situations, risked their lives, and never thought twice about risking their own lives for their charges. 

A few weeks ago, a house right outside Louisville caught on fire in the early morning hours.  The family’s live-in nanny was home alone with their five-year-old child. She woke up to find the house engulfed in flames and knew she had to get the little boy out quickly.  Alyson walked barefoot through the fire and pulled the boy to safety.  Fire fighters believe that, within minutes, his room would have been engulfed in flames.  When Alyson was interviewed in the hospital, covered with severe burns, she said she never thought twice about walking through flames to rescue this little boy.  She is now recovering, and the little boy is very vocal about how much he misses her!

Many miles away, nannies are continuing to put their charges well-being before their own.  In Israel, a shooting broke out in a temple.  Over 180 people were killed, including the parents of a two-year-old little boy.   His brave nanny stepped in front of the gunman, was shot herself, and survived.  Due to her actions, the little boy made it out unharmed.  No matter how far from home, this act deserves recognition.

Sadly, we are faced with stress and worries each day. Hopefully knowing that your children are in the hands of a great nanny will allow you the peace of mind to sleep a little better each night.

Over the last 15 years, it has been my privilege to see some amazing nannies come through our doors seeking placement. Every fall, we hold an event, in conjunction with the Association of Professional Nannies‘ National Nanny Recognition Week, to celebrate such inspiring talent and commitment to the nanny vocation. Despite the inclement weather, we celebrated our local Austin talent with music, crafts, food, festivities and fun! Five caregivers who were nominated by their employers were recognized and two were presented awards for part-time and full-time Austin Nanny of the Year, respectively.

These two outstanding nannies received a basket which included a membership to the International Nanny Association and a massage courtesy of Breedlove and Associates. The profiles of our two winners, and many others, provide a small glimpse into the type of top tier caregivers that Mom’s Best Friend continues to attract, from word of mouth referrals and returning caregivers seeking placement, after so many years in business and its solid reputation for quality.

Patricia Kinnie, nominated by the Keen Family, won our award for outstanding full-time Austin Nanny of the Year. Patricia is a very experienced nanny and worked for over 6 years with a family while she initially cared for their premature newborn. Families have noted that she is “very invested in seeing the baby achieve developmental milestones.” Patricia is very easy-going and is very nurturing towards the baby, and the entire family as a whole.

Mandie Hull, nominated by the Cook Family, won our award for outstanding part-time Austin Nanny of the Year. Mandie is a graduate from UT and studied History/ Women and Gender. She recently spent a year and a half in Australia, teaching children education and self-empowerment. She is very good at interacting with children and getting on their level and has been described as fun, outgoing, positive, and educational.

Congratulations to all of our winners and nominees!