A Message From Kim
Welcome to our winter newsletter! We're getting into the thick of the holiday season and it appears, as usual, that the real craziness is set to begin. It's never supposed to be this way. You vow at the beginning of each new year that you're going to do things differently-you'll finish your Christmas shopping by June, have holiday cards stamped and sealed in their envelopes by August, make this year's Thanksgiving dinner a 30-minute meal. You may have done everything right coming into the season. So why are you still feeling its stress?

I know first hand that no matter how proactive one tries to be about the holidays, it's very hard to make sure everything is taken care of in advance. Still, our client employers expect us to be as proactive as possible, especially when they find themselves dealing with all of the season's demands. What to do, then? Well, it helps to make a task list of all the things that need to be done for the holidays (or any time of year, really) and to plan for them well in advance. Making timelines and keeping a close eye on holiday calenders can also help take some of the stress off our client employers by ensuring that we know exactly what to do to support them through this all-too-stressful time of the year.

No matter the pressures you feel in your home or the home of your employers, though, we are here to offer you support and helpful suggestions during the holiday season. In addition, be sure to join us as we celebrate the season on December 18th at our annual holiday party!

And, as always, never hesitate to let us know how we can support you.

Happy Holidays!
Kim Winblood, Owner

Buddy Bonus
All of you are by far our best referral sources for the highest quality nannies! From now until the end of 2007, when you get a friend to register with Mom's Best Friend, both of you will receive a bonus! Please let us know when you refer someone so that we can be sure to compensate you both.

Annual Nanny Holiday Party
Join us on December 18th from 6p-9p for our Annual Nanny Holiday Party! Kim Winblood, Owner of Mom's Best Friend, will be hosting the party at her home at 2101 Teton in Carrollton.

December 18: Nanny Holiday Party 6p-9p at Kim Winblood's Home

December 21-January 5: School holidays -- plan some fun activities!

December 31: New Year's Eve -- let us know if you're available for sitting jobs

A: This time of year is always a busy time for families and nannies alike. A great way to keep from becoming overwhelmed is to have a good line of communication with your employers. Now is the time to talk about expectations for the next couple of months!

If you plan on traveling for the holidays and using your well earned vacation days, make sure your employer knows this and has the dates that you will be gone written down somewhere. Also, be sure to mention to your employers that they can call Mom's Best Friend's temporary sitter service to line up a sitter to cover for you while you are gone.

Schools aren’t open throughout the holidays so you might have children to watch that are normally in school. Talk to your employer about how best to work the older kids into the/her schedule. Don’t let the thought of more children scare you. This is a good time to reconnect with older kids who have been busy with school most of the fall, and having an extra set of hands around can come in handy when you’re trying to keep toddlers away from seasonal things like Christmas ornaments!

Most nannies I know have more work available to them this time of year than they actually have time for. Be sure to remind your clients to book babysitting early! Having babysitting dates set early for things like Office holiday parties or the Nutcracker will ensure that your employers won’t be left without a sitter because you are booked somewhere else.

Finally, flexibility is the most important thing that will help you get through the holidays in one piece. Families have a lot going on the next couple of months and sometimes things don’t go as planned. It always seems like this time of year traffic is worst, there are more errands to be run, something is always forgotten or needing to be taken down from storage, and of course, children are a little wilder. This is a great time to show your boss what a wonderful asset you are to the family by helping out where needed even if the task is not part of your usual duties and being patient with everyone. Your family will appreciate you and surely be thankful for all you do.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Cecelia Zapalac, Nanny Professional Development Instructor

Q

A: As an employee of the families you work for, you are required by law to provide each family with a social security number.  You can either provide it to the families directly or provide it to MBF and let them disseminate it to the appropriate families upon their request. Here's how it works.

Press Release: Mom's Best Friend Adopts BabbleSoft Software
October 15, 2007

2007 Nanny of the Year: Betsy Reynolds

2007 Temp Nanny of the Year: Jennifer Meister
Jennifer is a bright and mature nanny who has great childcare and personal assistant experience. She is looking forward to graduating from the University of Texas next year with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Child Development. Jennifer is excited to use the things she has learned so far to aid in the growth and development of children under her care. Her references say that she is, "engaging...creative and interactive...she doesn't just sit there and watch them play." Jennifer is an incredible asset to any family!

2007 Most Professional Nanny: Megan Phaup
Megan is a bright nanny with years of experience as a childcare provider and she also comes from a very large family, where she has 6 siblings and is the eldest child. Megan is extremely nurturing, attentive and excellent at quieting down upset children. Megan is self-controlled and her demeanor is calm, soothing and patient. She is also creative and is able to plan age-appropriate activities. Megan volunteered with the Amherst Life Saving Crew for 2 years before she moved to Texas to attend college.

2007 Most Dependable Nanny: Andrea Vothang
Andrea feels that her passion is children. She has been a nanny and teacher for five years and enjoys the one on one interaction that a nanny has with her charges. Andrea is a mom herself to Jordyn (5) and Jackson (4), and feels that raising a child in a loving environment is extremely important. Andrea eventually hopes to write children's books as a career.

2007 Most Energetic Nanny: Christa Mangeris
Christa is a friendly and energetic nanny who has both babysitting and nanny experience with a broad range of age groups. Her references say that Christa is "...just wonderful. She planned activities...she was positive and affirming." Christa is an incredible asset to any family!

2007 Most Trustworthy Nanny: Rebekah Sneed
Rebekah is an incredibly sweet nanny with years of childcare experience. As one of the oldest of nine children, Rebekah naturally became a young babysitter! Besides nanny work, Rebekah has teaching experience in private and Montessori schools, as well as childcare experience in various churches. Rebekah is cheerful, reliable, and absolutely loves working with children. She is committed to the safety, development, and healthy nurturing of the children under her care.

2007 "Save the Day" Nanny: Ruth Sapp
Ruth home schooled her 3 kids and has served as a nanny/nanny manager. She really gets on the child's level. She is energetic, fun, loving, and has a great sense of humor. She is also imaginative and has experience with special needs children. In addition to experience with special needs childrens, Ruth is also experienced in taking care of infants and new borns. She has received her Night Nanny Certification from Lisa Stipe, our nationally recognized Newborn Specialist. Ruth is loved by both the clients she works with and the charges in her care.

• A plain white paper plate
• Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones)
• Crayons or markers
• Scissors
• Glue or a glue stick

Instructions:

1. Cut a half circle out of the center of a plain paper plate. This will hold the leaves.
2. Cut out a lot of leaves from construction paper. Draw the leaf veins if you wish.
3. Glue the leaves all around the rim of the paper plate.
4. In the lower center of the wreath, write, "I am thankful for," and then let the child write or draw what they are thankful for.
5. Put the child's name on the wreath (or let them sign it).

We are always in need of temporary nannies (sitters) with all day availability to meet the needs of our wonderful families. Additionally, here are a couple of positions that we'd like to highlight:

• Nanny/Nanny Manager (450) to begin as soon as possible in Dallas. The position is caring for 4 and 5 year old boys. The schedule is Monday through Friday from 12p-5p and the salary range is $13-$15/hr.
• Housekeeper (5772) to begin 1/1/08 in Cross Roads (near Denton). The schedule is Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30a - 6:30p and the salary range is $12-$15/hr.
• Nanny/Nanny Manager (659) to begin as soon as possible in Southlake. The position is caring for 7, 9 and 11 year old boys. The schedule is Monday through Friday from 2:30p-6:30p and the salary is $13/hr.

Please check our full job board for the complete listing of positions and don't forget our buddy bonus for all of your amazing referrals!