A is a fantastic nanny and we have been extremely lucky to have her as part of our family this year. She is caring, very well organised and has been able to develop a very strong relationship with our twin daughters who adore her, and have truly thrived under her care.

As a working mum I was very worried about going back to work after my maternity leave, but A immediately made things simple and I realised very quickly the girls could not be in better hands than hers. She immediately got them into a healthy and fun routine, finding many activities for them to do, all adapted for their age range. She created a loving environment at home, where the girls felt safe and at ease, constantly finding new ways to foster and encourage their development. Looking back now, I am really impressed how much the girls have progressed thanks to her: throughout the year she’s constantly promoted their self-confidence, praising each of their achievements, and encouraging them to learn and try new things, which has strongly contributed in building their independence.

A has been instrumental in the girls’ physical and mental development this year, by planning and providing play activities to promote the twins’ learning. On the former, she ensured the girls had daily activities involving muscle toning and gymnastics (e.g. baby yoga, ballet, soft play), which helped to improve their motor skills and notably their standing, walking and running. On the latter, as the girls started to bubble some words, she used a combination of books, flash cards as well as printed animals, shapes and other objects to foster their speech and significantly improve their communication skills. Each week was organised around a learning subject (e.g. the farm animals or the sea), using imaginative play to catch their interest and teach them new things. A couple that stand out in particular are the sea scene her and the girls created over the course of a week and a cardboard box she turned in to a car which the girls love. She has also diligently recorded their development in their learning journals, tracking their progress which we love looking at and our family members also adore looking through when they come to visit.

an illustrated etching of a Norland hat

Besides their learning, A has also been extremely conscious about their eating, cooking nutritious meals for them and adapting the meal plans to their needs. Being a great cook herself, she’s made sure each week the girls had a different menu and tried new tastes and textures. Food and meal-times were also used by A to promote a positive attitude towards eating, as well as working on their manners. She’s worked in making sure that the girls learned to appreciate all types of foods, being very patient and finding ways into moulding their taste without forcing them into eating anything.

Throughout the year A has also displayed a very high level of professionalism, and this despite her young age. She is very mature and works effectively in partnership with us, ensuring our wishes, and vision of education, are followed. Furthermore, during the times of fear and uncertainty of Covid-19, she proved to be remarkable, displaying a high degree of adaptability, always being open for dialogue, and supporting our family even though this meant to self-isolate with us, away from her own family. Being pregnant myself and shielding at that time, I will be forever grateful to her for embracing the drastic hygiene measures I had to put in place in my household, and chose to continue working with us, while she could’ve been furloughed.

On top of all of the above, A is a very well-organised person and a true problem solver, always coming up with new ideas to promote the girls’ wellbeing. Before lockdown she ensured she had already ordered all the things the girls may need for their crafts and activities. Looking after two one-year-olds was not an easy task but A made it look simple, and things were always smooth with her. I never came back to a messy home. When coming back from work the girls were always impeccable and the house was clean and tidy. Having looked after the twins myself for a year, I was impressed by how she managed to stick to all the activities she had planned for them, as well as how she managed to keep track of their schedule.

As if looking after the twins wasn’t enough, my husband and I had a third baby two months ago, and A has also actively helped us in looking after her. She’s helped us in getting her started with a routine, effectively acting as a maternity nurse, and two months down the road our baby eats well (no reflux), sleeps well (she’s already sleeping through the night) and is meeting all her growth and developmental targets. With this regard it’s also important to mention that I gave birth during Covid-19, away from my family, and A offered to be on call for a month, to look after the twins should we have to leave hastily to the hospital. She also prepared the girls for the arrival of their little sister, reading them books and playing with dolls, which meant that we barely had to suffer from any jealousy episode from them.

A is the best nanny one could dream of. We have had the best experience with her! We did not hesitate when going abroad for a wedding and leaving her with our children for a full weekend. We would recommend her to anyone but are obviously thrilled she is staying with us! She has become a vital part of our lives!

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