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All NEW All Things Nanny!

Coming Soon! Information on Social Media Services and Consutling from All Things Nanny.


Kellie is currently presenting at the International Nanny Association 30th Annual Conference in Cancun, Mexico.  Information on the services provided will be available June 1, 2015 including pricing and packages available.

National Nanny Training Day 2015

Find an event in your area! 

Growing and Expanding

All Things Nanny has been a bit quiet this past year, but that's about to change.   I've been focusing on our new site NannyTrainings.com, and creating some new content and ideas that will kick off later this year and into 2015.

Stick around though.  You don't want to miss what's coming!

You can always find me at Regarding Nannies, NannyTrainings.com, and Nanny Island.

2013 INA Nanny of the Year

Joanne feels honored to have given her working life to helping families raise children for the last 22 years.  She has cared for a family struggling to overcome the loss of their mom, children whose parents were in the middle of a divorce, and helped a busy single mom adopt, care for, and connect with her children.  Joanne moved here from England when she was just 20 years old through an Au Pair program and has become a true professional American nanny. 

Read Joanne's Acceptance Speech

Meet Nikki Gribble ... 2012 INA Nanny of the Year

Today, we get to hear from Nikki, fresh out of conference. Let’s get to know Nikki a little bit more and see how this new role as 2012 INA Nanny of the Year is affecting her life!

1. What did you think when you 1st found out you were going to be NOTY?

When I first found out I was going to be NOTY, I was very excited!!! I found out by walking into work one morning and the twins had onesies my mom-boss had made. One said Congrats Nikki!! and the other said you won!! Then both had Nanny of the Year on the back. My employers are wonderful and I thought it was such a cute way to tell me. It was then very hard not to tell people outside my family and a couple friends, as every year NOTY’s are sworn to keep it quite until it is announced at conference.

Read more about Nikki and her message to nannies considering becoming Nanny of the Year. 

Changes ....

Changes are a coming.  Life is full of Change.

Changes in the past couple years have been the loss of my dad and grandmother.  Death is a big change in the family dynamics, relationships and how I think about life and how I plan my life now.

Work changes.  I took off my nanny hat of 20+ years and have successfully transitioned to Household Manager / Personal Assistant.  This is a role I have played over 23 years with all the families I have worked for, but the official transition to stop "nannying" and be full-charge HM/PA was a daunting one.  One I found to be much more difficult than I ever imagined.

So having taken off that nanny hat, I find myself trying to balance it all - nanny relationships/friendships and nanny industry responsibilities.   I often feel disconnected with other nannies now that I am not in the trenches - or playgroups / playgrounds as many of them are.  My charges are 16 and 18 - the oldest graduating later this month and headed off to college.  My role stays the same. Maintain the household and provide the services of HM/PA.

With the changing of the guard - taking off my nanny hat, I've decided to step down from my long-standing position as president of the local nanny group here in DC.  That's not the only reason, but a big one.  It's also time for new blood to come and lead the association.

But I'm not going far.  Never one to sit and relax, unless I'm reading a really good book - I'm heading over to the local chapter of the Domestic Estate Managers Association.  This group came along at the perfect time while I was in transition and I feel a real connection to it and its members.  

I hate change.  It takes me forever to decide on new glasses or a new haircut.  I like things calm and routine.  Every now and then life throws in a few shakes.  I've had some health issues this past year - appendicitis, and 11 days of kidney stone HELL.  I also discovered I have low thyroid.  Nine months of medication adjustments have finally got my levels to where they need to be and the biggest change is a work in progress.  I'm losing weight for the first time in years.  YEARS!!!!   Down 28 pounds and still going strong.   I attribute this to the thyroid meds, eating better, wanting to take care of myself and my own personal trainer - a puppy named Riley!  Our daily walks - from 1-3 hours have made a big difference.  And the change is noticeable.  I look better. I feel better.

So as the changes continue, life continues.  I'm sure there will be more shakes in my life, but I'm ready and able to face them head on.  

Favorite Friday ... Education!

You can never have too much education and training - in any field.

Read my article on Regarding Nannies about all the terrific and sometimes FREE educational opportunities available in our industry!

What are your favorite ways to enhance your education and training as a nanny?

Favorite Friday ... Nannypalooza!

I'm packing my bags and headed to Nannypalooza 2011 this weekend.

So why is Nannypalooza a favorite of mine?

It's an opportunity to see friends from across the country that I usually only get to catch with on Facebook.

It's also an opportunity to make new friends. Many of the friendships I have, started by meeting at conference - in fact, my best friend and I met almost 20 years ago at our first INA Conference in 1994.

It's a chance to be educated by some of our industries top leaders and doers. I'm in awe of what nannies are able to accomplish, and that they share that with others.

I've been in this career for 22 years, and I still find something new to learn each conference I attend.

It is the most fun I have at a conference. Where else can you go to a pajama/cupcake party at a professional event?

Whether you attend Nannypalooza, INA, a local or online event - gathering together with your peers is priceless and if you haven't attended a conference ever, you should add that to your bucket list of things to do!

Favorite Friday ... Nanny Pendant

This is my favorite jewelry maker Lew's Jewelry. Sarah makes the most amazing custom design work for all occasions. (I've had 5 custom pieces made by her).

Her latest is just for NANNIES!

You can have your own Nanny Pendant for $25, with $5 of each purchase going towards Shoes That Fit charity.

This is a wonderful tribute to nannies.

Meet Marcia Hall, 2011 INA Nanny of the Year

This article was written by Janinne Gardner as a feature to the ADCAN~Association of DC Area Nannies newsletter.

On May 13^th the International Nanny Association announced that the 2011 Nanny Of The Year was Marcia Hall. Marcia has been a nanny for almost 15 years since she graduated from the English, Nanny & Governess School in 1997 when she was 19 years old.

Read Marcia's acceptance speech.

She says, “I love being a professional nanny because I enjoy the challenge of teaching, nurturing and encouraging children while balancing managing their lives.”

As for why she decided to run for NOTY she says, “I decided to accept the nomination for Nanny of the Year in 2009 because I felt it was one more way to further my career as a nanny. Simply being nominated is a challenge and I like challenges. I accepted the nomination in 2010 and 2011 because I had many people - both nannies, employers past and present as well as other industry professionals telling me that I should go for it again. I was "suckered" into it ;) But honestly it is the greatest honor I think I could ever have as a nanny. I hope to represent the INA and professional nannies everywhere with greatness.”

In addition to the International Nanny Association she is a member of the Northshore Professional Nanny Alliance support group in Milwaukee. They participated in Nannypalooza- Nannies across America in 2010. She is also very involved in her church, Church in the City in Milwaukee, WI. In her church she has volunteered for many child related ministries over the 13 years she has been a member. She also works with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and used to be a part and work for a group on college campuses called Chi Alpha.

She currently works for a family with two children near her home of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a four year old girl and an eight year old boy. She comments, “The four year old loves to talk and is completely ready to start Kindergarten in the fall. The eight year old loves to play outside and spend time with his friends.” In addition to caring for these two wonderful children, she also cares for her own beautiful, energetic and intelligent two year old daughter, Nadia, who goes to work with her every day. She found this position through a local nanny placement agency, Perfect Match Nannies. She has been married for almost five years, they adopted their daughter when she was a day old and currently live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with their two cats, Sassy Pants & Chowder Head and their dog Allie.

She was born in Wisconsin not far from where she lives now. Her parents have since retired and now live in the northern woods of Wisconsin. “We have lots of fun visiting Grammy and Grandpa B.” Her older brother, Gene, lives in Milwaukee and gets to visit and baby sit Nadia very often.

She likes to organize her house and then re-organize it, she explains, “My husband Scott laughs that just when he figures out where everything in the kitchen, I re-organize it.” She also enjoys scrapbooking, but complains she is very behind.

As a child she loved the Anne of Green Gables series and says, “I read and re-read ALL 8 of them. (Not many people know there are 8 in the series.) Lucy M Montgomery also had another series I liked Emily of New Moon. I used to think I was born in the wrong era. These days I read mostly non-fiction – if I ever get to read. A few great ones are Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and a new one is Love Wins by Rob Bell. I do love listening to the Chronicles of Narnia series on audio. My husband thinks I should know them by heart now.”

She enjoys traveling and has been to some pretty cool places: Alaska, Hawaii, Dominican Republic, England and all over the US. To this she adds, “I would have to say hands down the best vacation I have ever taken was to Costa Rica in 2006. The family I had worked with for eight years just moved there and they invited me to come out and visit them. I spent three weeks there. The first was spent with the family on the west coast of the country, which was breathtaking. I spent a lot of time on the beach that week. The second week I spent on my own in the center of the country visiting volcanoes, raging rivers, natural fed hot springs and zip-lining through the rainforest. The last week of my vacation I spent on the east of the country with my cousin and her little 1 year old boy. They moved to the Caribbean side of the country a few years earlier. It was amazing to see how in just a few short miles the customs, culture and climate could change so dramatically. My husband and I have often talked about going back.”

When asked what makes her angry she replied, “What a loaded question. Unfortunately, way too many things make me angry. The list is long. But the thing that induces anger the most in me is ingratitude. That takes many forms. It is the thing I have the least amount of patience with when it comes to dealing with children but it also greatly angers me when I see it in the world. I see ingratitude when it comes to how we humans see our place in this world and in nature. In how the most fortunate see those that are less fortunate and vice versa. I wish that every person could look at what they have in life every day and realize exactly how much there is to be grateful for. I have this problem just as much as the next person. I have a great ability to not see what I really have and instead want what is just out of my reach. I believe if every person, young and old, could wake every day, look around and see all the amazing things they do have and be thankful for them – the world would be a different place.”