Meet Emily!
Emily is a Town + Country Nanny with a passion for working with children and expanding her knowledge of child development. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Individual & Family Development from Seattle Pacific University and enjoys applying her knowledge to those with whom she works. She is a pitch-in, forward-thinker with an enthusiasm for childcare. She hopes to become fluent in French over the next couple of years. In her spare time, Emily likes to walk, read, make jewelry and cook.
One of Emily’s greatest strengths is the ability to dive right in to any situation and thrive. One of her previous employers said that what she most appreciated about Emily was that she is “genuine and super dependable. My mom joked that when Emily moved that they should come and take Emily’s place, but no one can take her place. She has a great balance of strength and vulnerability, good boundaries and a strong sense of self. She was a wonderful role-model for our girls.”
Get to know Emily:
What’s your favorite thing about being a Nanny?
Some of my most gratifying moments being a Nanny have come after my actual time with the children. I get to hear about it from their parents. It’s in times when the kids will start to sing songs that I sang with them, and their parents will ask where they learned that song … and the response is, “Emily taught it to me…;” or when they rhyme or dance or repeat little rituals we would do together. That tells me that I had a lasting impression on them, that my moments with them mattered. Those are the reflections of the love that I gave them and that continues to be experienced.
Describe the perfect day with your charge.
One of my perfect days was getting to take 2.5 year old Fiona to the aquarium for a mermaid show. I had researched it and planned the day out. Watching the show and getting to see her face with uncontained joy and eyes of wonder was magical. She was exhausted when we came home to have lunch. She fell asleep very quickly when we read stories together in the glider chair. I remember the weight of her head on my chest and noticing when her breathing changed to a heavy, slow-sleep, breath. I think that is one of the best feelings … the weight of a cherished one on your chest.
Who’s your hero?
I have had many heroes in my life … but the one that will be my forever hero is my husband. I admire his intellect, his humility, his ability to speak truth to me and love others. He brings me so much peace and makes me understand myself better. I love journeying with him … I’m his fan!
What’s your favorite family memory?
My dad just fulfilled one of my lifelong dreams: Teaching me to surf on the perfect beginner wave at Waikiki Beach on O’ahu. I grew up listening to his stories of surfing and how one day he would teach me … and we just got to experience that together last month. We paddled out and were racing the setting sun … a memory that will forever stay with me.
If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one quality or ability, what would it be?
The first thing that came to mind was the ability to speak perfect French. My husband grew up in Belgium and I’ve always wished my three years of high school French translated to perfect fluency. I think to wake up tomorrow and greet the world being a Francophone would be pretty marvelous.