Carly has been employed by us as our nanny since August 2015. She joined when I returned to work and it is only due to a change in my working situation that she will no longer remain employed by us.
Carly is a diligent, nurturing, patient and conscientious nanny to our two children – Daniela (5) and Luca (2). She carries out all her duties with the utmost care and brings her previous childcare experience to every task. Her duties include getting my daughter to school, which she always has done on time, which considering my daughter is a dawdler of note is a major achievement! She is always patient and I’ve not heard her raise her voice to them. She is fair and firm when disciplining them. We have gone through a difficult time with Luca in terms of teething, illness and general toddler behaviour, but Carly was always caring and constructive when dealing with him. She uses games and distraction to try and avoid the tantrums and tears that come out of not getting his way. We had his 2 year check with the health visitor recently and she commented on what a lovely boy he is, which is primarily due to Carly’s calm influence and understanding of his personality and behaviour.
She takes Luca to playgroups and organises play dates with other nannies on a regular basis. She thinks of imaginative play ideas for the kids – I came down from working from home the other week to bath time for the dolls and a large fort construction site another time. She also created a soft play area for the kids during a particularly rainy half term. She is always looking for new ways to entertain and teach the children including trips to the beach, Hadleigh farm, the sea life centre, regular trips to the library and the park.
Carly also helps Daniela with her homework and projects and also assists with helping her learn French using the cds and books from Daniela’s class. She uses the materials we have in our play room and is imaginative in making use of them, also making play dough and sensory activities. We have lots of homemade play things that the children enjoy making and using.
Carly prepares food for both kids and focuses on healthy, varied choices for the children. They enjoy the things she makes and we’ve also benefitted from her cooking when she does a late shift for us on Mondays. Carly works a long day for us a Monday (7:30 – 6), but is never rushing out of the door and always tells us what the kids were up to during the day. We also use a diary system to keep in touch, but the handover is more often than not, face to face. She is flexible with our routine, and is happy to stay extra or change hours if necessary.
One of the major concerns for any working parent, is what to do when they’re ill. But Carly excels on this point. She cares for the children as if they were her own. I remember when Luca was ill and was very clingy and Carly was just holding him to keep him happy. She also takes them to their doctor’s appointments, which is also a big help.
Carly also takes the initiative to improve the children’s play environment – organising and arranging the play room so that it most benefits the children’s playtime. Her experience at a nursery also comes in handy for this.
From a practical point of view, Carly does all the things expected of her in terms of tidying the general play areas, helping out with household duties and doing the children’s laundry. She is also always on time and her attendance is exemplary. She is someone to rely on, which is highly valued. She takes pride in the children’s appearance and is well prepared when going out. I’m always complimented by friends and other mums I know on what a lovely nanny we have!
Carly is imaginative, artistic, caring and nurturing. She is an ideal nanny.
We cannot recommend Carly highly enough. We have enjoyed having her as part of the family for the time that she has been with us and will continue to rely on her when we need babysitting,
Please contact me by telephone if you have any questions or need further information.

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