Claire

My Summary

My Experience

Most recently, I sadly finished with a family that I had been with since their wee man was 6 months of age. He is now 6 years of age. My days with this much adored and treasured little friend were flexible – as needed by his family and as his needs changed over time. Care ranged from having him for single days and hourly ‘date night’ care, full weekends, week/s-long periods while his parents were overseas or away for work, and taking holidays together. I have to admit, I would also just voluntarily pop around to jump on the trampoline/play footy/fish/laugh/watch films with my little mate whenever I could. During full care/longer term periods, I would stay at my little mate’s family home & we would carry on with his routine, which may have included taking him to kinder, or school, or heading to the beach or park or museum or art gallery or historical fire station or library etc. As I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to this little man’s development and care since he was 6 months of age, I love him as if he were my own (but know he’s not!). I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been in this wee man’s life for 6+ years, and I hope that I will continue to be in his life, albeit in a different capacity now.

I’ve also provided care to:

* an Irish, now 9 year old beautiful, healthy & intelligent dear little premie guy, born at [26-27 weeks’ gestation]. I initially assisted the new, nervous mammy with the tiny guy & spent weekends looking after him in the home for the first 6 months so that mammy could have some rest. I became close to the wee guy & he to me, & the parents felt comfortable to leave their precious son with me for weekends while they took a break together. I also cared for him at night when both mammy & daddy worked, & had the little guy overnight, including bathing, feeding, soothing when he woke through the night, & having loads of cuddles & snuggles.

Together, in Ireland, we would have many outdoor adventures through the days also (while mammy and daddy worked or were away) including kicking the footy, collecting & throwing stones into the ocean to try to scare seagulls away (he was only 2!), swimming in the ocean, digging & building sandcastles, & playing dinosaur games in the sand, collecting flowers for his mammy, walking (& chasing) his dog - always with much singing, chatting & laughter. I’d taught him the English alphabet, to count & nursery rhymes before he was 18 months’. He taught me words in Irish, & that more wrinkles from the joys of laughter with a little guy are not that bad.

* to three spirited boys aged 7, 4 and 2, in a live in capacity in London. I was responsible for the boys’ care from morning to night - morning to morning, actually, & sometimes ended up with a sweaty big 2 year old head on my arm through the early hours of the morning. Each school morning, I’d take the two bigger boys to school, then head out with my 2 year old mate on our adventures, which may have included trips to the park, trips to the library, or picnics, throwing bread to ducks, kicking a ball & playing pretend football games (which he always seemed to win), music & teaching the 2 year old songs such as ‘We will rock you’ (which amused his parents no end, as he only spoke Spanish when I first joined the household). Of an afternoon, we’d walk up to school to collect the big boys & head up the road for a milkshake or afternoon tea. I’d assist the boys with homework – often with 2 year old on hip/lap, prepare dinner & feed the children, before bathing, night stories & tucking into bed.

* to four magnificent children – 3 boys and 1 girl. I had earlier cared for three of the children when they were babies (also two of the children before the youngest was born). I assisted their mummy day to day with all sorts of duties including full care of the children & also with housekeeping & gardening. The gardening assistance evolved purely because mummy & daddy were busy, and the children loved being outside. However, at one stage, I’d spent so much time in the garden that Miss-then-2 thought I lived somewhere in their garden & only appeared at play times through the day.

Prior to the births of 2 boys, Mr 4 & Miss 2’s mummy became desperately ill & was hospitalised in ICU. Prior to a rapid decline, she telephoned me to ask if I would assume responsibility for her children while she was sick. She had not realised how unwell she would become. Their daddy was preoccupied and desperately worried about their mummy, whose health deteriorated quickly over the first 24 hours of hospitalisation.

I moved into the family home to take full care of the children as I knew their mummy would want. I was very much focussed on the littlies & upon trying to make their lives uneventful, in the circumstances. While it was a traumatic time for the family, the children were excellent, amazing actually, & the centre of my attention & love. I kept the children occupied with adventures and activities – including pretend cooking lessons - where they were not allowed to approach the oven but sat on little chairs about 6 feet away while I poured batter into a pan to make pikelets, & squishing bananas with their hands for banana bread etc. We visited grandparents; swam; filled water balloons & sent them rolling down a large hill in ‘thoroughbred’ races; played tennis; climbed; painted; played music; had outings; & generally ran ourselves ragged, but not to hysteria. I toilet trained Miss 2 also. Mummy came home after about 4 weeks in ICU & another 1.5 weeks recuperating in a ward, but was still very frail, so I stayed with the family for an additional 3 weeks to support the family.

My Qualifications

I have several qualifications - including post graduate - but none child care related.

My Availability

I am happy to be flexible to meet the needs of the family entrusting me to care for their precious little person. I would prefer a few regular days, but understand that children's needs are not always predictable, so I aim to work in with the family.

My Fees

• Babysitting from £18.00 per hour

Flexible - to be discussed with parent/s.