FIVE TIPS TO HELP TRANSITION FROM NANNY TO HOUSE MANAGER

~ Kristen DeCamp

Sweat the small stuff. Notice the details.  

Check that all light bulbs are working. Dust for cobwebs. Clean behind the appliances. And if you do nothing else, make sure that there is plenty of toilet paper! You may be in charge of a multi-million dollar estate with monumental responsibilities, but nobody cares how busy you are when your boss is left with an empty roll of toilet paper. When he has to choose between using his very expensive organic towel or his hand to finish the job, someone is getting fired!

Prepare to have rich hobbies. 

Your employers may enjoy exotic travel, expensive wine and whiskey, art, high-end vehicles, or may have an agrarian bent.  You need to make these passions your own in order to serve your employers tastes. Find online enthusiasts, forums, and advice from experts.  Passionate people love to share their successes and failures. Their expertise will make you look like a rock star!!

                  Read what your employer’s read. Watch what they watch. 

When you immerse yourself in someone’s home, you need to see the world through their eyes in order to best serve them.  This principle applies to everyone you know. This insight will make you far more intuitive to your employer’s tastes, likes and dislikes.

Never go to your employer with a problem without having at least one or two solutions.

Nobody likes drama or chaos.  Your job is to solve problems.  Save your employer time by doing the research and developing a plan of action. They did not hire you to complain, they hired you to save them time and bring a sense of calm to their home.

There is going to come a time where you could see your employer naked. 

This is not something in the formal job description, but how you handle the three seconds afterwards can greatly impact your Christmas Bonus! The only acceptable response to this embarrassing situation is to say, “Hey, you’ve been working out haven’t you?”

Kristen DeCamp is a leading expert in the domestic staffing industry. Her knowledge base and skill set are unmatched. Kristen began her career as a nanny many years ago and gracefully morphed into a full-time house manager. Currently, she serves as Chief of Staff for her principal, overseeing multiple estates and their staff.

As if you needed an excuse to play with play dough?!

 But just in case...

You can squish it, you can squash it, roll it into a ball, or flatten it like a pancake. Play dough is a classic childhood toy that never fails to entertain! This idea of malleable dough has been passed down from generation to generation.  Maybe it’s the smell and soft texture that brings back such fond memories for adults, and makes them want their children to experience the fun of play dough too. This icon of modern-day childhood, other than providing pure fun, actually has developmental benefits.  

Play dough, specifically, helps with acquiring fine motor skills. Fine motor skills include small movements with use of the fingers, wrists, toes, tongue, and lips. The development of these skills is extremely important. The malleable property of play dough makes it easy and fun to build strength in these muscles.

Also, play dough sparks creativity and imagination, which are both necessary for development. Rolling play dough into noodles, turning it into a bowl of spaghetti, and playing “restaurant” is really more than what it seems. Imaginative play can sometimes be underrated from an adult standpoint, but it is an important factor of how children develop social skills.

Playing with play dough is not only beneficial for development, but it is also a great way to release extra energy. All of the pounding, rolling, and squishing can be relaxing and calming. Adding a few drops of essential oils is an easy way to introduce aromatherapy, and to make it a fun way to unwind!

Here is an easy recipe to make play dough at home:

What you’ll need:

•   2 cups plain flour (all purpose)

•   2 tablespoons vegetable oil

•   1/2 cup salt

•   2 tablespoons cream of tartar

•   Up to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)

•   food colouring (optional) few drops glycerine (optional- adds more shine!)

How to make it:

•   Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl

•   Add food colouring TO the boiling water then into the dry ingredients (color optional)

•   Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough

•   Add the glycerine (optional)

•   Allow it to cool down then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone. * This is the most important part of the process, so keep at it until it’s the perfect consistency!*

•   (If it remains a little sticky then add a touch more flour until just right)

 ~ Sara Luckham

Social Media Specialist

Seaside Staffing Company

Sources:

http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/best-ever-no-cook-play-dough-recipe.html

http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/06/benefits-of-playing-with-play-dough.html

http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/playdough-power

Pumpkin D-I-Y

Picking out the best looking pumpkin in the patch and taking it home to carve has become a Halloween tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. If you have ever taken the time to carve a pumpkin, then you know that it is definitely not as easy as it seems. Cutting the circle around the stem, scooping out the slimy pumpkin guts, and carving a design is a time consuming and not to mention, a messy feat!

It seems like every year, the traditional triangle-eyed, triangle nosed, and tooth-y smiled pumpkin seems to be slowly disappearing.  The carvings on pumpkins get more and more intricate as the years go by. It kind of seems impossible to compete with these multi-layered and 3 dimensional carvings. So, if you’re not the most talented or a pumpkin carving genius, then you’re in luck! Here are few fun and easy alternatives to traditional pumpkin carving:

Sleek and Studded:

 For this edgy and oh so stylish pumpkin you’ll need black matte spray paint and a couple dozen gold and silver studs.

        Tips:

·      Wipe down your pumpkin with a damp paper towel

·      Newspapers! Be sure to lay down a ton of newspapers before you spray paint your pumpkin

·      2-day project! It might be a good idea to spray paint your pumpkins black one day and when they’re dry, or the following day (just to be safe) then add the studs

·      To get the flat-backed studs to attach, I suggest using E-600 or Super Glue

A Little Sparkle Never Hurt:

This super sparkly pumpkin is sure to draw attention when the light hits just right.

           

Tips:

·      Wipe down your pumpkin with a damp paper towel

·      Use Modge Podge or spray paint on your pumpkin as the “glue”

·      OR have your child paint a design on the pumpkin and then sprinkle a lot of glitter onto the wet paint

·      OR spray paint the pumpkin your favorite color, then only add sparkle to the stem

Glowing Goblin:

This pumpkin brings a bright and fun twist to the traditional tea-light glow, and  a great opportunity for kids to get creative

 Tips:

·      Wipe down your pumpkin with a damp paper towel.

·      Use newspapers underneath

·      You’ll need several colors of glow-in-the-dark puffy paint

·      Use painter’s tape to help create fun designs

Sources & Inspiration:

http://www.alittlecraftinyourday.com/2014/10/22/diy-glow-in-the-dark-pumpkins

http://www.cuckoo4design.com/2013/10/studded-chalk-paint-pumpkins.html

http://waitingonmartha.com/diy-pumpkin-prettiness/

http://createandbabble.com/decorating-mini-pumpkins/

~ Sara Luckham

Social Media Specialist

Seaside Staffing Company