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 

Why Are Babies So Cute?

Have you ever wondered why babies are so cute? Believe it or not, there’s actually a science behind it all. So, is it the chubby cheeks, that baby smell, or those big eyes? Actually, it’s all of those adorable features combined!

These adorable baby features are called Baby Schema. Scientifically named, Kindchenschema. Proposed by Konrad Lorenz, a German Ethologist, suggests that a baby’s oversized head, large eyes, and a soft rounded shape promote mothering and caretaking in other humans. The cuteness actually triggers the Mesocorticolimbic system in our brain, which identifies a rewarding stimulus (aka the baby). This system in our brains creates the sense of enjoyment, and even the urge to cuddle something. (Aww!)

These evolutionary- rooted responses all work in favor of the baby. Since human babies are incapable of taking care of themselves, they rely on adults or other humans to provide care. So, the more Baby Schema traits the baby has, the more attention and care it is likely to receive. Hook, line, and sinker! Their irresistible cuteness gets us every time!

Sources:

Glocker, Melanie L., et al. "Baby Schema In Infant Faces Induces Cuteness Perception And Motivation For Caretaking In Adults." Ethology 115.3 (2009): 257-263. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.

Why Are Babies So Cute? By Mitchell Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown. Youtube. AsapSCIENCE, 16 Apr. 2014. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.

~Sara Luckham, Social Media Specialist, Seaside Staffing Company

FALL FUN

Can you believe that fall is already upon us? It seems that every year it is here before we know it. Fall is such a beautiful time of the year, spent by enjoying football games carving pumpkins, and sipping cider with your loved ones by your side, and of course not yet having to stress about the hustle and bustle of the holidays that are approaching (Yikes!).

One of the most fun things about fall is the family activities and crafts. Although there is a never-ending list of possibilities for fall fun, here are a few that are worth setting aside the time to do.

1. Pumpkin Patch

Of course! What would fall be without a visit to the pumpkin patch? If you’re looking for a great time with the kids, this is the place to go. If you’re local to San Diego, the Bates Nut Farm is outstanding. Located in the Valley Center, this pumpkin patch is a way above average and worth the drive. The weekends are full of fun activities, but of course, more crowded. This place has it all, from tractor rides, to food trucks, and farm animals for the kids. Squeezing in a visit to the pumpkin patch is a must!

2. Ghost Tour

If your kids are past the pumpkin-picking stage and looking for a little more spooky Halloween tradition, a ghost tour is perfect! Located in Old Town, San Diego, this tour is filled with history of the area twisted with chilling details.

2754 2754 Calhoun St San Diego, CA 92110 (at Wallace St Old Town)

3. Apple Picking

Put on your favorite boots, grab the kids, and hop on the road! Typically, apple picking in Southern California is usually limited to the grocery store, but plucking a beautiful and juicy apple off of a tree brings a certain satisfaction that the grocery store shelves simply cannot supply. This is must-do of fall activities! A highly recommended place to go is the Volcan Valley Apple Farm located in Julian, California. It is definitely worth the drive!

1284 Julian Orchards Dr. Julian, CA 92036

4. Football Games!

Whether it be the Chargers or San Diego State, spending a fall night cheering on your favorite team is sure to be packed with fun. Friday night-lights with the family will be something that you won’t want to miss! Be sure to grab tickets online.

~Sarah Luckham,
Social Media Specialist, Seaside Staffing Company 2015

Halloween Crafts for Kids!

I just found this website with a TON of fun Halloween craft ideas for kids! Check them out :) 

Bat Crafts (10 crafts)

Cat Crafts (6 crafts)

Ghost Crafts (13 crafts) Lots NEW!

Jack o' Lantern Crafts (21 crafts) Lots NEW!

Monster Crafts (15 crafts)

Skeleton Crafts (9 crafts)

Spider Crafts (8 crafts)

Witch Crafts (11 crafts)