About Ann

Ann was with our family for 6.5 years, from when our (oldest) daughter was just 5 months old to our three children almost 7, 5, and 3.5 years. Ann has been an integral part of our family through that entire period, through two nanny shares, three moves, and the transition of all three kids into school. Ann is an exceptional caregiver, who approaches her work as a calling and vocation. What really stands out to us about our experience with her: The way she sees things from a child’s perspective, understanding their needs and taking care to meet them. She talks to them directly, helps them understand what is going to happen in advance (e.g., before going to a doctor’s appointment or before starting school) and is very attentive. She also takes common developmental challenges (e.g. biting, meltdowns, high physical energy, feeding challenges) in stride. Her rich vocabulary, which she brings to all interactions with our kids. Whether it’s talking about a story or a song, observing what is going on during a walk, or just conversing in general, she provides a rich environment for kids to learn about themselves and the world around them. Our oldest child, in particular, began 1st grade at an advanced reading and vocabulary level, and we know that Ann is a key part of that. She is a lively and engaging reader. Her commitment to avoiding screens, for kids and for herself, and to being fully present as a caregiver. So many caregivers (including us parents!) find it hard to avoid looking at their phones when taking care of kids, and Ann is a notable exception. She stands out for her ability to focus and be present throughout the day, in moments both big and small. This was true even throughout the pandemic. Her value and care to raise children with equity top of mind, in all dimensions. Some examples are how she was thoughtful about not always defaulting to ‘he’ in books, even when the author defaulted to he; or would take care to use they pronouns; to refer to children as children, vs. boys and girls, and to never push gender norms. A special kinship with infants and toddlers, with whom Ann develops a special, unique, bonded relationship. She treats children as full humans, even as infants, talking to them directly about experiences (vs. just to the adults around), even on very sophisticated topics. Our older kids (ages 5 and almost 7) are very confident speaking directly to adults in school, activity and social settings, and I think Ann's child focused approach has really contributed to that. Her reliability and consistency. As two working parents with intense jobs, often requiring travel, we needed someone we could absolutely trust to be reliable and consistent, and Ann has always been so. She is almost never late, and always lets us know in advance if she anticipates she will be (e.g. due to a late bus); she is rarely sick. She has a very strong work ethic. Ann attends to a wide range of responsibilities for our family. A daily schedule typically included helping the kids get up, get breakfast, and get dressed; get to school or off to the park; stories/playtime/songs at home; lunch and naps; afternoon walks; and light housework. More broadly, she engaged in conversations with us about each child’s development and the changes she observed, and was open to taking a different caregiving approach from what she was previously familiar with, based on our philosophy. Beyond our direct experiences, several neighbors have observed Ann’s calm and steady presence, patience, and dialogue with our kids, having noticed their interactions on walks around the neighborhood, the park, or at school, and have commented on how fortunate we’ve been to have her as a caregiver.

Molly M.

7/23/2025