Nanny in Toronto, Ontario

Hello Families! My name is Lauren, and I would be delighted to become the newest member of your household as your nanny. I am 26 years old, and I am interested in a part time position during the evening and/or weekend. I was born and raised in the east end of Toronto, but consider the Annex my home and have lived here for the past 5 years. When I am not working backstage on my latest theatre project, or playing with the children at the local daycare, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I am an animal lover, and feel very comfortable in a home with dogs or cats. I am fluent in English, and have a high school background in French, as well as a bit of Spanish. I am a travel enthusiast, and have explored parts of Asia, Europe, and Australia as well as many parts of the Caribbean. In high school I participated in a foreign exchange program where I was privileged to live with a French family in a suburb of Paris, and a family in Barcelona. I have also done my fair share of travelling in Canada, spending countless summers on family road trips to the Maritimes. I am a creative and outgoing individual with a passion for culture, art, food, and of course children! I have been working with children since before I began my working career. I started babysitting when I was 12 years old, picking my sister up after school, and babysitting on evenings and weekends for other families in the neighbourhood. I also did lots of volunteer work with children, helping teach tap and jazz dance; and instructing canoeing and dragonboat with the West Rouge Canoe Club. I have worked with children in a variety of settings including, camps, tutoring, swimming lessons, after school and lunch programs, and daycare. With the variety of settings comes a variety of age groups; I have worked with infants to high school age children. I love working with children for the obvious reasons; you get to have fun, use your imagination, get creative, and also put your communication and organizational skills to use. The most rewarding aspect of working with children is watching them grow as individuals, knowing that you helped them to accomplish their goals, and providing them with true joy and happiness, even in the small things. I currently work at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre in the Childcare department as a ECA. My position allows me to work in all the age groups from toddlers to school age. I also work with a company called WeTalk teaching ESL online with children in China. Prior to the JCC, I was working fulltime as a nanny for a family with 3 children, who I am still very close with and do the occasional babysitting and dogsitting. I have a wide variety of skills and experiences that make me an exceptional nanny. These skills include knowledge of growth and development, learning through play, communication skills with children and parents, time management, maintaining a clean and safe environment, healthy meal planning and food prep, and working with children with special needs. I am certified in Emergency First Aid and CPR A, and HIGH FIVE, as well as many leadership training programs. My ideal family would be child-centered, warm and welcoming, and would share my enthusiasm for culture, the outdoors, and art. I am open to light housekeeping, errands, and meal preparation, as well as outdoor maintenance. I have a creative, enthusiastic personality, and I put my heart and sole into everything I do. I would love to extend that as a member of your household. I look forward to meeting you in the near future. Sincerely, Lauren Work Experience ECA Float Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, September 2018 - present Toronto, ON Structured indoor and outdoor activities: Elect Program creating a program based on the children's' interests observed in the classroom. The program includes songs, circle; crafts; cognitive, sensory, physical activities; games; story time. All activities surrounding the theme of the week. Nanny - Burnie/Moore Family June 2015 - August 2018 Toronto, ON Planning activities and outings for children (10 months - 10 years), hosting play dates, meal prep, school/camp drop off and pickup, meal prep and groceries, petcare, minimal house work Nanny - Apte/Bhomavat Family January 2015 - June 2015 Caring for an 18 month old child, organizing activities and age-appropriate program: songs, crafts, outings, stories ect., meal prep, housekeeping Supply Daycare Teacher Charlottetown Blvd. Childcare Centre, June 2011 - December 2014, Scarborough, ON Providing fulltime care during the summers, and part-time care during the rest of the year for children, ages 1 - 12 Structured indoor and outdoor activities: Elect Program creating a program based on the childrens interests observed in the classroom. The program includes songs, circle; crafts; cognitive, sensory, physical activities; games; story time. All activities surrounding the theme of the week. Minimal meal prep, supervision of lunch and two snack times Supervision of nap times Changing diapers and toilet training Maintaining a clean classroom cleaning toys on a weekly basis, disinfecting tables before and after meals, sweeping Communication with parents: discussing childs day, any issues, forms, changes in room ect. Hip-hop Dance Teacher Arts Express, September 2014 present, East York, ON Providing childcare lunchtime care once a week for children ages 6-12 Preparing a detailed lesson plan that focuses on a new aspect of dance including games, exercises, a routine Leading warm-up cool down activities focusing on dance techniques (eg. Isolations) Choreographing and teaching dance steps Supervising lunch Communication with principal, teachers, and other school staff; parents; Arts Express supervisor and director weekly progress report Babysitter Various Private Families, 2005 present, Scarborough, ON Provide part time casual babysitting services for families in the neighbourhood Pick up from daycare Meal preparation Helping children with homework and piano practice Taking children to local park, organizing other activities Supervising bath time Putting children to sleep Drama Instructor First Light Theatre, September 2013 January 2014, Guelph, ON Provided afterschool care at 3 locations for children ages 6 -12 Creating and teaching lesson plans focusing on different performance skills Preparing an end-of-program performance Wait Staff Camp Counselor Red Pine Camp, June 2009 September 2009 Waitressed 3 meals a day Set and bussed tables to tables preference (special diets, drink preferences, number of settings) After meal duties: cleaning the salad bar; refilling napkins, sugar, salt and pepper; emptying coffee; sorting cutlery; restocking and cleaning pabulum pits ( various locations throughout the camp), watering flowers, sweeping and mopping dining hall) Daily swimming lessons for children ages 1 - 12: lesson planning and execution that includes songs, games, swimming skills for various age groups (eg. Ages 4-6: floats, immersing head under water, assisted swimming with noodle or flutter board) Daily evening program: leadership and participation in camp activities for entire family, different program each night: Coffee house, Folklore, Millionaires night, Talent show, Dancing with the staff, Dance Daytime Program: leadership and participation in daytime activities including yoga, zumba, crafts, fishing derby, regatta, tournaments ( eg. shuffleboard, ping pong, badminton, bocce), camper/staff basketball Safety protocols for missing person : given a designated job when there is a missing person runners(around camping ground); waterfront divers( A pool deepest), sweepers(shallower pools B and C); any missing person situation and weekly drill Volunteer Experience Kiddie Wrangler (Volunteer) Theatre Scarborough, October 2014 - present , Scarborough, ON Supervision of children ages 8-12 backstage during the run of the show leading children in vocal and physical warm-ups helping children with costumes: helping children with zippers, claps, sashes when getting into costume, prompting costume changes, helping with hanging and organizing costumes Hair and makeup: helping children with show specific hair: girls sock bun, boys gelling hair, hair spraying with black hair paint, darkening eyebrows and stage makeup Organizing quiet activities during shows: colouring, board games, electronic devices Stage manager for children: keeping tabs on children at all times during the show, making sure they are in proper costume, keeping track of entrances and exits and prompting them for their cues Workshop Instructor (Course Credit) MADE: Urban Arts , January May 2014, Guelph, ON Joint alternative learning program for university and high school students: grade 10 and 11 Worked with teachers to schedule workshops at various locations including the University of Guelph, high schools participating in the program, and the Guelph Youth Music Centre Created lesson plans involving technical theatre: lighting and sound, from technical and design perspectives Assisted with leading other workshops including acting, playwriting, set and prop design Volunteer Good Life Fitness Jump Program, January 2013 May 2014, Guelph, ON Provided care for children newborn to 12 years old one to three times a week Organized games, exercises and activities Supervised snack and nap times Volunteer Dragonboat Instructor Sir Oliver Mowat Dragonboat Team Afterschool program January June 2010, Scarborough ON Providing afterschool care for middle school students ages 12-14 Taught children about the paddle, dragon boat skills Ran paddling and swimming drills Instructed dry land exercises stretches, full body workout routine Volunteer Dance Instructor Jack Lemon Dance Studio, 2006-200..., Scarborough ,ON Provided care for hour- long dance class for ages 2 - 12 Leading stretches and warm-up, Teaching tap and jazz dance steps and skills