Sara - 42yrs

Hello, lucky Mum of 14 year old twins! Grateful to be born & bred in Northern beaches. Recently moved house 🤗 with over 12 years of professional childcare and nanny/babysitting experience. I/we Love travelling, the outdoors, the beach, fishing, jewellery making, mosaic, art & craft, music, cooking and make a conscious effort to try to avoid screen time as much as possible. Have reliable car with all my points👍Love scuba diving & the ocean. Love children (often prefer their company rather than 'grown ups' :) Lucky to have retired parents closeby, whom help while I am at work and most importantly- Living life!! I was previously working in a marketing/ admin workplace for several years and decided it was time for a change a few years ago now. Then I begun a fresh journey back to working with children. Since then I have found work with a few families, with the 1st family relocating overseas a couple of years ago now. I then found a family of 5 and loved my time working with them for close to 2 years. I am now working ad-hoc for another family of 5- 6,8 & 12 years of age. So here I am, ready and keen to care for our future munchkins! All the families I have worked for have been long term- it is best for the children, the family and myself to have that familiarity and routine with the same carer throughout the year, or years. Do please, reach out if you would like to meet up for a coffee or a phone call, whether its for an immediate position, last minute, babysitting or just to have a chat as I'm relatively new to this suburb. I would be happy to meet with Mum/Dad/Families that may find themselves looking for professional, quality care and perhaps like the idea of knowing a proven reliable carer is available almost 24/7 these days. Also, for myself, to rebuild a network of local families who may need help at some stage, either last minute sick days, unexpected longer shifts at work for parents, or more regular hours. I do consider myself to be pretty laid back and with much gratitude, having the support system of my family to have the ability to be flexible with enough notice. And look at this beautiful country we live in!! So much to be grateful for, I wouldn't know where to begin 🤷 One of my personal beliefs would have to be is the belief that the glass as half full, especially since the devastation Covid has brought to every single one of us. Exercise and a healthy diet are also of paramount importance for every individual. I was once asked a great question; "What would you say your mantra would be when it comes to caring for children" I came up with the answer about a week later. Patience, taking a step back if ever in a heated situation and thinking about the best way to approach (rather than raising voices, and unnecessary punishment (Where sometimes, if the carer were to take the time to listen to the whole story, this is far from necessary however, sadly and however, understandably in many families, some carers/parents do find themselves doing these things when things get hectic and rushed) Also, positive reinforcement!!! I can't stress enough just how effective this strategy really is!! Try to ignore the bad, suggest a safer or alternative option And ALWAYS acknowledge the good things our children do! No matter how insignificant or minor it may seem- Make sure to say at least a little ie; "good eating Charlie, good packing away Lucy, thank you for not making me have to ask you twice to pack away your lunchbox" I believe these are well worth the few seconds/minutes it takes to do so 😊 Another vital teaching for the under 10's; Always insisting on saying sorry (a genuine apology (and a cuddle if appropriate) if a child has done/said harm to another person. This action helps children understand that other people have feelings too and proves to be an essential & effective parenting strategy. I Hope to hear from you- always up for a chat Please feel free to reach out if you may have any questions/ looking to find out more, especially if you are looking for some help for afternoon, evening, night/sleepover & weekend work, especially including school holidays :) I made a new years resolution to always say "yes", when asked for an invitation- it's actually been far more rewarding than I could have imagined. (I know it sounds a bit corny however- I wanted to be genuine with my 'About Me' section that I update as often as I can.. So, this is me 😊 Nothing but positive experiences since I decided to return to my true calling a few years ago now.. I left marketing with my mind made up that 'I am going to take a break and get paid for what I absolutely love! I am very lucky and I feel proud, because it's true!! Hope to hear from you Warm regards Sara Southwell 0402. 908. 991 I hope your not falling asleep after my 'dear diary confession ;) Can't wait to meet with some more families now COVID has calmed down.. 🤞 Warm regards Sara (•‿•)