Friday, October 11
1:00-4:00pm — Human Library Networking event (more details soon)
3:00- 5:00 — INA credential exam (optional and extra cost involved)
8:00- 10:00 pm---- welcome reception
3:00- 5:00 — INA credential exam (optional and extra cost involved)
8:00- 10:00 pm---- welcome reception
Saturday, october 12
7:45- 8:45 am---- breakfast and registration
9:00- 5:30 pm---- workshops, networking breaks and lunch
9:00- 5:30 pm---- workshops, networking breaks and lunch
Sunday, october 13
8:00- 9:00 am ---- breakfast
9:00- 12:30 ---- workshops and goodbye session
9:00- 12:30 ---- workshops and goodbye session
Remember that continental breakfast and buffet lunch on Saturday and buffet breakfast on Sunday are included in your registration price. All other meals at your own expense. Menus will be posted 2 weeks prior to conference to allow you to make alternate accommodations if required by your dietary needs.
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Confirmed Workshops/Speakers
Workshop Descriptions
Saturday
9:30-10:45
Sensory Processing and the Balance System
Is it behavior or is it sensory? Join us to take a deeper dive into how sensory processing and the vestibular system are connected. Learn how this fascinating body system that controls such functions as balance and movement are connected to sensory stimulation. Engage in sensory activities that both promote and stabilize this important body system in all ages from infant to school age.
Crystal Ey is President and Executive Director of LiteBrite LLC, an MSDE approved training and consulting company. At the corner stone of Crystal’s passion for providing the highest quality professional development, is her dedication to children and families. LiteBrite LLC supports our early care community of providers and teachers across the state of Maryland and beyond its borders into multiple states. Crystal is proud to have partnered LiteBrite LLC with Johns Hopkins Center for Technology in Education and The University of Maryland to support the roll out of the Early Learning Assessment, the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and the MSDE Approved Pre-K Curriculum. A graduate of Salisbury State University with a degree in Elementary Education, Crystal’s career spans over 28 years as a Harford County public school teacher, homecare provider, owner/operator of The Learning Express early learning program, MSDE Accreditation Validator and certified CLASS observer. When she is not working a room, hands flying, you can find her camping with her family and visiting the House of Mouse, as Disneyworld is her HAPPY PLACE. A budding novelist, even if it’s only in her dreams, she will always cheer for the underdog and believe teaching is never just a job, but a true calling in changing the lives of our children.
High Level Questioning to Encourage Thinking
The way adults ask questions can impact the way children think. In this interactive training you will learn how to use developmentally appropriate questions and Bloom's Taxonomy to encourage children to become more complex and critical thinkers. Participants will be introduced to strategies that promote open-ended questions, multi-word responses, and problem-solving skills. If you wonder how it's done, come ask some questions!
Sheila George, an Educational Trainer for LiteBrite, LLC, graduated from Millersville University with a degree in Education. She has worked as a homecare provider, preschool teacher and director, before and after school group leader, director and coordinator. Sheila has also been a Child Development Specialist, Harford County public school teacher, teacher mentor, a certified PreK CLASS observer, and an adult educator. She also works for Robert Leslie Publishing Company as a consultant and provides professional development training for their curriculum. Sheila has enjoyed working with children and students of all ages in a variety of educational settings for over 25 years. Following her commitment to enrich the educational experience for fellow professionals, Sheila has co-collaborated to create LiteBrite, LLC, a training and consulting company. She has been proud of her work with Johns Hopkins Center for Technology in Education to support the roll out of the Early Learning Assessment in Maryland and training trainers for the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. Sheila’s work as an MSDE certified trainer allows her to share her passion for education with individuals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children.
Understanding Emotions Leads to Understanding Yourself
Are you dealing with tantrums, crying, and outbursts? Many children struggle with regulating their emotions and understanding feelings, but children with a strong ability to identify emotions have the needed skills to self-regulate resulting in less behavioral challenges. By learning to identifying various emotions in themselves, children are able to understand the world around them and develop effective regulation strategies. In this workshop, participants will learn various methods to teach children to identify and understand their emotions helping them to understand the world around them and reduce many behavioral challenges.
Nicole Pierre, Educational Trainer for LiteBrite, LLC, graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Communications. She worked in the marketing field for several years before deciding to open her own family child care business. She returned to college to pursue her degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently working on her Master of Early Childhood Education with a focus on inclusion of all children. Nicole is a past nationally accredited family child care provider and has worked serving the childcare community assisting providers in providing quality child care from starting their business to achieving accreditation. She worked in the capacity of technical assistance specialist, training support, and training coordinator for the Maryland Child Care Resource Network for over 8 years. She is currently an independent trainer and consultant across the state of Maryland, adjunct professor, certified CLASS observer, and serves as the Training and Writing coordinator for LiteBrite,LLC. She continues to attend professional development workshops and develop training to meet the needs of the child care community in Maryland and at various conferences and events. She focuses on supporting diversity and inclusion, developmentally appropriate practice and professionalism in early childhood education. She has a passion for helping educators continually provide quality care and believes high quality personal development is the foundation of a well-rounded early educator.
Let's Be the Change: Join us for an informal conversation and find how what is going on with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, why it matters to you and how you can get involved in setting up high standards to our industry.
Learn about NDWA's ongoing projects and dig deeper into the Federal Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, Gig Economy & the fight to have Au Pairs recognized for the childcare work they do for sub-minimum wages masked as cultural exchange.
Thaty Oliveira, MEd, MM, MCPC aka Nanny Thaty is an advocate, activist, and leader in the childcare industry, serving on several projects with the National Domestic Workers Alliance as well as on the Board of Directors of the International Nanny Association. Thaty's advocacy journey started locally, in 2012 when Massachusetts formed a coalition to pass its Domestic Workers Bill of Rights which got into effect in 2015. Thaty has been interviewed by The Conversation on BBC, recognized by The City of Cambridge, The National and the Boston Association for the Education of the Young Child and The Brazilian Community Heritage Foundation and was recently named the Most Influential Childcare Consultant 2019 in New England. Thaty is a licensed educator, coach, community leader, organizer and above all, successful, highly sought, Nanny & Newborn Care Specialist.
11:00- 12:15
Sleepwonders Foundations - the five cornerstones of sleep and how YOU can use them to solve sleep issues with your charges and become your employer's HERO.
Join pediatric sleep expert, Cortney Gibson, for a value-packed session all about sleep for the Littles. Learn about Cortney's Sleepwonders Foundations, which are the five building blocks of sleep at any age. Discover solutions to early rising and understand ideal nap timing by age. Get the scoop on regressions, growth spurts, and how to extend naps without CIO.
Cortney Gibson has been working with newborns and their families since 1997. She founded Gibson Newborn Services in 2004 and has expanded the company to accommodate the growing number of parents seeking her help. Specializing in the care of preemies and multiples, Cortney has cared for dozens of twins, triplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets. She is also considered to be a pioneer in the art of Early Sleep Conditioning, a gentle no-tears approach to establishing healthy sleeping habits. Giving her clients incredibly useful tools for caring for babies, Cortney teaches magical soothing techniques to parents and caregivers all over the country. Cortney has spent over 80,000 hours nurturing babies and caring for young children. She is one of the co-founders of the Baby Dream Team and holds a certificate in newborn care from the Alexandria School, as well as a Health Coaching Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Cortney also attended the International Maternity and Parenting Institute to study Greenproofing and Maternity and Child Sleep and is a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician with Safe Kids Worldwide. After joining the International Nanny Association in 2004, Cortney began serving on the Board of Directors in 2007 and has held various positions on the Executive Board. She currently serves as the Senior Director. Cortney regularly presents workshops and webinars for parents and caregivers. She also contributes articles to newsletters, parenting websites and blogs. Cortney has been featured on Fox News, as well as the Today Show for her work with newborns. Expanding her services to meet the needs of the industry, Cortney created an online education hub for parents and caregivers, called BabywondersUSA. Her popular course, Sleepwonders can be found there, as well as workshops, webinars, and the upcoming fertility doula course, Fertilitywonders. Cortney’s dedication to mentoring and supporting colleagues has been developed into a site called Prosperatree that combines personalized coaching and exclusive events that promote personal and professional growth.
STORY VOICES: The Importance of Selecting Culturally Responsive Literature for All Children
In this training, participants will identify the importance of cultural influences on development through culturally responsive literature for all children. Through small group activities, participants will identify the importance of families serving as the first and most influential component of a child's development.
Petrea Hicks is an author, trainer, mentor/coach and consultant. She has presented locally and nationally at N.A.E.Y.C's annual conferences and is internationally recognized by Child Care Exchange Magazine's Exchange Leadership Initiative.
5 Rooms and 5 Tools—Creating a Montessori-Inspired Environment at Home
As Maria Montessori once said, “Play is the child’s work.” At CozyKin, we want the “child’s work” to flourish in any environment they find themselves in. In this workshop, CozyKin Co-founder and Head of Product, Tatyana Gubin, will show attendees how to create a Montessori-inspired environment in the home. You will walk away knowing 5 WAYS you can IMMEDIATELY make your little one’s environment a more focused, more child-led, and more inclusive one. She will demonstrate how caregivers can make the most of the space they are in and provide the tools they need to provide the best Montessori-inspired care to their little ones.
As the Co-founder and Head of Product, Tatyana Gubin spearheads the vision for CozyKin through product design and operations. Previously, Tatyana was the co-director of MIT Hacking Medicine and scaled the organization to 12 countries to solve critical health problems worldwide; she was recognized by Stanford MedicineX and published in Cell Systems for her leading systems design in healthcare. During her leadership, MIT Hacking Medicine collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the UK National Health Service, and the governments of Singapore and Qatar. She is a Kairos Global Fellow & has been the keynote speaker at the Emergency Nurses Association annual conference, two-time speaker at SXSW in healthcare innovation, BIO international conference, an IEEE instructor, and more. Prior to CozyKin, Tatyana conducted pediatric standard of care research at Mass General Hospital. Part of her research included a device that can substantially increase the success rate of labor epidurals, funded by various MIT entrepreneurship programs and the National Science Foundation. Additionally, Tatyana designed, CADed and fabricated a 3D printed prosthetic arm that could be custom fitted for any user and on interactive exhibit at the MIT Museum since 2014, used by over 500,000 children. Tatyana graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Self-Care for Smart Folks:
Unlearning the Past to Bring Healing to the Future
Nannies wear many hats, all of which require the professional to be in a continuous state of selflessness. But who cares for the carers? And, how do we teach our little ones to become independent, healthy adults? During our time together, we will discuss ways to make self-care accessible and approachable for bodies of all ages, as well as the habitual patterns that hinder this practice. Expect laughter, honesty, easy movement, time for reflection, and fun tips and tricks to make wellness the foundation to build a life upon, from toddlers to elderly!
Christa Nader is a lifelong learner, curious about the newest educational techniques, including learning styles, development, anti-bias education, and gender equality as taught to children from a young age. Born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania alongside 3 sisters and lots of cousins, she was molded into a natural caregiver and extroverted "people person” right from the very start! Upon graduation, she made like a bird and flew south for college, obtaining her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies (Early Childhood Education) from the University of Texas Arlington. After years of full-time classroom teaching and nanny careers, she obtained her 200-hr Yoga Teacher certificate in 2014, and completed an addition 85-hr Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga training. Merging her firm foundation in education, child development, private domestic employment, and wellness, she launched KITH & KIN Household Staffing Agency in 2016. She presently sits on the Board of Directors of the International Nanny Association, has been quoted in The New York Times, and teaches workshops to professionals in the domestic staffing, and wellness industries. In 2019, she is honored to be the keynote speaker of the APNA conference. Currently, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. She can often can be found hiking with her family upstate, walking her dogs, cycling down to the beach, gardening with neighbors from her vibrant block association, or fixing something that isn’t broken. She is grateful to be here with you all.
1:45-3:00
Raising Children into Likeable Adults: A Nanny’s Role
How do you raise kids that you would want to have coffee with as an adult? Specifically, how do we as nannies help parents do it? Positive discipline. More specifically, varied methods of positive discipline. This workshop is about what positive discipline is, the research behind it, and how I’ve used it as a nanny. Most importantly, it's how you can use it too! I hope you’ll walk away equipped with tools on how to give kids the tools they need for their whole lives. Questions welcome and discussion encouraged!
Mackenzie Bancroft has been a full time nanny for five years now, and a part time nanny before that. She has a BS in Early Childhood Education with minors in Special Education and Multicultural Education. She is a trained Newborn Care Specialist and a Credentialed Nanny through the INA. She’s had the pleasure of working in Brooklyn, Vermont, and currently just outside of Philadelphia on the Main Line. Every place she’s gone she’s worked hard to create an environment of joy. Her personal hero is Fred Rogers, her favorite season in Autumn, and she loves studying the enneagram for fun. In her spare time she co-authors a blog and instagram account called Not Quite Mary Poppins.
An Introduction to Waldorf Education
This session will provide you with a hands on look into Waldorf Education principles and philosophies. We will explore the ideas of “Head, Heart, and Hands”, rhythms, community, and the seven lively arts.
Amanda Pancioli is a nanny & household manager for an on-the-go, Peaceful Parenting, and Waldorf family in Cincinnati, Ohio. Amanda is a proud member of CincyNanny and currently serving as an ambassador for the International Nanny Association. In her free time Amanda enjoys traveling with her friends and spending time on the water swimming and kayaking. She is excited to share “An Introduction to Waldorf Education” with you and hopes that you’ll have a better understanding of the Waldorf philosophy and be inspired to incorporate some Waldorf activities into your daily or weekly rhythms.
Baby Led Weaning
Susan Howard proudly calls herself a "lacto-geek" and she loves to talk about babies, breasts and feeding. She has a special interest in tongue ties and supporting babies with dysfunctional sucking skills. Working with medically-complex mothers and babies, including NICU graduates, reflux babies, slow gainers, and low supply mommas is my forte. Helping nursing mothers prepare for the transition back to work also brings her great joy.
She is the founder and owner of Arlington Lactation & Feeding Therapy, LLC. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing Science and a Masters of Nursing Science from the University of Virginia along with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from James Madison University. She is a Registered Nurse and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, two complimentary hats she wears proudly.
When Susan is not helping families, she is a Mom to 3 school-aged children and a wife to a loving husband. You might find her on a soccer field, at a synchronized swim practice, or at a Scouting event.
Foster Care Forum
Have you ever considered being a foster parent or respite provider? Perhaps you have always wanted to adopt and are unsure of how the system works? Join Tiffany Martinson and Kimberly Brown as they do an informal Q and A and discuss the ins and outs of how it all works.
3:15- 4:30
You are your best advocate: Navigating difficult conversations in the work place
The hardest part of a nanny’s job is not potty training, cooking for picky eaters or trying to set a routine for a baby that refuses to nap. Often, the hardest part is having difficult conversations with employers. Asking for a well-earned raise, bringing up behavior/discipline challenges or needing to set boundaries for parents that are habitually late arriving home at the end of the day (really, the list is endless) … even the thought of having these conversations turn many into a stammering pile of nerves. But it doesn’t have to be that way! As a former career nanny and current agency owner, Tiffany has a unique perspective when it comes to identifying and overcoming obstacles that are specific to our industry. During this session, she will share some practical and tips/tricks for navigating difficult conversations. Her goal is for you to walk away empowered and prepared to “talk things through” and advocate for yourself in the workplace.
Tiffany Martinson has been serving the nanny community for over 20 years. She started working as a nanny to put herself through college and after pursuing a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, realized that her true love was that of connecting families with exceptional caregivers. She worked her way up from nanny recruiter, to operations manager to her favorite role yet – that of COO of Sound Care Agency in Seattle. Her heart for service, her work as a nanny, her time as a recruiter, her dedication to always practicing and promoting best industry standards, her dedication to giving back to the community through attending and speaking at Industry conferences and her spot-on Mom instincts have given her a unique perspective and invaluable qualifications for family / nanny matchmaking.
When Tiffany is not hard at work, you will likely find her behind the lens of a camera capturing moments with her favorite beings on earth – her amazing husband and three adorable children.
Appealing to Progressive Parents and Agencies
Today’s parents are moving in new and exciting directions with progressive ideas and philosophies such as RIE, Montessori, Waldorf, Baby Led Weaning and Positive Discipline. There are also a new generation of nanny agencies that are not only catering to these parents, but are searching for nannies who have expertise in these new frontiers. In this session we will discuss how to appeal to today’s forward thinking parents and agencies to move your career to the next level. We will find out what trainings can help you not only land a position, but also command top dollar. And we will find out how to make the best first impression so that you are ready for the future! There will be a very open and honest Q and A at the end so we can actively engage in sharing ideas and insight.
Margaret “Austin” Macfarlane has lived in North Carolina all her life. She was born and raised in Winston-Salem and moved to Raleigh in her early twenties. She nannied for 10+ years and then launched My Girl Friday- a nanny agency that puts a lot of importance on supporting the nannies in the Raleigh-Durham area. She runs placements all over the US- but her main domain is Raleigh. Austin has always felt that in order to truly represent her clients in their search for an amazing nanny, she needs to be just as focused on supporting the nanny community. Through this belief, her agency has become one of the largest in North Carolina and a favorite nationwide! She lives in Raleigh with her partner, Adrian Larrea, their 8 year old bearded dragon, Jah, and their 1 year old dog, Arlo. Austin and Adrian also own a kombucha brewery, Tribucha Kombucha, and when she isn't working with the agency- she's usually focused on helping with that project, hiking, traveling, or spending time with her favorite kiddos.
Container baby syndrome, Plagiocephaly (Flat Head Syndrome) & Torticollis (Neck Tightness) An overview of these conditions
With "Back is Best" & so many baby gadgets, these syndromes are more common. Expand your knowledge so you can hopefully prevent these syndromes or support a family with infants being treated with these conditions. This is geared towards the caregiver who cares for infants (0-12 months.)
Toni Rose aka Autumn Rosendo is a life long caregiver! She currently is a nanny, newborn care specialist, postpartum doula and certified lactation counselor. She is also a RN who worked actively at the bedside for 16 years. She loves helping families with infants and toddlers! She has her own company Baby Butterflies Family Transitions & she serves Philadelphia & the surrounding areas.
Contractor Forum
Many of us work as household managers in some capacity or as our primary job responsibility. Come and ask questions and get advice from a contractor on how to choose vendors, who to call when repairs are needed and other ideas of how to manage the many people you often need.
Sunday
9:00- 10:15
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
A privileged, white, straight, cisgender male talks about conscious and unconscious personal biases. Together, we’ll discuss caregivers’ subliminal influence on their children as they watch, listen and learn from our unspoken daily behaviors.
Don’t worry. There will be puppets too!
Danny “Danny Joe” LaBrecque (pronounced la-breck), creator and host of Danny Joe’s Tree House, is bringing a human voice back to children’s media. A real human voice. Not an actor playing a part, or a marketable puppet, or yet another cartoon, but a real human being capable of facilitating complex social-emotional explorations through our present-day screens.
Danny Joe lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and two children. He has been in the field of early childhood development since 2000 and is a passionate advocate for children and their parents and caregivers in the classroom and online. He is not playing a part. In order to address the complex topics of our age, Danny Joe knows that he must build trust with the families he strives to serve over time by consistently offering his true self on screen.
He researches, tests and writes all of the scripts, facilitates the content collaborations with the cast and parents, designs and builds the sets and puppets, is the puppeteer for all of the Tree House puppets, and writes the majority of the songs.
Knowing Your Worth and How to Get It!
This is a workshop on how to define the qualities a professional Nanny posses, learning how to honestly self-evaluate your professional performance, and how to advocate for yourself in a respectful and professional manner.
Shanae Lewis is the Co-Founder and Operations Executive of Nanny By Design. Shanae has a B.S. in Public Health from UNCG and a Master's in Nutrition from NC A&T. She hopes to incorporate her passion for children's health and wellness into the business by providing programs to her employees, members, and the community. Shanae is hands on with building and nurturing relationships between the agency and its members and employees. She handles all of the "behind the scenes" duties of the company. She enjoys being a relatable face of the company. When Shanae has spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, being active, blogging, DIY projects, and interior design.
LeAnna Nash is the Co-Founder and Placement Executive of Nanny By Design. LeAnna graduated from High Point University and also received her Teaching License from Greensboro College. LeAnna has a passion for children and has experience with them through many different outlets including nannying, teaching, and being a children's theater choreographer. LeAnna specializes in getting to know both members and employees of Nanny By Design to really individualize each placement. She builds and nurtures the relationship between the agency, members, and employees throughout the entire placement process. In her spare time, LeAnna enjoys spending time with her family and friends (and dogs!), traveling, the film industry, and occasionally babysitting for the families she still has longstanding relationships with.
Helping Siblings Get Along
The sibling relationship is a source of great friendship as well as potential stress and and heartache. We know that children need skills to ensure they can meet our expectations. That means that helping siblings bond, avoid power struggles, and communicate effectively is up to adults! Join me to better understand the sibling dynamic and learn how you can maximize the power of this unique relationship.
Sheena Hill is in private practice at Parenting Works where she offers virtual and in-person education and support for parents and professionals who seek to deepen their understanding of development and attachment while masterfully applying concrete skills in emotional intelligence, limit setting, and communication. She lives in Baltimore with her 2 children, enjoys hiking on local trails, and has never met a pie she didn't like.
Hosting an iNNTD event
If you have considered hosting a local event or are planning one for 2020, come and discuss issues first hand with Sue Downey regarding all things iNNTD.
10:45-12:00
Managing Triggers: Respond Instead of React
Do you find yourself flustered and frustrated in the moment, despite knowing what you "should" do? Are you "losing it" more often than you'd like? It can be easy to make empty threats or do and say things you regret when you're angry. Learn the basics of identifying and managing the things that most push your buttons, so you can stay calm and in control of yourself!
Sheena Hill is in private practice at Parenting Works where she offers virtual and in-person education and support for parents and professionals who seek to deepen their understanding of development and attachment while masterfully applying concrete skills in emotional intelligence, limit setting, and communication. She lives in Baltimore with her 2 children, enjoys hiking on local trails, and has never met a pie she didn't like.
The Mini Portfolio
Having a portfolio when interviewing is very important but leaving a mini portfolio behind with your potential employers is a game changer. When searching for the right nanny, parents interview many candidates,but how do they remember them all, who said what and who stood out the most? In this workshop you’ll learn how a mini portfolio can not only push you to the top of the list of candidates and make you memorable, but, can also get you future jobs.
Angela Johnson Sutherland is known to some as the “baby whisperer” and others as “the Third Parent” and to most of us as “Ask The Nanny”. Her love of children began at the early age of 11 when she started babysitting. She has worked with children in various ways for the past 41 years as a Newborn Care Specialist, a Preschool teacher, a Baby Sign Language Instructor, new Parent Coach, Nanny and more. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education with a certification in Special Education. In addition to her work with children and families, Angela has found mentoring nannies, sharing her strengths, professional experiences and business ideas with others in the child care field gives her great pleasure. From this passion, she started a Live podcast called Ask The Nanny. Its mission is to educate, elevate, encourage and empower the nanny community.
Nanny Curriculum Planning Tips
This course will teach nannies why curriculum planning is important, and how to plan and incorporate curriculum planning into their daily schedules. Nannies will get tips on how to start planning, picking and organizing themes, creating sensory play, and planning activities that build skills in various areas. Nannies will also have access to supply lists, storage solutions, and online resources.
Kelly Smith is a professional nanny in Seattle Washington, who is passionate about nanny curriculum development. She first became a nanny in 2005 but after a few years of struggling in the industry, moved onto daycares where she took Child Development and learned how to plan curriculum. With a new skill set, she returned to nannying. In 2012, Kelly started her website, ThePlannedNanny.com, with accompanying facebook page in the hopes to guide other nannies in planning their own curriculum for their charges.
Working with School Aged Kids
This session will focus on working with children who are 8 years old and up. Having charges who are balancing schoolwork, puberty, changing relationships with parents and social pressures can be tough. Especially for many nannies who have expertise in the early years but feel frustrated with pre teen and teenage kids. We will review basic developmental milestones for these ages and discuss tips and tricks to navigate the “later years”. This presentation is very interactive and welcomes sharing from all who work with these age groups.
Sue Downey has worked with kids of all ages including a few college kids who needed some help on the way to being fully adult. She went to college to be a high school Communications teacher but decided that was a little too much like a “real job” so she landed in the world of being a nanny. Most of Sue’s jobs have been long term placements, lasting at least 3 -4 years. She has been a camp counselor, youth group leader, car dancing instructor and survived hair flipping, eye rolling, over reacting and a great deal of drama.
Saturday
9:30-10:45
Sensory Processing and the Balance System
Is it behavior or is it sensory? Join us to take a deeper dive into how sensory processing and the vestibular system are connected. Learn how this fascinating body system that controls such functions as balance and movement are connected to sensory stimulation. Engage in sensory activities that both promote and stabilize this important body system in all ages from infant to school age.
Crystal Ey is President and Executive Director of LiteBrite LLC, an MSDE approved training and consulting company. At the corner stone of Crystal’s passion for providing the highest quality professional development, is her dedication to children and families. LiteBrite LLC supports our early care community of providers and teachers across the state of Maryland and beyond its borders into multiple states. Crystal is proud to have partnered LiteBrite LLC with Johns Hopkins Center for Technology in Education and The University of Maryland to support the roll out of the Early Learning Assessment, the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and the MSDE Approved Pre-K Curriculum. A graduate of Salisbury State University with a degree in Elementary Education, Crystal’s career spans over 28 years as a Harford County public school teacher, homecare provider, owner/operator of The Learning Express early learning program, MSDE Accreditation Validator and certified CLASS observer. When she is not working a room, hands flying, you can find her camping with her family and visiting the House of Mouse, as Disneyworld is her HAPPY PLACE. A budding novelist, even if it’s only in her dreams, she will always cheer for the underdog and believe teaching is never just a job, but a true calling in changing the lives of our children.
High Level Questioning to Encourage Thinking
The way adults ask questions can impact the way children think. In this interactive training you will learn how to use developmentally appropriate questions and Bloom's Taxonomy to encourage children to become more complex and critical thinkers. Participants will be introduced to strategies that promote open-ended questions, multi-word responses, and problem-solving skills. If you wonder how it's done, come ask some questions!
Sheila George, an Educational Trainer for LiteBrite, LLC, graduated from Millersville University with a degree in Education. She has worked as a homecare provider, preschool teacher and director, before and after school group leader, director and coordinator. Sheila has also been a Child Development Specialist, Harford County public school teacher, teacher mentor, a certified PreK CLASS observer, and an adult educator. She also works for Robert Leslie Publishing Company as a consultant and provides professional development training for their curriculum. Sheila has enjoyed working with children and students of all ages in a variety of educational settings for over 25 years. Following her commitment to enrich the educational experience for fellow professionals, Sheila has co-collaborated to create LiteBrite, LLC, a training and consulting company. She has been proud of her work with Johns Hopkins Center for Technology in Education to support the roll out of the Early Learning Assessment in Maryland and training trainers for the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. Sheila’s work as an MSDE certified trainer allows her to share her passion for education with individuals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children.
Understanding Emotions Leads to Understanding Yourself
Are you dealing with tantrums, crying, and outbursts? Many children struggle with regulating their emotions and understanding feelings, but children with a strong ability to identify emotions have the needed skills to self-regulate resulting in less behavioral challenges. By learning to identifying various emotions in themselves, children are able to understand the world around them and develop effective regulation strategies. In this workshop, participants will learn various methods to teach children to identify and understand their emotions helping them to understand the world around them and reduce many behavioral challenges.
Nicole Pierre, Educational Trainer for LiteBrite, LLC, graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Communications. She worked in the marketing field for several years before deciding to open her own family child care business. She returned to college to pursue her degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently working on her Master of Early Childhood Education with a focus on inclusion of all children. Nicole is a past nationally accredited family child care provider and has worked serving the childcare community assisting providers in providing quality child care from starting their business to achieving accreditation. She worked in the capacity of technical assistance specialist, training support, and training coordinator for the Maryland Child Care Resource Network for over 8 years. She is currently an independent trainer and consultant across the state of Maryland, adjunct professor, certified CLASS observer, and serves as the Training and Writing coordinator for LiteBrite,LLC. She continues to attend professional development workshops and develop training to meet the needs of the child care community in Maryland and at various conferences and events. She focuses on supporting diversity and inclusion, developmentally appropriate practice and professionalism in early childhood education. She has a passion for helping educators continually provide quality care and believes high quality personal development is the foundation of a well-rounded early educator.
Let's Be the Change: Join us for an informal conversation and find how what is going on with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, why it matters to you and how you can get involved in setting up high standards to our industry.
Learn about NDWA's ongoing projects and dig deeper into the Federal Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, Gig Economy & the fight to have Au Pairs recognized for the childcare work they do for sub-minimum wages masked as cultural exchange.
Thaty Oliveira, MEd, MM, MCPC aka Nanny Thaty is an advocate, activist, and leader in the childcare industry, serving on several projects with the National Domestic Workers Alliance as well as on the Board of Directors of the International Nanny Association. Thaty's advocacy journey started locally, in 2012 when Massachusetts formed a coalition to pass its Domestic Workers Bill of Rights which got into effect in 2015. Thaty has been interviewed by The Conversation on BBC, recognized by The City of Cambridge, The National and the Boston Association for the Education of the Young Child and The Brazilian Community Heritage Foundation and was recently named the Most Influential Childcare Consultant 2019 in New England. Thaty is a licensed educator, coach, community leader, organizer and above all, successful, highly sought, Nanny & Newborn Care Specialist.
11:00- 12:15
Sleepwonders Foundations - the five cornerstones of sleep and how YOU can use them to solve sleep issues with your charges and become your employer's HERO.
Join pediatric sleep expert, Cortney Gibson, for a value-packed session all about sleep for the Littles. Learn about Cortney's Sleepwonders Foundations, which are the five building blocks of sleep at any age. Discover solutions to early rising and understand ideal nap timing by age. Get the scoop on regressions, growth spurts, and how to extend naps without CIO.
Cortney Gibson has been working with newborns and their families since 1997. She founded Gibson Newborn Services in 2004 and has expanded the company to accommodate the growing number of parents seeking her help. Specializing in the care of preemies and multiples, Cortney has cared for dozens of twins, triplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets. She is also considered to be a pioneer in the art of Early Sleep Conditioning, a gentle no-tears approach to establishing healthy sleeping habits. Giving her clients incredibly useful tools for caring for babies, Cortney teaches magical soothing techniques to parents and caregivers all over the country. Cortney has spent over 80,000 hours nurturing babies and caring for young children. She is one of the co-founders of the Baby Dream Team and holds a certificate in newborn care from the Alexandria School, as well as a Health Coaching Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Cortney also attended the International Maternity and Parenting Institute to study Greenproofing and Maternity and Child Sleep and is a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician with Safe Kids Worldwide. After joining the International Nanny Association in 2004, Cortney began serving on the Board of Directors in 2007 and has held various positions on the Executive Board. She currently serves as the Senior Director. Cortney regularly presents workshops and webinars for parents and caregivers. She also contributes articles to newsletters, parenting websites and blogs. Cortney has been featured on Fox News, as well as the Today Show for her work with newborns. Expanding her services to meet the needs of the industry, Cortney created an online education hub for parents and caregivers, called BabywondersUSA. Her popular course, Sleepwonders can be found there, as well as workshops, webinars, and the upcoming fertility doula course, Fertilitywonders. Cortney’s dedication to mentoring and supporting colleagues has been developed into a site called Prosperatree that combines personalized coaching and exclusive events that promote personal and professional growth.
STORY VOICES: The Importance of Selecting Culturally Responsive Literature for All Children
In this training, participants will identify the importance of cultural influences on development through culturally responsive literature for all children. Through small group activities, participants will identify the importance of families serving as the first and most influential component of a child's development.
Petrea Hicks is an author, trainer, mentor/coach and consultant. She has presented locally and nationally at N.A.E.Y.C's annual conferences and is internationally recognized by Child Care Exchange Magazine's Exchange Leadership Initiative.
5 Rooms and 5 Tools—Creating a Montessori-Inspired Environment at Home
As Maria Montessori once said, “Play is the child’s work.” At CozyKin, we want the “child’s work” to flourish in any environment they find themselves in. In this workshop, CozyKin Co-founder and Head of Product, Tatyana Gubin, will show attendees how to create a Montessori-inspired environment in the home. You will walk away knowing 5 WAYS you can IMMEDIATELY make your little one’s environment a more focused, more child-led, and more inclusive one. She will demonstrate how caregivers can make the most of the space they are in and provide the tools they need to provide the best Montessori-inspired care to their little ones.
As the Co-founder and Head of Product, Tatyana Gubin spearheads the vision for CozyKin through product design and operations. Previously, Tatyana was the co-director of MIT Hacking Medicine and scaled the organization to 12 countries to solve critical health problems worldwide; she was recognized by Stanford MedicineX and published in Cell Systems for her leading systems design in healthcare. During her leadership, MIT Hacking Medicine collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the UK National Health Service, and the governments of Singapore and Qatar. She is a Kairos Global Fellow & has been the keynote speaker at the Emergency Nurses Association annual conference, two-time speaker at SXSW in healthcare innovation, BIO international conference, an IEEE instructor, and more. Prior to CozyKin, Tatyana conducted pediatric standard of care research at Mass General Hospital. Part of her research included a device that can substantially increase the success rate of labor epidurals, funded by various MIT entrepreneurship programs and the National Science Foundation. Additionally, Tatyana designed, CADed and fabricated a 3D printed prosthetic arm that could be custom fitted for any user and on interactive exhibit at the MIT Museum since 2014, used by over 500,000 children. Tatyana graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Self-Care for Smart Folks:
Unlearning the Past to Bring Healing to the Future
Nannies wear many hats, all of which require the professional to be in a continuous state of selflessness. But who cares for the carers? And, how do we teach our little ones to become independent, healthy adults? During our time together, we will discuss ways to make self-care accessible and approachable for bodies of all ages, as well as the habitual patterns that hinder this practice. Expect laughter, honesty, easy movement, time for reflection, and fun tips and tricks to make wellness the foundation to build a life upon, from toddlers to elderly!
Christa Nader is a lifelong learner, curious about the newest educational techniques, including learning styles, development, anti-bias education, and gender equality as taught to children from a young age. Born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania alongside 3 sisters and lots of cousins, she was molded into a natural caregiver and extroverted "people person” right from the very start! Upon graduation, she made like a bird and flew south for college, obtaining her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies (Early Childhood Education) from the University of Texas Arlington. After years of full-time classroom teaching and nanny careers, she obtained her 200-hr Yoga Teacher certificate in 2014, and completed an addition 85-hr Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga training. Merging her firm foundation in education, child development, private domestic employment, and wellness, she launched KITH & KIN Household Staffing Agency in 2016. She presently sits on the Board of Directors of the International Nanny Association, has been quoted in The New York Times, and teaches workshops to professionals in the domestic staffing, and wellness industries. In 2019, she is honored to be the keynote speaker of the APNA conference. Currently, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. She can often can be found hiking with her family upstate, walking her dogs, cycling down to the beach, gardening with neighbors from her vibrant block association, or fixing something that isn’t broken. She is grateful to be here with you all.
1:45-3:00
Raising Children into Likeable Adults: A Nanny’s Role
How do you raise kids that you would want to have coffee with as an adult? Specifically, how do we as nannies help parents do it? Positive discipline. More specifically, varied methods of positive discipline. This workshop is about what positive discipline is, the research behind it, and how I’ve used it as a nanny. Most importantly, it's how you can use it too! I hope you’ll walk away equipped with tools on how to give kids the tools they need for their whole lives. Questions welcome and discussion encouraged!
Mackenzie Bancroft has been a full time nanny for five years now, and a part time nanny before that. She has a BS in Early Childhood Education with minors in Special Education and Multicultural Education. She is a trained Newborn Care Specialist and a Credentialed Nanny through the INA. She’s had the pleasure of working in Brooklyn, Vermont, and currently just outside of Philadelphia on the Main Line. Every place she’s gone she’s worked hard to create an environment of joy. Her personal hero is Fred Rogers, her favorite season in Autumn, and she loves studying the enneagram for fun. In her spare time she co-authors a blog and instagram account called Not Quite Mary Poppins.
An Introduction to Waldorf Education
This session will provide you with a hands on look into Waldorf Education principles and philosophies. We will explore the ideas of “Head, Heart, and Hands”, rhythms, community, and the seven lively arts.
Amanda Pancioli is a nanny & household manager for an on-the-go, Peaceful Parenting, and Waldorf family in Cincinnati, Ohio. Amanda is a proud member of CincyNanny and currently serving as an ambassador for the International Nanny Association. In her free time Amanda enjoys traveling with her friends and spending time on the water swimming and kayaking. She is excited to share “An Introduction to Waldorf Education” with you and hopes that you’ll have a better understanding of the Waldorf philosophy and be inspired to incorporate some Waldorf activities into your daily or weekly rhythms.
Baby Led Weaning
Susan Howard proudly calls herself a "lacto-geek" and she loves to talk about babies, breasts and feeding. She has a special interest in tongue ties and supporting babies with dysfunctional sucking skills. Working with medically-complex mothers and babies, including NICU graduates, reflux babies, slow gainers, and low supply mommas is my forte. Helping nursing mothers prepare for the transition back to work also brings her great joy.
She is the founder and owner of Arlington Lactation & Feeding Therapy, LLC. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing Science and a Masters of Nursing Science from the University of Virginia along with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from James Madison University. She is a Registered Nurse and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, two complimentary hats she wears proudly.
When Susan is not helping families, she is a Mom to 3 school-aged children and a wife to a loving husband. You might find her on a soccer field, at a synchronized swim practice, or at a Scouting event.
Foster Care Forum
Have you ever considered being a foster parent or respite provider? Perhaps you have always wanted to adopt and are unsure of how the system works? Join Tiffany Martinson and Kimberly Brown as they do an informal Q and A and discuss the ins and outs of how it all works.
3:15- 4:30
You are your best advocate: Navigating difficult conversations in the work place
The hardest part of a nanny’s job is not potty training, cooking for picky eaters or trying to set a routine for a baby that refuses to nap. Often, the hardest part is having difficult conversations with employers. Asking for a well-earned raise, bringing up behavior/discipline challenges or needing to set boundaries for parents that are habitually late arriving home at the end of the day (really, the list is endless) … even the thought of having these conversations turn many into a stammering pile of nerves. But it doesn’t have to be that way! As a former career nanny and current agency owner, Tiffany has a unique perspective when it comes to identifying and overcoming obstacles that are specific to our industry. During this session, she will share some practical and tips/tricks for navigating difficult conversations. Her goal is for you to walk away empowered and prepared to “talk things through” and advocate for yourself in the workplace.
Tiffany Martinson has been serving the nanny community for over 20 years. She started working as a nanny to put herself through college and after pursuing a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, realized that her true love was that of connecting families with exceptional caregivers. She worked her way up from nanny recruiter, to operations manager to her favorite role yet – that of COO of Sound Care Agency in Seattle. Her heart for service, her work as a nanny, her time as a recruiter, her dedication to always practicing and promoting best industry standards, her dedication to giving back to the community through attending and speaking at Industry conferences and her spot-on Mom instincts have given her a unique perspective and invaluable qualifications for family / nanny matchmaking.
When Tiffany is not hard at work, you will likely find her behind the lens of a camera capturing moments with her favorite beings on earth – her amazing husband and three adorable children.
Appealing to Progressive Parents and Agencies
Today’s parents are moving in new and exciting directions with progressive ideas and philosophies such as RIE, Montessori, Waldorf, Baby Led Weaning and Positive Discipline. There are also a new generation of nanny agencies that are not only catering to these parents, but are searching for nannies who have expertise in these new frontiers. In this session we will discuss how to appeal to today’s forward thinking parents and agencies to move your career to the next level. We will find out what trainings can help you not only land a position, but also command top dollar. And we will find out how to make the best first impression so that you are ready for the future! There will be a very open and honest Q and A at the end so we can actively engage in sharing ideas and insight.
Margaret “Austin” Macfarlane has lived in North Carolina all her life. She was born and raised in Winston-Salem and moved to Raleigh in her early twenties. She nannied for 10+ years and then launched My Girl Friday- a nanny agency that puts a lot of importance on supporting the nannies in the Raleigh-Durham area. She runs placements all over the US- but her main domain is Raleigh. Austin has always felt that in order to truly represent her clients in their search for an amazing nanny, she needs to be just as focused on supporting the nanny community. Through this belief, her agency has become one of the largest in North Carolina and a favorite nationwide! She lives in Raleigh with her partner, Adrian Larrea, their 8 year old bearded dragon, Jah, and their 1 year old dog, Arlo. Austin and Adrian also own a kombucha brewery, Tribucha Kombucha, and when she isn't working with the agency- she's usually focused on helping with that project, hiking, traveling, or spending time with her favorite kiddos.
Container baby syndrome, Plagiocephaly (Flat Head Syndrome) & Torticollis (Neck Tightness) An overview of these conditions
With "Back is Best" & so many baby gadgets, these syndromes are more common. Expand your knowledge so you can hopefully prevent these syndromes or support a family with infants being treated with these conditions. This is geared towards the caregiver who cares for infants (0-12 months.)
Toni Rose aka Autumn Rosendo is a life long caregiver! She currently is a nanny, newborn care specialist, postpartum doula and certified lactation counselor. She is also a RN who worked actively at the bedside for 16 years. She loves helping families with infants and toddlers! She has her own company Baby Butterflies Family Transitions & she serves Philadelphia & the surrounding areas.
Contractor Forum
Many of us work as household managers in some capacity or as our primary job responsibility. Come and ask questions and get advice from a contractor on how to choose vendors, who to call when repairs are needed and other ideas of how to manage the many people you often need.
Sunday
9:00- 10:15
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
A privileged, white, straight, cisgender male talks about conscious and unconscious personal biases. Together, we’ll discuss caregivers’ subliminal influence on their children as they watch, listen and learn from our unspoken daily behaviors.
Don’t worry. There will be puppets too!
Danny “Danny Joe” LaBrecque (pronounced la-breck), creator and host of Danny Joe’s Tree House, is bringing a human voice back to children’s media. A real human voice. Not an actor playing a part, or a marketable puppet, or yet another cartoon, but a real human being capable of facilitating complex social-emotional explorations through our present-day screens.
Danny Joe lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and two children. He has been in the field of early childhood development since 2000 and is a passionate advocate for children and their parents and caregivers in the classroom and online. He is not playing a part. In order to address the complex topics of our age, Danny Joe knows that he must build trust with the families he strives to serve over time by consistently offering his true self on screen.
He researches, tests and writes all of the scripts, facilitates the content collaborations with the cast and parents, designs and builds the sets and puppets, is the puppeteer for all of the Tree House puppets, and writes the majority of the songs.
Knowing Your Worth and How to Get It!
This is a workshop on how to define the qualities a professional Nanny posses, learning how to honestly self-evaluate your professional performance, and how to advocate for yourself in a respectful and professional manner.
Shanae Lewis is the Co-Founder and Operations Executive of Nanny By Design. Shanae has a B.S. in Public Health from UNCG and a Master's in Nutrition from NC A&T. She hopes to incorporate her passion for children's health and wellness into the business by providing programs to her employees, members, and the community. Shanae is hands on with building and nurturing relationships between the agency and its members and employees. She handles all of the "behind the scenes" duties of the company. She enjoys being a relatable face of the company. When Shanae has spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, being active, blogging, DIY projects, and interior design.
LeAnna Nash is the Co-Founder and Placement Executive of Nanny By Design. LeAnna graduated from High Point University and also received her Teaching License from Greensboro College. LeAnna has a passion for children and has experience with them through many different outlets including nannying, teaching, and being a children's theater choreographer. LeAnna specializes in getting to know both members and employees of Nanny By Design to really individualize each placement. She builds and nurtures the relationship between the agency, members, and employees throughout the entire placement process. In her spare time, LeAnna enjoys spending time with her family and friends (and dogs!), traveling, the film industry, and occasionally babysitting for the families she still has longstanding relationships with.
Helping Siblings Get Along
The sibling relationship is a source of great friendship as well as potential stress and and heartache. We know that children need skills to ensure they can meet our expectations. That means that helping siblings bond, avoid power struggles, and communicate effectively is up to adults! Join me to better understand the sibling dynamic and learn how you can maximize the power of this unique relationship.
Sheena Hill is in private practice at Parenting Works where she offers virtual and in-person education and support for parents and professionals who seek to deepen their understanding of development and attachment while masterfully applying concrete skills in emotional intelligence, limit setting, and communication. She lives in Baltimore with her 2 children, enjoys hiking on local trails, and has never met a pie she didn't like.
Hosting an iNNTD event
If you have considered hosting a local event or are planning one for 2020, come and discuss issues first hand with Sue Downey regarding all things iNNTD.
10:45-12:00
Managing Triggers: Respond Instead of React
Do you find yourself flustered and frustrated in the moment, despite knowing what you "should" do? Are you "losing it" more often than you'd like? It can be easy to make empty threats or do and say things you regret when you're angry. Learn the basics of identifying and managing the things that most push your buttons, so you can stay calm and in control of yourself!
Sheena Hill is in private practice at Parenting Works where she offers virtual and in-person education and support for parents and professionals who seek to deepen their understanding of development and attachment while masterfully applying concrete skills in emotional intelligence, limit setting, and communication. She lives in Baltimore with her 2 children, enjoys hiking on local trails, and has never met a pie she didn't like.
The Mini Portfolio
Having a portfolio when interviewing is very important but leaving a mini portfolio behind with your potential employers is a game changer. When searching for the right nanny, parents interview many candidates,but how do they remember them all, who said what and who stood out the most? In this workshop you’ll learn how a mini portfolio can not only push you to the top of the list of candidates and make you memorable, but, can also get you future jobs.
Angela Johnson Sutherland is known to some as the “baby whisperer” and others as “the Third Parent” and to most of us as “Ask The Nanny”. Her love of children began at the early age of 11 when she started babysitting. She has worked with children in various ways for the past 41 years as a Newborn Care Specialist, a Preschool teacher, a Baby Sign Language Instructor, new Parent Coach, Nanny and more. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education with a certification in Special Education. In addition to her work with children and families, Angela has found mentoring nannies, sharing her strengths, professional experiences and business ideas with others in the child care field gives her great pleasure. From this passion, she started a Live podcast called Ask The Nanny. Its mission is to educate, elevate, encourage and empower the nanny community.
Nanny Curriculum Planning Tips
This course will teach nannies why curriculum planning is important, and how to plan and incorporate curriculum planning into their daily schedules. Nannies will get tips on how to start planning, picking and organizing themes, creating sensory play, and planning activities that build skills in various areas. Nannies will also have access to supply lists, storage solutions, and online resources.
Kelly Smith is a professional nanny in Seattle Washington, who is passionate about nanny curriculum development. She first became a nanny in 2005 but after a few years of struggling in the industry, moved onto daycares where she took Child Development and learned how to plan curriculum. With a new skill set, she returned to nannying. In 2012, Kelly started her website, ThePlannedNanny.com, with accompanying facebook page in the hopes to guide other nannies in planning their own curriculum for their charges.
Working with School Aged Kids
This session will focus on working with children who are 8 years old and up. Having charges who are balancing schoolwork, puberty, changing relationships with parents and social pressures can be tough. Especially for many nannies who have expertise in the early years but feel frustrated with pre teen and teenage kids. We will review basic developmental milestones for these ages and discuss tips and tricks to navigate the “later years”. This presentation is very interactive and welcomes sharing from all who work with these age groups.
Sue Downey has worked with kids of all ages including a few college kids who needed some help on the way to being fully adult. She went to college to be a high school Communications teacher but decided that was a little too much like a “real job” so she landed in the world of being a nanny. Most of Sue’s jobs have been long term placements, lasting at least 3 -4 years. She has been a camp counselor, youth group leader, car dancing instructor and survived hair flipping, eye rolling, over reacting and a great deal of drama.