Babysitter Available in San Francisco, CA: Willa B.

$24.50/hr

10+ years of paid experience

A little bit about me

I am a current masters student studying Library and Information Science, with previous education in History, Poetry, and Visual Arts. I have over ten years of babysitting experience, as well as experience teaching poetry and writing to young children. I would be so excited to engage your kids creatively in developmentally appropriate art and writing activities. In my free time, I crochet, sew, and make quilts---all crafts I would be happy to share! I am originally from the east coast, and would love to keep exploring SF through more youthful eyes. I am a responsible and thoughtful person who invests deeply in the time I spend with kids---I think it's so important to take them seriously as little individuals, and really get to know them. In my future career, I plan to work in local history museums; interfacing meaningfully with children is an invaluable part of that work. Eventually, I hope to pursue a PhD focused on 19th century women's history in the USA.

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Looking For

Availability

Start: ASAP

Part-time

Occasional work

Live-out

Age Groups

Preschoolers

Grade-schoolers

How often do you need a babysitter?

Full-Time Part-Time

Qualifications

Other

Light housekeeping

Meal prep

Special needs

Work Experience

10+ years of experience caring for:

Toddlers (1-3 years)

Preschoolers (4-9 years)

Grade-schoolers (10-12 years)

More About Me

Relevant experience where I also cared for children were...

I have been babysitting for more than ten years for a number of families with children ranging in age from about 3 years old to 12, in groups of up to three children. I also worked as a poetry teacher for kids and teens at a library summer program, creating and implementing fun and developmentally appropriate poetry workshops. As a tour guide and assisting museum educator, I have assisted with field trip groups of elementary school children at historic sites, and understand how to get kids engaged in history and learning.

Activities I enjoy doing with children...

I love gardening with kids, who always so much excitement for the cycles of life that we can learn about from plants. I think it's great for kids to get their hands in some soil, be it a garden bed or a window box, to learn about what it means to take care of something. Arts and crafts projects, such as paper mache and making paper dolls, are another activity I love to share with kids, and to cater to their specific interests.

If the kids are interested, I would also be happy to do some creative writing with them, like writing a story based on art postcards that they pick out at random, or responding to a prompt to write a poem. Kids love to be challenged creatively, and its always a benefit to their broader education to know that writing can be fun!

I am also happy to assist with homework/tutoring, particularly in reading, writing, and history. I am experienced in academic writing and tutoring up to the college level, and am happy to help support kids with unique learning needs.

The most important part about being a nanny...

To me, the most important part of working with children is being interested and engaged in what is going on in kid's minds---really listening to them, and talking with them on their own terms whenever possible. In my experiences in the past as a nanny, I have found that we are most successful when friendship is as central to my goal as caretaking; when kids can see that a new adult takes them seriously, the possibilities for learning and growth only expand. I endeavor to be responsive, empathetic, and consistent as a caretaker.

My experience with special needs children...

I have cared for children on the autism spectrum, and am prepared to adapt to diverse sets of needs and communication styles. I am also experienced in caring for kids with ADHD. I myself was an ADHD kid, and can offer unique understanding and tested homework strategies for kids who might be struggling with that work.

The most important part about being a nanny...

I think my favorite nanny moment with some of my previous kids was when we worked together to pick apples from the tree in their yard, wash them, and make apple sauce. We got to spend some lovely time outside, working together, and got to talk a little bit about the importance of apple's in that regions history, the processes of grafting and pruning that orchardists use for their apple trees, and how we felt about worms in the fruit! It was so much fun to see the process through from start to finish, and engage the kids in a process that both they and I learned a lot from. We got to share the applesauce with their mom and dad. It was an exciting challenge, and also a very cozy and sweet thing to share.