Monique S. Nanny in Duarte, CA 91010. Looking for work as a live out nanny.

Greetings, To share with you a little about myself and try to not be boastful all at the same time I will with confidence say, that I am wonderful with children! I am definitely a kid at heart and i could make a fun and learning time out of pretty much any situation. When people see me with kids, they almost always comment on how well i connect with them. I have been around and cared for children my whole life, from younger siblings, to younger cousins, to neighborhood kids, to volunteering at my church nursery for many years throughout high school, and most recently frequently caring for my niece (almost one year old) who lives in the same household as I. I have cared for children ranging in age from infant to pre teen. I also was a registered care giver for my grandmother for several years, and before that when she had a quadruple bypass heart surgery, i nursed her at home while she was in recovery. I enjoy teaching children, and encourage them to have a healthy curiosity to learn, also to train them to love and respect people and thus love and honor God. I truly enjoy cleaning as odd as that can sound. I have yet to live in my very own home, so as i have always lived with family and housemates, i have grown to really enjoy serving others. And if that means i clean so they don't have to, it is worth it. When i stay and visit with friends or family, they tend to want me to move in, because how helpful i am around the house.I enjoy cooking healthy food. I am outgoing, trustworthy, professional, very detailed, a hard worker, and i love people! I highly value getting to know you and building relationship as you get to know me as well.

I took the liberty in asking/answering some important questions you may have below:

Do you smoke? I do not smoke, never have and I definitely don't plan on starting. How well do you like pets ?Any allergies? I enjoy pets and i have no allergies, i have pets here where i live...Now tarantulas and snakes i'm not so sure i would enjoy caring for them, that would be a challenge!  :) Do you drink alcohol? I do not drink alcohol, same as the smoking thing... Do you speak any languages other than English? I speak some spanish and actually feel more comfortable speaking it to children than adults. What are your education goals? Education goals...I truly enjoy learning. And i make sure to make that a part of my everyday life, with reading, researching what i'm curious about, and being a student of life. In this season of my life, my focus has been on music ministry and funding those efforts.  As far as formal education i have completed a years worth of classes for an AA degree, i do hope to return back to school in the future, to study Theology, Business, and maybe Sociology. Have you ever been treated for mental illness/depression? No, I have never been treated for a mental illness. How many children do you feel comfortable caring for? Depending on the age, i know i would have my limits as far as being overwhelmed. If there were up to maybe seven  8 yr. olds i think i would be ok. Now if there were seven toddlers, thats probably going to be rough for me, as that age group requires a different kind of care and attentiveness. If the children are under 2 years old, I think i would have to grow into being comfortable if there were more than 2 children to care for at once, but it's definitely possible. What ages do you prefer to care for? If i wanted something that came easier to me based on the fact that i am such a goof and can relate so well to kids because i partly feel like i'm a kid in an adult's body a lot of the time, i would say working with 5 and 6 year olds suits me very well. But if i had a preference based on the reward of the responsibility, it would probably be between infant and 4 years old, those years being so crucial for a child's development. I take very serious the role i play in my one year old niece's life, as a definite  shoe-in for influence and a piece of her environment. Since she was born i have been with her just about everyday. I am someone she sees consistently, and I try my best to live a positive God honoring lifestyle that is an example for her to model after, encourages her to grow, builds Godly character, nurtures and uses every opportunity to teach her something that is invaluable for her life's journey. I LOVE children... At any age!  It's just during those years there is so much that is being shaped in this little person, and man, i live to pour out! As God continues to pour into me and change my life, i will always have so much to give. And to see a child develop in a healthy way during those years is a wonder to my soul! Any chance i have to do that with any child  on a consistent basis is a blessing and an honor and is such a priceless gift to me.

Are you CPR and first aid certified? Ye, I am CPR and First Aid certified. What are your weaknesses/limitations? If i had to pinpoint a weakness in my life that i try hard to work on, i'd say, having so many aspirations, great ideas, and vision and not always following through with accomplishing them.  Whether because of lack of skill or know how, or maybe sometimes lack of determination, focus, or self confidence, and an extra dose of discouragement from hitting walls and not feeling supported by loved ones, or maybe it's a perfectionist thing related to pride, i'm not always sure what it is.  I thank God that He has imparted wisdom to be able to self reflect and strength to grow in these areas, i have  most definitely come a long way! What are your strengths? Strengths? I feel like I do pretty good with communication. I LOVE people and i enjoy building genuine relationships. Only because of Christ am I able to see past emotion and mis-guided self expression to the deeper things in a persons heart, and able be aware of honoring another person over myself, and looking out for their interest. I fail, i fail often, but gracefully i grow each time.  I am a natural leader. SInce i was a kid, my friends would say we're bored, and right away i would say, "ok  guys, this is what we're gonna do so we're not bored...we'll do this and then we'll do that and Valerie you'll do this!..."  It is against my nature to sit back passively and let things run. I am the one at the party cutting the cake, leading the games, directing the people, guiding the opening of presents, and the same in everything across the board, directing the people who are willing to follow. One thing that experience has taught me is, to be a good leader you have to first be a good follower, and to be a better leader you have to be willing to be a better follower! I am grateful for the strong leaders that have taught me and led me throughout my life. With all that said I can always grow more in this! And i am!

What do you like to do your free time? Free time? I like to be productive with my time and i try really hard to do that so to be honest i'm not sure if i would define "free time" the same as the next person would. Occasionally i enjoy a movie ( i think because its a creative outlet i appreciate it differently than those who may not be as endowed in creative thinking), but most of the time if i'm watching a movie, it's likely because i'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with goals that i may have on my plate and i just want to do something that is a little less mindless and involved and more natural to me. I really like to read and writing comes easy to me so i enjoy it. How many people are in your family?  And what is your relationship with them like? In my immediate family i have 2 sisters and 1 brother. I was raised by my grandmother (nana) and father. My older sister knows me more than anyone on this earth. We are different in many ways but at the same time very close and knit together. I have always been the mom, i have always bossed her around, given her advice that she doesn't ask for, and corrected her in love where i see fault. Doesn't mean she always receives it, haha, but we get along well together. My father lives  in Alhambra and he is very special to me, we talk almost every day. I value the role he has played in my life attempting to be both my mother and my father. I also value his very human decisions that didn't always benefit and look out for the best interest of my older sister and I, but have undoubtedly shaped me into who I am today and gracefully ddriven me into the arms of my Savior Christ. My mother and father split up when i was just a baby, so my mom and I weren't very close until after i turned 18 because my father had full custody of my sister and I. Now my mother and I are great friends who are learning more and more about each other's hearts. My grandmother who helped my father raise me (i call her nana), she is still my nana.   She yells at me, she baby's me, and she frustrates me when she doesn't take care of herself. All in one! I was her caretaker for awhile . Up until 4 and a half years ago, we lived together and had never been separate since i was born. But situations changed and she now lives together with my uncle and I live with another family. Now i still assume the responsibility of  occasionally taking her to run errands and to doctor appointments. My other 2 siblings live with their father, my step-dad and we definitely aren't as close as my older sister and I, mainly because we weren't raised together. But they are my little brother and sister and I adore them and look out for them as much as i possibly can.  What jobs have you had in the past? Since i was 18 I've had 4 main jobs. And all of them have been in customer service. From Jamba Juice ( a smoothie place), to a grocery store, to banking.  I have learned a great deal especially in the areas of my strengths, such as differences in good and poor communication, serving people, and ultimately loving people. Before i was 18, like i mentioned in the application, I worked as a baby-sitter. Since i was a very young age, i cared for younger siblings, newborn cousins, all the neighborhood children, friend's of friends children, i worked every sunday in the nursery with infant - 3yr olds for 4 years. The most i cared for at one time all by myself was 5 children, all between ages 7 and 12. Also consistently throughout high school i cared for 3 children, 2 boys and a girl, ages 3- 10. About 5 years ago, i did overnight care for an old mentor's then 1 and a half year old baby. Within the past 3 years, i have had the joy of being an auntie (in spanish... tia) to 2 boys and a girl. And this is for the family whom i have lived with for the past 4 and a half years. My niece who i mentioned earlier is the more involved and recent experience, because we live in the same household and an 18 month old now that i consistently nanny for. Have you been a past nanny? Where do you get a job? As i mentioned i have been a nanny in the past, all of the jobs that i have done in the past were by word of mouth or friends or family. And currently i am a nanny to an 18 month old little girl in San Marino working 4 days a week ending around 3pm every day.  Are you interested in taking classes? Oh i am definitely open to taking classes on how to better care for children. Even now, since i recently started nannying more consistently I have found myself sitting at a website studying child development or the amount of time breast milk is good for after it is pumped, etc. :)

How assertive are you? Do you feel you are good at communication? I can definitely communicate when i want something done or when i want something to stop. I believe in being loving and firm in discipline when the situation calls for it.

  I hope for the opportunity to meet you and your family!