About me

I recently moved to New York City from Florida in January to enroll in the 2-year honors program at New York Law School in Tribeca. In Florida, I regularly cared for multiple families with children of all ages, ranging mostly from 1 to 14 year olds. I am very crafty and outdoorsy and love to work on arts & crafts with children as well as helping them explore their surroundings!

I feel that time is best spent engaging with children rather than keeping them distracted with electronics and technology (although it can be useful for certain educational things). I am extremely motivated and optimistic, and I love to learn new things! I enjoy working with children because I feel that although there is much I can teach them, I learn a lot from them as well.

In my family, I am the third of six children and have always had a role in caring for my younger sisters. I was so proud to be the big sister and to be given responsibilities in caring for them. Now that I live in New York, I am lucky enough to be close to my older sister and her three adorable kids who I absolutely adore.

I like to think of my life as a balance between adulthood and my desire to never fully grow up. I love being around children because they always have the most sweet and funny things to say, and their outlook on life keeps me sane! There are only so many case files and legal definitions I can read through without needing to input some silliness into my life. In order to maintain that balance, I like to wander outside a lot, play piano, arts and crafts, and pretty much any other fun and simple form of entertainment.

Growing up with a doctor and drill sergeant as parents, I feel that I was given the best of both worlds. From my mom, I learned how to care for myself and others (my friends often jokingly call me “Dr. Janelle”)! I also learned how to be compassionate, patient, and gentle when dealing with injuries. From my father, I learned responsibility, punctuality, and organization. I prefer to stick to set schedules and plans, but am flexible and understanding in that this is not always possible, especially with children.

I previously cared for a family with two toddler boys and learned first-hand that most children don’t care much for scheduling and making plans. However, I learned to make the think on my feet and improvise activities, which made days exciting! I succeeded in teaching the eldest son (aged 4) how to fully comprehend and minimally speak basic Spanish! He was so proud to show off to his parents every day when they came home, and I must say, I was pretty proud as well.

With another family I previously cared for, I was responsible for preparing dinner for the children and at times, the parents, as well as regular childcare and bath/bed time activities. I’m very comfortable in the kitchen and have been cooking since my grandmother began teaching me when I was 11 years old. I love to cook! I love spending time with kids and learning from them while being able to teach them things along the way as well.

I believe that sitters should act as an extension of the parents' vision for their child, and I treat every child I care for as if he or she was a family member. I tend to pay very close attention to their likes and dislikes regarding activities, foods, and overall care-taking methods to make it an easy and fun time for the children I care for and their families!