About me

I was born to a Ukrainian mother and Russian father, but moved around a lot as a child, with our final destination being Australia. I finished my high school, bachelor, and master degree in music and education at the University of Melbourne. I've worked in this field for over 17 years and have worked both in primary/secondary schools & privately. Apart from teaching, I have 10 years of experience as a nanny and this was a very natural step from teaching due to my background. I have taken care of ages as young as 4-5 months and into the early teens.

I’m very passionate about caring for children & believe you need empathy, patience & a natural desire to do the work. As a teacher, I understand it’s important to set milestones/goals for each child. Whether it's working on their sensory/motor skills, improving at a subject in school, learning to socialize if they are shy or simply making sure I take them out to learn something new each week. Many families that I have babysat for had children who took music lessons & my expertise helped them highly when it came to advancing faster and making practicing a habit. These skills also flourished into other areas of life such as developed discipline, patience, social skills & boost self-esteem. I'm very happy to teach any child that desires to learn.

I value health/fitness & being active is a big part of my life. I regularly attend the gym, swim, box and watch what I eat. My active lifestyle spreads to the children I babysit and I like to play games & activities that will get them moving & build healthy habits. I’m multi lingual & speak English, Russian, Serbian, understand Ukrainian and beginner Spanish. I've volunteered for ASPCA & have experience in dog waking. I adore animals and am extremely comfortable with pets of all kinds. I have the ability to feed, clean, cook, do light housework & help with homework.

I honor children and value every part of their growth. I nurture creativity, encourage kindness, promote self-worth, respect of others & invite intellectual self-discovery. I'm a creative mind, multi-talented, and patient. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child grow and progress while in my care. The fact that I am with the child for a significant amount of the day makes me realize I largely influence them and can impact their lives. It is a huge responsibility, but also an honor and a privilege.