About me

Hello! I grew up in the Upper Midwest, the second oldest of my three sisters. We were a wild, creative bunch (especially when you factor in all the animals we had: puppies, bunnies, hamsters)! And, maybe because we were so rowdy, I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid. If I wasn't outdoors pretending to be Laura Ingalls Wilder or imagining my bike was actually a pony, I was either reading or writing little stories in my Lisa Frank notebook. As one of the oldest in my family sphere, I could always be found caring for my infant and toddler cousins and even earned the name “Special Sammi” from one of them. I began officially babysitting at 13 - although I had been looking after my younger sisters and cousins long before that - and shortly after became a Red Cross Certified Babysitter. Even today, I am known among my family’s friends as the “nanny” and often get tapped for date nights. Throughout school, I participated in theatre, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and was editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper. After school, I decided to take an alternative route. I wanted to travel and childcare offered the perfect opportunity! Since then, I have lived in 5 countries and visited 5 others.

I have been a childcare professional for 10 years now. My first position was in Italy where I cared for two boys (ages 2 and 4) at the beach for 8 plus hours a day. I supplemented their English school lessons with songs and games, made sure to reapply sunscreen, and kept them safe by the sea. This family asked for me to return the following summer but it unfortunately did not work out. After Italy, I worked for two families on the East Coast. The first family had a set of triplet boys (age 3) who loved getting outdoors and going to the library. The second family had three kids (3 months, 3 years, 5 years) and we loved going to the science museum, for walks by the river, and to bookstores for hot cocoa and a new read. I believe some semblance of routine is essential for making kids feel safe and happy but I also love to work in lots of adventures! In 2015, I moved to New Zealand where I cared for twins (4 months) on a farm. I stayed with this family for two years and have been back to visit three times since! One thing I pride myself on in my career is my ability to make lasting connections with children. It’s important to me to treat them with the same respect I would treat any other friendship and find that I earn the children’s respect in return. I traveled domestically and internationally with this family and also watched the children 24/7 for 10 days while their parents were abroad. The family in New Zealand also offered to have me on for another year but I felt there was still so much of the world I wanted to see! When I returned to the United States, I worked as a teacher’s aide for three first grade classes in the public school system. I ended up missing the close connections that come with childcare so I took a position watching two girls (ages 1 and 3) full-time until a spot opened up for them in their preschool of choice. I was the sole caregiver for 2 plus weeks while their parents traveled abroad. Over the summer, their three older siblings (ages 11-13) were also included in my responsibilities. We were always at the local history museum and nature parks! At the natural end of that position, I moved to Norway and cared for four boys (ages 4 month twins, 3 years, and 5 years). I spoke English with them, taught them songs, helped the infants reach developmental milestones, and did light household tasks. In Norway, I took language classes (my Norwegian is passable but I wouldn’t say fluent quite yet!) and participated in many cultural customs and holidays. Once again, this family offered another year of employment but I felt a need to be closer to family at that time and regretfully declined. After returning to the US, I took a position caring for a 2 year old girl. We made lots of art together, explored waterfalls and museums, and had lots of little coffee dates. I held this position as part of a team of nannies so when I wasn’t caring for the child, I was doing household laundry, receiving packages, meal prep, light housework, and other various household tasks and errands. I traveled domestically and internationally with this family as well. I then took a part-time position back in my hometown watching two boys (ages 5 months, 3 years). I helped the older boy work through some picky eating habits and helped the younger reach developmental milestones. (Naturally, because he wanted to keep up with his older brother, he was a big risk-taker so part of my job was to help him safely manage those risks! Like teaching him very early on how to turn around before climbing off couches and stairs!) All of my positions have included following and adjusting daily routines, laying children down for naps, child meal prep, laundry, and tidying. I am still in contact with many of the families I have worked for in the past! I am always sending out handfuls of postcards with addresses all over the world. I like to think that even something as small as a postcard can help expand a child’s worldview.

I fell naturally into the childcare profession. I have always seen children for what they are: people. I believe they deserve the same respect, care, and agency as any adult. I find I am able to easily intuit and meet their needs even though they may not have the language or tools to communicate them. Additionally, it’s important to me to become part of a team with the parents so the child knows where the boundaries are and can feel safety and stability in that. Because of this, I adapt easily to new parenting styles (having worked in different countries with different parenting cultures, this has been essential!) and feel confident offering up my own ideas based on my experience as well. I have experience with parenting philosophies ranging from Montessori to 100% free-range. I also consider the childcare profession one that requires “continuing education” and I’m always looking to learn more about the best ways to interact with children whether that means researching, reading childcare books (recently read No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy Resilient, and Confident Kids!), or listening to podcasts. In addition to all my experience and “continuing education”, my own family is very important to me and I believe its place at the top of my priority list helps me step into other families and do what I can to facilitate ease and happy memories.

It’s a cliche but true nevertheless: children are our future. The opportunity to help shape their lives into ones of wonder and compassion and bravery is a gift I am grateful to have.