Hi! My name is Natalie and I am currently attending graduate school online. I adore kids and have over 10 years of childcare experience across nannying, daycare, mentoring youth in foster care, and as a Crisis Counselor at a mental health program for teens.
I truly enjoy working with any age group, with the majority of my experience being with ages 2-17. My favorite thing about working with younger kids is getting to witness their imagination and creativity, and for older kids, I love to witness them come into their true identity as they find their place in the world.
While my personal approach to childcare is inspired in part by the RIE technique (which emphasizes respect, emotional attunement, independence, and allowing children space for authentic exploration and unstructured play), I have had the opportunity to work with such diverse families that I tend to begin my approach by asking the specific family I am working with what their needs are and what they are wanting from me, as I have received very different answers to those questions over the years! However, I do value time outdoors, limited screen time, and self-directed play.
In addition to childcare, I also have extensive experience caring for pets, including cats and dogs, and can hold other tasks such as household chores, errands, transportation, meal prep, homework help, and organization as needed.
Families I have worked with often describe me as patient, dependable, communicative, and highly intuitive with children. I genuinely enjoy building meaningful long-term relationships with both kids and parents, and creating environments where children feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves!
“Natalie kept my 2 kids (ages 2&4) entertained all day. She is warm, friendly, smart and caring. She brought some toys to immediately draw in my kids and distract from mom and dad leaving for the day. Highly recommend!”
