Dear Lakeside Nest Family Care Co-op Team,
Before I sat for families on my own, I spent a school year as the Patel family's mother's helper, handling bottle feedings and diaper changes for their infant and walking their two older kids to and from elementary school. That year taught me the quiet parts of childcare that parents notice most: a feeding log that stays accurate, a pickup that happens on time, a play area picked up before mom and dad walk back in. Since June 2023 I have carried that same steadiness across five Madison families, and a co-op like Lakeside Nest runs on exactly that kind of trust between parents about who they hand their kids to.
In my current sitting work I often manage up to three siblings per shift, covering meals, naps, and bedtime routines without losing track of who needs what. One of the families I care for has a child with a peanut allergy and an EpiPen plan, so I prepare meals around dietary restrictions and stay calm about safety rather than anxious. I also supervise homework and reading, and over one semester I helped a second-grader raise his weekly spelling scores. Parents keep rebooking me because I text real-time updates on meals, mood, and anything that comes up.
My American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid, CPR, and AED certification is current, and I completed the Red Cross Babysitting Basics course back in 2022 before I ever took a paid evening. Every family I sit for now is glad to give a reference, and I can put you in touch with as many as your members want to call. If you send me a couple of dates that work, I will get on the calendar with you this week or next.