About Kara

Kara came to our family on extremely short notice when we were hit with an unexpected childcare gap during an already mercilessly hectic period. When she started, we were a month out from a cross-country move, with a one-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy who have wildly different temperaments and wildly different appetites for risk. So: a month before their whole world turns over, and in the meantime they're processing all of it at home while contractors and real estate folks whir around every which way. And that's the cliff's-notes version — it leaves out several other major life milestones stacked on top. As I said, mercilessly hectic. I would have completely understood if a nanny took one look on Day 1 and decided this was too much chaos and bailed. That's exactly how I knew Kara was the best find from the start: she wasn't just undaunted by the madness, she tamed it immediately. She's incredibly adaptable, endlessly creative, and remarkably good at communicating with each kid exactly the way that kid needs to be communicated with. What stood out most was her steadiness. She was punctual every single day, unfailingly kind and respectful, and she never once made me feel judged for the chaos she'd walked into. She cooked for the kids, got both of them onto the same nap schedule (a small miracle, truly), and was endlessly observant about what each child needed in any given moment. But what I'll be most grateful for is how much she taught me without ever once lecturing or talking down. When I asked her why a certain approach worked so well with my son, she turned out to be a fount of knowledge — thoughtful about why she did what she did, and about how to actually read a kid like mine. She helped me learn to communicate boundaries more clearly and more calmly, and that's a gift I know will long outlast her time with us. If you're lucky enough to get the chance to hire Kara, do it. She's warm, capable, deeply knowledgeable, and we feel genuinely fortunate she came into our lives exactly when she did. Now if only I could convince her to move across the country with us; alas, let our loss be your gain!