About Michelle

Being the eldest of five children, childcare was kind of thrust upon me and luckily I came to love it. I have experience caring for children from 0-13 years old and great references. Aside from being an older sister, my background in childcare includes working at two day cares, being a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor, a children's choir director, a babysitter and nanny for various families. I also participated in a six month study abroad program in Italy where I served as a teaching assistant. I am comfortable with children of all ages and have experience taking care of multiples, including twins. All of the babies I've cared for have been the parents' first child so I have also extensive experience creating routines and schedules. I'm also very comfortable with bathing, diaper changing, feeding, burping, soothing and swaddling. As time goes on I introduce pureed foods, solids, potty training, etc. With older kids I'm comfortable with meal prep and planning, pick up/drop offs, homework help, arts and crafts, etc. In each situation I aim to partner up with parents to figure out and implement whatever they feel is best for their child. I enjoy working with children because I find something inexplicably refreshing about being around such happy, curious little beings. The opportunity to watch them learn and discover the world never ceases to amaze me. To me childhood is the most important time in every person's life because it pretty much shapes your perception of the world and I take that responsibility very seriously. Whether that means providing lots of hugs, kisses and smiles for a baby, helping a toddler conquer the potty and the playground or mastering a simple recipe or spelling list with an older child. As far as education is concerned, I possess a B.S. in Legal Studies (which is something of a pre-law, political science, criminal justice hybrid) and a B.A. in psychology with a focus on child development. Once upon a time I wanted to get into family law, now I'm more interested in social work. I love to read and continue to educate myself on various things, including the latest methods, techniques and theories on childcare. After reviewing my credentials, meeting me in person and speaking with both my references and myself, I'm sure you will feel at ease and be sure that you can trust me with your most precious gem(s)!