When your child does something wrong, consider why. If he slides paperclips into the DVD player, try to figure out why. When you do, you’ll realize that he’s watched you slide things into the player, so he’s mimicking your actions. By asking “why,” you see that he’s not misbehaving, he’s being curious about the world. The “discipline” involved is a lesson about how DVD players work.

End of the Year Happenings at NPNA

Hello, Everyone,

We have two fun events planned for the remainder of 2009:

On Saturday, Nov. 21st from 10:30-?, we will be having a Thanksgiving/Housewarming/November Meeting Brunch at Alina's new place in West Bend. I hope you can join us for great food and the company of nannies!

On Saturday, December 19th from 10:30-? We will be having a cookie exchange and lunch at my place!

If you are interested in attending either event, please contact me for an invite with more information! Contact: Mary Boyle at (262) 573-6678/northshorenanny@gmail.com

Halloween Craft Party and Brunch

Here we all are with our fun masks, courtesy of
Ms. Cindy the costuming nanny!

2009 PMNS Nanny Retreat in Lake Geneva

What a great time we all had at the PMNS Nanny Retreat in Lake Geneva!! The Inn was beautiful, the nannies were experienced and the weather was perfect! Prizes, sharing, problem solving, shopping and, to top it all off, a boat cruise! I'm looking forward to next year's retreat in Key Largo, FL!!

NPNA T SHIRTS

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NPNA at the Kentucky Derby Party at IPIC

Here we are - in fabulous hats - to enjoy the Kentucky Derby at IPIC at Bayshore Mall on Saturday, May 2nd. It was a blast! We enjoyed a delicious lunch, Kentucky Tea and Mint Juleps and IPIC's own version of the Derby (Bayshore employees racing on stick horses!) at 'Bayshore Downs' outside around the fountain. We watched the actual Derby inside on the big screens and won fabulous prizes - even though the horse I picked didn't even place! If it happens again next year, we'll be there - I hope you'll join us!

New Cards

Here are the new NPNA cards I had made. They will be available at the May meeting. Please take a bunch and pass them around to all of your nanny friends and favorite places to go!

Nannies Night Out

Please join us Thursday, March 26th at 6PM for NPNA's Members Only Nannies Night Out at Botanas in Walker's Point (www.botanasrestaurant.com)!!

Not an NPNA member yet? No worries! You can join anytime - including the night of the event! Membership to NPNA is $30/calendar year, and dues go towards our group membership to the INA and your individual membership to the NANC!!

We hope to see you at our Nanny Fiesta!!

Baby Nadia

At our February 28th meeting we had a baby shower for fellow NPNA member, Marcia Hall, who recently became the proud mother of little baby Nadia!

Marcia Hall nominated for INA Nanny of the Year!

One of our very own members, Ms. Marcia Hall, has been nominated for the INA (International Nanny Association) Nanny of the Year Award! The award will be presented at the INA conference in Dallas this April. Please join us in wishing Marcia good luck - she is an excellent representative for NPNA!! Go Marcia!

For more info. on the INA Conference, please go to: www.nanny.org

Next Door Foundation

NPNA has chosen Next Door Foundation for our Charity Focus in 2009. NDF is in need of both new and gently used children's books and volunteers for their Read to Me program. NPNA will collect children's books at every meeting during the year, so please set aside those extra copies of Dr. Suess and Goodnight Moon to donate!

Those of you interested in volunteering for the Read to Me program, please contact Debi Schwid at (414) 562-2929 x 109 or dschwid@nextdoormil.org. Read to Me is on Tuesdays from 1-3:30 and Wednesdays from 9-11:30. If you cannot commit to the whole time, that is okay. Books will be provided, or you can bring your favorites. Readers read to small groups of children, ages 3-5, in half hour increments. Being a reader is extremely rewarding and a great way to make a difference in our community!

2009 New Year, New NPNA

We are now entering NPNA's 3rd year (I founded the group in February of 2007). I am very proud of the accomplishments our little group has made, and prouder still of the friendships that have been made through the connection we all share by our dedication to our very special and unique profession. Still, I know that there are a lot of nannies out there who need our group, and I want to help them find us! My goal this year is to make the group more accessible to nannies, and more driven by it's members. To do this, I've made some significant changes for 2009 which I will discuss below:

• No More Board While initially it seemed smart to delegate authority, in fact, it often made it harder for our group to make progress (we nannies are a non-confrontational lot, for the most part:-) Also, though I want our group to continue to enhance us professionally, having a President, Secretary, Treasurer and Service Director seems a bit formal and intimidating to the nannies who really just need to network with other nannies. By commanding the infrastructure of the group (schedules, emails, memberships and blog), I free the other members to take initiative on the other activities (speakers, social events, volunteer work) and really make the group their own.
• Agencies as Supporting Members This issue has been a bit of a sore spot throughout the last two years, and it's past time to do something about it (see 'non-confrontational' above). NPNA is a support group for nannies, and nannies need to feel comfortable at NPNA meetings and social events. Placement Agencies should support the nannies they place, and joining NPNA as a Supporting Member is a great way to do it. Supporting Members' dues enable the nannies in our group to belong to professional organizations, such as the INA and NANC, as well as allowing NPNA to provide additional educational and professional benefits to its members. In turn, this creates a more knowledgeable and professional nanny, which is more marketable for the agency. It is a win-win situation! So, as of this year, Placement Agencies may be Supporting Members by invitation only, and they may not attend monthly meetings or social events unless they are sponsoring the event. For more details, see the "Membership Benefits" section of the blog.
• Focused Charity Some members are really into volunteer/charity work, and others can't manage it. No pressure! Nannies are often strapped for money and time, but as a group, we really can make a difference - and we'll make even more of a difference if we choose one organization to focus our efforts on on a yearly basis. Participation - and the level of participation - is voluntary. By doing this, we'll provide the opportunity for those who want it, without annoying those who don't!
  

It is my hope that by making these key changes our group will be more inviting to a broader community of nannies, as well as giving each of our members the opportunity to 'own' a little more of the group. That being said, bring your ideas and another nanny to the next meeting and 'be the change you want to see' in NPNA!!

2008 Member's Only Cookie Exchange

The cookie exchange on Dec. 20th at the home of NPNA Secretary, Mary Boyle, was a delightful time. Members enjoyed a lunch courtesy of Madame President, Natasha Loos, and each participant went home with a lovely assortment of cookies, shown above.

A Day For Meta House

On December 5th, several NPNA members attended A Day for Meta House. Meta House is a place for women recovering from substance and alcohol abuse and their children, and is one of the charities that NPNA supports.

National Nanny Recognition Week

National Nanny Recognition Week (NNRW) was September 21st -27th. The first NNRW was celebrated in 1998; started by Mary Cluman, the owner and editor of Nanny News. Shortly after, the event was adopted by NAN (National Association for Nannies), which has since become the APN (Association of Professional Nannies). This year, our group celebrated NNRW by doing some volunteer work for Next Door Foundation (Http://www.nextdoormil.org). Three of our members volunteered as readers for NDF's Read With Me program, and with help from local bookstore Harry W. Schwartz and our members, we collected a fair amount of books for the NDF book drive. Thank you to all who participated!

2008 PMNS Nanny Retreat

The 2008 Perfect Match Nannies & Sitters (PMNS) Fairy Tale Retreat at the Inn at Pine Terrace in Oconomowoc was a ton of fun! Great accommodations, great goodie bags, great speakers and, of course, great nannies!! We're already looking forward to next year in Lake Geneva! Thank you to our generous donors: Dermaspa in West Bend (www.dermaspaclinic.om), Tres Jolie Solace Salon/Spa in Thiensville (www.tresjoliesolace.com) and A Touch of Heaven Massage Therapy in Cedarburg (www.atouchofheavenwisconsin.com)!
For more pictures see: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=71299&l=cc3f7&id=593745538

The Benefits of NPNA Membership

Anyone employed in the in-home childcare profession is welcome to attend our monthly meetings at North Shore Library regardless of whether they are NPNA members (please feel free to come in and check out what we're up to!); however, membership has great benefits!

Nannies (Also: Doulas, Baby Nurses, Household Managers, etc.)

• Group membership to the INA (International Nanny Assoc.) and individual membership to the NANC (National Assoc. for Nanny Care) means you will be kept up to date on the nanny profession on a national level, as well as receiving discounts to the yearly conferences put on by both groups. Not only do these memberships enhance your professional skills and broaden your relationships with other nannies, it's an excellent addition to your resume. *These memberships are not available to placement agency members.
  
• NPNA offers numerous educational and professional development opportunities throughout the year, such as CPR & First Aid Certification and relevant speakers at our meetings.
• Networking. Nobody understands a nanny better than another nanny! NPNA offers additional social activities to members throughout the year, giving you plenty of opportunities to meet and talk to others who share your profession.
• Volunteer Opportunities. NPNA is a charitable group, working to improve the lives of children in our area. To date, NPNA has collected books and read to children for Next Door Foundation, raised money for Children's Hospital and donated a Hope Package for foster children through Kids Matter, Inc. We are always looking for ways we can get involved and help kids! Each year, NPNA will choose one charity to focus our efforts on, in order make a bigger impact. This aspect of our group is for those who want to participate in such activities. No member is or should feel required to participate.
  

Placement Agencies & other Supporters
Placement Agencies and other supporting businesses may join NPNA by invitation only, and are considered Supporting Members. Supporting Members may attend NPNA meetings or social events only if they are sponsoring the event or by invitation.

• Supporting Members may put out their brochures and business cards at monthly NPNA meetings - you won't find more direct marketing at a better price!
• Supporting Members will have a link to their websites on the NPNA blog.
• Promoting and supporting NPNA gives Supporting Members the opportunity to give back to the nannies they work with, while enhancing their image among the professional nanny community, as well as among their clients - it's a win-win relationship!

Join Northshore Professional Nanny Alliance today and
get involved in your profession!!

The NPNA Code

• NPNA is a social and charitable support and networking group for anyone involved in the in-home childcare profession in southeastern Wisconsin.
• NPNA is dedicated to improving and promoting the in-home childcare profession by offering support and continuing education to it's members.
• NPNA is a democratic group, meaning majority rules. Not everyone will always be happy with the decisions we make, but as with any democratic group, the best way to make your voice heard is to get involved. Please remember that everyone has something to contribute to our group.
• Keep it positive and open.
  
• NPNA uses INA Recommended Practices for Nannies and Agencies who are members of our group. If it is found that a nanny or agency member is disregarding INA Recommended Practices, that member may be asked to leave the group.
  
• If a member is asked to leave the group, no refund of membership dues will be given.
  
• NPNA respects the privacy of it's members, as well as their employers and charges, and encourages participants to do the same.
• Monthly meetings will be held from 10:30-12:30, generally on the fourth Saturday of every month in the Community Room at North Shore Library (6800 N. Port Washington Rd. in Glendale). The agenda for each meeting will be sent via email to the contact list about one week prior to each meeting. Meetings are open to any person working in the in-home childcare profession (ie., nannies, doulas, household-managers, baby nurses, etc.). Other members only activities will be arranged and announced separately to active members.
• NPNA is organized by founder, Mary Boyle; however, it is run by it's members. You are encouraged to bring your ideas to the group and make it your own!