Meet Christine, one of Town + Country Resources’ Temporary Nannies!

Town + Country has booked Christine in close to 90 temporary assignments. She gets great feedback from families, she is easy to work with, she’s punctual and reliable and kids love her! Basically, Christine is the ideal temporary Candidate. Christine recently accepted a permanent position, but we are continuing to place her in temporary assignments as Christine’s schedule allows.

Before Christine was a Nanny through T+C, she worked professionally as a Journalist. She had some On-call Nanny experience but she was not a career Nanny. Christine decided to pursue a position as a Nanny because she was ready for grandchildren, and her daughters, one of whom is a San Francisco resident, were not ready to have children.

We asked Christine a few questions about her experience with Town + Country:

What makes T+C different than other agencies?

A lot. I worked for another agency and never felt any real loyalty from them. The fact that T+C asks Nannies how they are doing makes T+C different. I feel comfortable picking up the phone and reaching out to the staff if there is a question or a problem and I know they will be responsive and caring.

I also like the meetings. Even though I only attended one event it made me feel part of something, not just a 4×6 index card in a file. I feel like that the agency is representing and taking care of me, not just their clients. That is a good feeling!

What makes working temporary assignments special?

It’s the best. Recently I accepted a permanent position, which I am very excited about because I love the family, but the year I spent picking up temporary work was something I will never forget. The Bay Area attracts people from so many different countries. Working in different homes was like taking a world tour every day. I worked with families who were from China, Korea, India, San Salvador, Iran, New York, Texas, Australia, Ireland, England, France, Germany and the Philippines. I am sure there were more that I am forgetting.

I spent an extended amount of time with a Chinese family who taught me how to prepare a delicious Chinese meal. That was a special treat! I worked with several families from India. One family taught me to make much better chai tea than Starbucks.

I had deep conversations about parenting, gender differences and politics with families I worked with. I felt valued by the parents and often the family was as interested in my culture and experiences as I was theirs.

I honed my skills as a professional Nanny while temping. Last year I worked for 40 families, mostly with babies and toddlers. Caring for culturally diverse children of the same age group helped me see child developmental stages in a new way. Most children develop in a similar way; babies have similar babbles and most children enjoy the same kinds of songs and games. It became profoundly clear to me that there are more similarities among us than differences between us.

During my time picking up temporary work, I became increasingly more comfortable meeting new people on a daily basis. I developed the ability to come in, sit down and play right away, which made parents and children feel far more comfortable. No day ever felt like the first day of a new job. It felt like the same job, just with different people. Because of this experience, I have changed the way I interact with people in all situations.

Another thing to note about my work with Town + Country is that I was not always with a new family. I developed personal relationships with families and children. More than half of my assignments were with families who requested me back. I looked forward to seeing these families on a fairly regular basis. These familiar relationships were a blessing for both the family, who often did not have family close by, and me. It was a joy to see familiar faces.

As a mother, I really struggled with the empty nest syndrome, being with children all the time brings me so much joy. I feel like I am a grandmother to children all over South Bay. Some families have stayed in touch with me, which is amazing. I never expected to develop so many relationships with so many people.

What fears did you have when you first started accepting temporary placements?

Initially, I was nervous to walk into the homes of strangers, but that was never a problem. Everyone was always very nice to me and their children were always fun. I worried I might run into situations with difficult children, but Town + Country is a full disclosure agency, so if the family provided information beforehand, T+C always let me know. Because it was a temporary position, it was never a long-term problem.

Would you encourage your friends to register?

If I had friends who were especially good with kids, absolutely! As a job and profession, it can’t be beat, if you love being with children all day. My temporary positions pay better than my job as a journalist did!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I was a professional photographer for many years and photography is still a great passion of mine. I love taking photos because we live in such a beautiful area in California. Currently, I am writing a book and I love to garden. Many of the children in my neighborhood garden with me.

Do you feel supported by our team here at T+C?

Yes, very much so!