Nira S. › SmartSitting

Family Application

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I am currently a graduate student at Columbia University studying Mental Health Counseling and have future hopes of eventually becoming a psychologist! I have always loved children and felt a great connection with them. I’m hoping to find a great family to provide sitting for!

I’m from New Jersey and completed my undergraduate degree at Pennsylvania State University. Up until that point, I had gained experience with children from babysitting and working as an after-school and camp counselor. My hobbies including traveling—after graduating I went backpacking for a year, then worked in NJ as a residential counselor at a group home for adolescent mothers. This job included direct service with the adolescents and their young children (10 little ones under the age of 3 in one house!)I moved to NYC in the fall of 2010 to begin my graduate degree and immediately found work for two families on the UWS. I sat for both families throughout the entire school year and loved my time with them. I had so much fun spending time with the children (ages 1 through 6) around the city- taking them school, museums, parks, and playing with them in the home, as well as dinner/bath/bed preparation!

My hobbies include yoga, ballet, photography, painting, and baking. NYC has an amazing amount to offer and I try to take advantage of the wonderful culture, art and music whenever I get a bit of free time. I’m flexible and understanding that life can crazy and unpredictable and I always hope to reassure a family that I can be there for them when needed!

Education

Pennsylvania State University, graduated 2008

B.S. Psychology

Columbia University

Teachers College- M.A. Psychological Counseling, 2011
Ed.M. Psychological Counseling, 2012

Childcare experience:

10 years babysitter
1 year after-school counselor
2 summers as a camp counselor

Availability:

Thursday, Friday 4pm- midnight
Saturday until 6pm
Sunday any time

Long-term availability:

Available until June 2012

I will be SmartSitting while...

Being a full-time graduate student.

My childcare expertise lies in working with…

I am comfortable with infants, toddlers, pre-school and school-aged children.

Activities and skills I love to teach and share with children:

Yoga, ballet, photography, baking, reading and writing

Most memorable childcare experience:

I had a very memorable childcare experience while babysitting for a 6-year old boy. Last year, around the holidays, his mom asked me to take him to Grand Central to see the train show, which he was extremely excited about. I had spent much time with him building train tracks, reading books about trains, and teaching him about the different subway lines. The day was amazing for us; he enjoyed riding the subway down and his enthusiasm energized me as well. We spent about an hour where the train show was in Grand Central and then he showed me how the arch effect works in Grand Central (where you stand at opposite arches and can hear each other!). We got ice cream before heading on the subway back uptown. This day was really special for us and I loved my time with him, we shared true enjoyment during our trip to the holiday train show.