Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
you're listening to
adventure nannies on air.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
In each episode,
we'll dive into a topic from the
wide world of nannying fromwhat to pack for your next
adventure, professionaldevelopment opportunities,
industry standards, legal payand anything else we see
crossing our desks at adventurenannies, the nationwide agency
for families, nannies, privateeducators and newborn care
specialists.
I'm Danielle, I'm Shenandoahand this is Adventure Nannies On
(00:36):
Air.
The policies and viewsexpressed in this episode are
those of the individuals and donot necessarily represent the
views of Adventure Nannies Alsothis episode has a little salty
language in it and may not beappropriate for kids.
(01:03):
Welcome.
Welcome, angela.
How are you today?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I'm good and busy.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I am good.
It has been so exciting.
I think Danielle and I havegotten to see you a few times in
the last year at Nannypaloozaand then again at INA and you
are one of those amazing peoplewhere I feel like every time I
see you, you are doing some newthing, that you are one of those
amazing people where I feellike every time I see you, you
are doing some new thing thatyou are just wildly successful
at out of the gate, like I'mstill.
(01:32):
I bought so much jam fromangela's palooza conference I'm
down to my last jar.
It's just all been in myfreezer hiding.
I have it almost every morning.
It it's so delicious.
And then, of course, at the INAconference, it was so excited
(01:52):
to see you get.
Crowned isn't the right word,but I'm going to use it anyways
because that's what it felt like.
Crowned nanny of the year.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
How's it feeling for
you these first few months of
nanny of the year?
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
wow of nanny of the
year, oh wow.
I just I'm still overwhelmed.
Sometimes I still can't believeit.
I know that I have worked hardand my dad used to call me
you're the super nanny.
You're the super nanny and likeoh yeah, but your dad, you're
supposed to say that, but whenyour peers recognize you, it's
(02:27):
totally different, it's a wholenew level.
So I am still on cloud nine, 10and 11.
Just trying to take it all in.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
How did you find out
that you had been nominated by
email?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
No way, mail from the
INA and I almost deleted it.
I was like, oh, they just wantto know.
I'm thinking, okay, so theyhave selected the nominees.
Okay, well, I'll just waituntil the picture comes up and
I'll see who the nominees are.
And someone told me read theemail.
(03:04):
So I read the email.
I was like, oh my god, that'sme it was.
It was incredible.
I was like that's what Kimberlywas doing, because my best
friend, kimberly uh Brown, shecontacted me early that morning.
It's like nine o'clock.
She says so, how many kids doyou have and when is your
(03:27):
birthday?
What are you up to?
Oh, I'm just doing the thingfor the training day, it'll be
all right.
I was like training day is notuntil July or next year.
Okay, whatever, maybe she needssomething early.
And when I found out it was herand I was like I don't think
(03:55):
we'll have to something and shejust laughed.
But I didn't find out that itwas over 20 people until after
they announced that I won.
I was like, say what?
I was just totally just like,oh my goodness.
(04:16):
And I heard that it broke arecord, that she got together
like 20 some odd moms, nannies,even some of the husbands of the
nannies nominated me becauseI've met several of them, so it
was just oh wow, it was justincredible, and I'm still
(04:37):
laughing about it today becauseshe got me.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
She's a good guy.
I, as you know, also just loveyour best friend, Kimberly Brown
, and to me it's no surprisethat she would do that and that
she would organize a way foryour incredible work to be
highlighted looking out.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well, I guess I could
say we're always looking out
for each other because I, I dothings behind the scenes and
she's like why did you?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
do that.
I was like mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
So we don't keep
score.
We just, you know, hold eachother up and accountable to each
other and make sure that wehave what we need.
And that's why I love thiscommunity so much, because we
can rely on one another.
And that's why I love thiscommunity so much, because we
can rely on one another.
And that's why I do what I dowith the Nanny community.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Let's act like people
listening.
Maybe have never heard of you,which is probably impossible,
but pretend.
Can you give us like a fiveyears back, where were you and
what happened and how thingsprogressed?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Five years back in
2017, I got hurt at work.
The doctor told me that Ineeded to quit and I said
boo-hoo, boo-hoo, boo-hoo.
I was sad, I grieved likesomebody just died.
I was grieving, crying, and mydad watched me for about three
(06:04):
weeks and said okay, it's timefor you to get up.
You're the super nanny.
You got things to do.
And from there I said okay, Igot to find a way to stay in
this community.
I got to find a way to workwith kids.
That's my life.
So I went online.
I found the INA.
They were advertising theInternational Nanny Training Day
(06:26):
.
I talked to my husband.
I said well, I'm not workingnow, and he said you're going.
You're going Period.
You're going.
Got there, met Chevelle.
Chevelle introduced me toStephanie.
Stephanie said you need to goon Facebook Live.
You got a story to tell.
I was like no, not me, don'tyou hear me stuttering?
(06:48):
I'm country.
I got this Southern twangaccent.
No, people don't want to hearwhat I have to say.
So, fast forward.
I started the Fast forward.
I started the.
It wasn't even the Ask theNanny show, it was just.
I went online with Chevelle,talked about becoming a newborn
(07:12):
care specialist and it was doingNational Nanny Recognition Week
.
I had somebody every night thatweek and I was done.
I was like, okay, I went, Itold them, sorry, I'm done.
And then everyone's like well,where did you go?
And so I came back and therewas one listener and I was so
disappointed but I kept goingand kept going and kept going to
(07:36):
.
There were thousands.
And then it wasn't just Facebooklive, then it was it was
Instagram, and then YouTube, andthen I got on TikTok in 2021,
during the big snowstorm thathappened here in Texas.
It was a fluke.
I posted a video about makingformula and it got 10,000 views
(08:00):
and I was like and then fromthere I just kept posting videos
.
So then I became this famousperson on TikTok and from there,
in the meantime, in betweentime, I'm still nannying, I'm
still teaching families, I'mstill being an NCS and for those
of you who don't know what NCSis newborn care specialists my
(08:24):
specialty is infants andtoddlers.
I've cared for over 39 sets oftwins.
It just went on and on and onand every Monday night you could
count like clockwork.
Angela was going to besomewhere on social media doing
(08:45):
Ask the Nanny.
I think you all were on Ask theNanny too.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Probably more than
once, but I just wanted to
everyone to come together in ourcommunity and learn from one
another.
That was my first objective wasto learn from one another,
because I haven't been in, Idon't know everything, I haven't
lived everywhere, and being ananny in Texas is totally
(09:12):
different than being a nanny inDC I know because I've done it
and also being a nanny in Texasis different than being in
Arkansas.
So it just depends on where youlive as to what type of nanny
you are and what yourresponsibilities are, and I
wanted everyone to find out andknow.
This is what nannies do.
(09:33):
I got Kathy from HomeworkSolutions to tell us about our
taxes and how we should be.
Our employers should be takingtaxes out, and a lot of nannies
didn't know that they were beingpaid under the table and I
(09:53):
don't think that's fair becausefirst of all, we need to have
social security.
A lot of us don't have aretirement and social security
is part of that, and if we'repaid under the table, we don't
get that.
We don't get workers'compensation if we don't get
taxes taken out.
If something happens at work,we're either gonna be struggling
(10:15):
and out of a job and you know,as a nanny.
They will replace you just likethat.
You say, oh well, somebody elseis in here and you're out of a
job.
Then, on top of all of that,it's just a struggle being alone
in our community, and that'swhy I wanted to bring us
together too, because for 17years I was a nanny and I had
(10:42):
nobody to talk to.
I was just out there.
You know.
If I saw a nanny at the park,hey, how you doing.
And then I'd never see themagain because we never exchanged
information, we just played atthe park and that was it.
If we happened to be at thepark at the same time, yay.
And then some nannies were soclosed off that you know they
didn't want to talk to you.
So, as an individual beinglonely for a while like I say a
(11:09):
while, I mean for years I wantedpeople in our community to come
together and not be incompetition with one another,
but to collaborate with oneanother.
If I needed a fill-in, you knowI can count on you to fill in
for me.
I can count on you to.
You know, have my back.
(11:31):
Whatever the case may be, calland check up on me if I'm not
doing well.
Especially during COVID.
It was a horrible, horrible timefor nannies because we couldn't
decide.
Okay, you're supposed to stayat home.
No, you have to come to work.
Yes, you have to wear a mask.
(11:52):
No, you can't do this.
It was so many different rulesand regulations and it depends
on who you were working for asto whether you went in or you
didn't.
If you work for a doctor ornurse, yes, you're going to work
because guess what they have tobe at the hospital, but then
you're exposed to COVID becausethey're coming to the hospital.
So it's so many different thingsand so many different feelings
(12:15):
going around and I just wantedus to stop, take the time to
share our feelings, tocommiserate with one another and
help each other feel better.
Then also, I started a cookingshow during COVID because, hey,
I'm at home, I have nothing elseto do.
(12:35):
I love to cook, so I share mypassion with everyone.
I started cooking and everyThursday there was a cooking
show, and then I did also one onone.
Consultations with parents.
Online Zoom became very popularAll of these things I was doing
(12:57):
.
And now, right before COVID, Istarted Ask the Nanny Sunday
Socials and then I put Ask theNanny on the road and COVID cut
all that out.
So now Ask the Nanny is backand we're going on the road
again.
I love it, Look forward to usbeing in a city near you and
(13:19):
join us on Wednesday nights inEpic Professional Development on
Clubhouse Kimberly, and I do asegment, a piece.
She does the nanny professionaldevelopment.
I do the child care developmentso that if you're a newer nanny
and you want to find out somethings about child development
(13:42):
from infancy to three years old,come join us because we talk
about it all.
If you want to find out how tostart the hard conversations,
how to negotiate your contract,how to be your own HR department
, because we have no HRdepartment If we don't work for
an agency and even with agenciessometimes we still have to a
(14:04):
split second we have to make adecision Do we do this or don't
we do this?
So we have to essentially be ourown HR department.
So come and find out all thesedifferent things.
We also you can also find us onTuesday mornings on the Year of
the Nanny, where we do TouchyTopic Tuesdays.
It's not necessarily nannyrelated, it's just a topic that,
(14:26):
hey, it might get on yournerves.
We might poke you in the sideor step on your toes when we
talk about this topic, but itneeds to be talked about.
So, yeah, that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Yeah, and that's
probably still not half the
things that I do.
I was going to say I actuallyknow there's so much more that
you also have been doing.
There's jam, there's all ofthese other things that you've
been doing and attendingconferences, and the thing that
I think is so amazing about theway that you've supported the
folks in the industry is you'veoffered this ongoing sort of
mentorship by being there and byshowing up so consistently.
(15:03):
You are nanny of the year now.
You have, I'm sure, plans forhow you're planning to invest
your time.
Will you share a little bitabout what's ahead for you as
nanny of the year?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Well, as nanny of the
year, my message is you can end
a story.
There have been a lot of thingsthat could have disabled me, and
people have known about thosethings and told me what I
couldn't do and I couldn't doand I couldn't do.
(15:37):
And I know that, being a nanny,especially during these times
of COVID and all the things thatare going on in the world, a
lot of us get turned down, a lotof us get discouraged from
doing things, and I just want tolet you know don't let your
(16:00):
naysayers be the ones who decidewhat you do and what you don't
do, even if you have to do itdifferently.
Step outside the box.
Be that person that says okay,yeah, watch me, because I had to
do that.
(16:21):
I had to say look, I know thatI had an eye injury and I had to
wear these big goggles thatwere actually bigger than the
glasses that I have on now, andthe supervisors told me I
couldn't do it.
Well, we're going to give you achance, but I don't know if any
(16:42):
parents are going to respond.
They were so negative and I wasjust like okay, okay.
Watch me and I just took thatopportunity to to just push
myself forward and keep goingand keep doing.
I had to be extra and itstarted way back in 1991, 92,
(17:07):
that I had to be extra.
I had to go the extra mile toprove that just because I have
an inability doesn't mean I'mdisabled and I'm down for the
count.
Inability doesn't mean I'mdisabled and I'm down for the
count.
Inabilities can be overcome,they can be conquered.
I know a lot of nannies.
I'm in a group of chronicallyill nannies who have things that
(17:31):
are worse than what I have, andthey haven't let it stop them.
And that's one of the reasonswhy I'm in that group, because
we encourage one another.
And I just want to encourageall the nannies you can do this.
It may take you longer, but youcan do this.
I remember when I first wantedto go to Nannypalooza and I was
(17:53):
like, well, I can't afford this.
You know, I'm just a littlenanny and that's the way I
thought of myself.
I'm just a little nanny.
But you're not just a littlenanny and that's the way I
thought of myself.
I'm just a little nanny.
Well, you're not just a littlenanny, you are important.
Covid showed us that we areessential, we are needed.
The world goes around andrevolves because of childcare.
(18:15):
People are not going to stophaving babies, which means that
you will always be in demand.
Now, who you choose to workwith and I said with and not for
, because we work as a team.
I don't work with a family thatdoesn't see me as a team member
who disrespects me.
That's not what I'm here for.
(18:36):
I am here so we can worktogether so that you and your
children can have the best lifepossible, and that's what I want
all the nannies to know.
You are important and you cando this, and I want to.
I'm traveling throughout theUnited States.
I've been to London already.
(18:59):
Yes, the United States.
I've been to London already,and that was when I found out,
right before I'm on my way toLondon was when I found out that
I was the International NanniesAssociation Nanny of the Year
and my phone just blew up in theairport.
I couldn't even eat.
I was trying to eat and peoplewere calling me.
I had FaceTime.
(19:19):
I was like I'm trying to eatbefore I get on the plane.
Come on, people.
That's amazing.
But it was awesome.
I cried, I laughed, it was justlike a fill in the O.
And I'm sitting here on thislittle bench in the airport.
Everybody's looking at me likewhat is going on with this woman
(19:40):
?
I'm going through all theemotions, all the feels and they
wonder what am I doing?
And I was like this is yourfirst trip as nanny of the year.
What are you going to do?
And when I got to London, it waslike it hit me I want to teach.
I have, I've always been ateacher.
I always find unconventionalteachable moments to work with
(20:04):
my kids.
I'm always teaching the parents.
This is why your child is doingthis.
Let's try this.
Just do this.
Give them information, books toread, things to do with their
children so that they can workout.
Whatever the problem is, I loveto teach.
And when I got up to speak whileI was in London, it was like
(20:27):
this, overwhelming.
It's like a download comingfrom heaven.
It's like this is what you'resupposed to do.
You need to share your message.
You need to share what's goingon right now, what's relevant
right now, and that is you can.
Just because you saw onechapter in my book and it was
(20:51):
like every book has this littleplot and then you go through
this down and you're up, andthen you're down and you're up.
Well, your book has the samevibe You're up and down and up
and down.
But just because you're onchapter three of my book does
not mean you have read all theway to the end, because I
haven't finished writing yet.
(21:12):
So, I want every nanny tocontinue to write their book.
I want them to know you can.
There will be down parts inyour life, in your nanny journey
, but there'll be upwards too,and that's what I want you to
focus on.
You can still do it.
You know how you got throughthe last one.
You can get through this onetoo.
(21:33):
If you need people, get someaccountability partners.
Here I am, hello.
That's why I'm here, that's whyI want our communities to come
together and not just the nannycommunity.
But my focus is on the birthworkers, the nannies, the
(21:54):
pediatric chiropractors,everyone who touches a parent's
life, because I've learned as anNCS that you can have a
postpartum doula, a birth doula,an NCS.
You have the lactation educator, the pediatrician.
Some people take their childrento a pediatric chiropractor.
(22:15):
All of these people touchparents' lives.
All of us speak a differentlanguage.
Nannies literally speaklayman's terms.
We just let you know what it isplain Doulas and postpartum
doulas and pediatricians.
They give you medical terms ofwhat I like to call Google-able
(22:35):
words.
We just tell you straight.
We tell you what Google's notgoing to tell you.
We're going to give you theplain truth, but I was like it's
a totally different language.
Well, that's not what they toldme.
That's not what they told me.
Well, I want us all to gettogether so that we can network,
we can talk to one another,learn each other's language.
So when all of us come togetherand bombard that family, we are
(22:58):
bombarding with the sameinformation.
We're all talking the samelanguage.
The words may sound differently, but we're all talking the same
language, and so parents canunderstand and not get
overwhelmed.
Well, who do I believe?
The nanny said this, the doulasaid that, the pediatrician said
that we're all saying the samething.
And I want us to be able tounderstand each other's language
(23:22):
so I can say well, your doulaprobably told you this, which
means this in layman's terms.
And that way the parents arelike oh okay, now I understand
it better.
Well, us, as nannies, we're thelast people to come into the
picture.
As nannies, we're the lastpeople to come into the picture
because mom is on her way backto work after she's seeing the
(23:43):
doula, the pediatrician, thechiropractor, all these other
pediatric people, and we're thelast one to come into play and
we come in with our layman'sterms.
They're like she don't knowwhat she's talking about.
Why is she telling me this andwe do?
We're just saying it in plainEnglish and I want us to get
together and talk to one anotherand get to know each other's
(24:07):
languages so when we all talk tothe parent, we're all speaking
the same language we can givethem words yeah, and we're all
working together so that thatfamily has the best beginning.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
I just could talk to
you truly forever and as you
know, it's like a problem.
I could really talk to you forhours, but unfortunately our
podcast does not allow for that,so we have to sort of segue
into a little bit of a funmoment.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yes, it's a fun
moment where you know, like just
at the end to wrap things up,we just like to rip back the
curtains and dive into yourinner soul.
Okay, it's like an onion, likeif you, angela, are an onion,
we're just going to peel all ofthe layers off and just get to
(25:01):
your, your glowing orb in thecenter of your spiritual being.
Yes, I'm asking you twoquestions Are you, are you ready
?
Do you need to call anyonefirst or like say a little bit
Good, okay.
So the first question is whenyou were four years old, who
(25:24):
would your ideal nanny have been?
Speaker 3 (25:27):
My favorite aunt.
I loved spending time with her.
I love the way she spoiled me.
She was very stern when it cameto discipline, but when we were
having fun, we were having fun.
We used to bake, we used to,which is one of my favorite
(25:48):
things.
She was the first person thatlet me into the kitchen and I
got to stir the pot and I got tolick the spoon.
So, yeah, it would be myfavorite aunt.
Oh, what's her name?
Her name is Betty.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Betty, oh my goodness
.
Okay, so we all love Betty, andnow I know where your
incredible love for cooking andbaking comes from, and I think,
just as somebody who reallyloves your jam, I think we're
all a little bit indebted toBetty.
So I'm just going to say thankyou, betty, and also I think I
(26:23):
want Betty to be my nanny, okay,so our second question is a
real, a real hard one.
So now I'm just teasing, butall the candidates adventure
nannies list out 10 fun factsthat we share with families.
One of the things that's coolabout this is it gives folks an
opportunity to share some,something that maybe you
(26:43):
wouldn't normally just throwinto a resume because it might
feel out of place.
But sometimes there are detailsabout us as humans that are
quirky and fun and maybe justhilarious or unusual or
interesting, that give people alittle tiny peek into that onion
like Shenandoah was talkingabout.
So do you happen to have, orcan you think of, three fun
(27:06):
facts about you, angela?
Speaker 3 (27:10):
One fun fact is I'm
always singing a song.
If I'm transitioning withlittle kids and it's hard for
them, I'm always singing a song.
I'll make up a song about theirpants are blue or the.
You know the, the, the coloredstreaks in their hair.
The sun is leaving coloredstreaks, because I have a little
(27:31):
child who her hair streaksblonde in the summertime, so I
made a song up about that andthen they try to remember it and
I can't remember what song Isang.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
You're like I'm
making up songs all day, girl, I
have no idea.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
I have no idea.
I have no idea.
Number two would be I am a veryromantic at heart.
My husband does things likeeach year he buys me a new ring
on our anniversary.
So I have all these new, thesedifferent rings, but my
(28:08):
Emererald is my favorite one.
It's the one I get the mostcompliments about.
But every year I get a new ringbecause I remember telling him
I was like I don't want adiamond, I want colored stones.
(28:34):
Anybody can do a diamond.
I'm a colorful person, I wantcolored stones.
And so each year he buys me acolored stone and of course I
bawl and I cry.
Yes, it's special to me.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Could you please
introduce him to mine and
Danielle's husbands?
That would be great.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
I love that.
He's so romantic as well.
It sounds like.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
And the third thing
about me I know you all find
that I talk a lot and I'm alwaystalking, talking, talking,
talking talking.
But put me in a room withpeople that I don't know Even if
it's a nanny, a function and Idon't know anyone and I'm
standing.
You'll find me standing overthe wall in the corner.
(29:10):
You know, just kind of observe.
I'm very observant and I am anintrovert.
I'm a closet introvert, y'all.
I'm not always hey, how youdoing?
Good morning, what's going on?
That's not me, unless it's myfunction.
If it's somebody else'sfunction, then I'm just like
okay, I'm a member of theaudience and I get to sit back
(29:35):
and chill out and watch people.
I love watching people.
That's fact number four I'm apeople watcher.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah, fact number
four I love to watch people.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
I love watching
people and I guess it's because
of my job.
I observe the children so I cancreate patterns of things that
they do when it happens.
So when we go to thepediatrician, okay, every day,
between 1230 and one, thishappens.
Or she's not sleeping well,let's try this, let's try that,
(30:02):
let's try this, let's try that.
So observations have been apart of my life for over 40
years, so I like people watchingand I and I watched them and I
see their patterns like Ooh,stay away from me.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Yes, I love you.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
I see what they're
doing, and I don't care what's
coming out of your mouth, if Isee you and I see what you're
doing- yeah, you can spot asnake in the grass faster than
anyone, and that's the thingabout being observant.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
It's an amazing skill
to have and, I think, balanced
with your compassion and yourheart for service, it's a pretty
incredible combination, achance to touch base with you
(30:51):
and to be more involved in someof the incredible work that
you're doing.
So would you mind sharing firstwhere our audience can find you
online and where would be thebest spot if a parent is
listening and they're interestedin learning more about parent
coaching?
Speaker 3 (31:03):
You can find me
online on Facebook at Ask the
Nanny.
You can find me on Instagram ataskdnanny.
You can find me on my websiteat atnannycom.
That's A as in apple, t, as inTom nanny.
(31:24):
It stands for Ask the Nanny.
But atnannycom is where you canfind me.
Parents can email me at3parents at gmailcom that's
T-H-R-E-E and parents with an Son the end at gmailcom if they
need me.
Or you can go to my Acuity pageand set up an appointment with
(31:48):
me at Acuity, ask the nanny.
So those are ways that you canfind me.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
Amazing.
Well, we'll make sure that thisis all included in both the
blog posts that we write aboutthis episode and also in the
episode notes.
So, folks, please take a lookat the episode notes, check out
the links and be sure to followAngela as she continues
traveling the country as our2023 INA nanny of the year, and
(32:15):
I just want to thank you so muchagain, angela.
I know that your schedule isrip roaring right now and I
really appreciate you taking thetime to sit down and share your
vision and your encouragementand your incredible perspective
with our listeners.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
Thank you for having
me.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Thanks for listening.
You can find all of ourepisodes on Apple Music, spotify
and wherever podcasts arestreamed.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
And you can find
Adventure Nannies off air on our
website adventuredanniescom, oryou can follow us on Facebook
and Instagram to stay up to dateon our latest opportunities.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
If you loved this
episode, please give us a review
if you're feeling so inclined.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
And if you hated this
episode, well, sorry.
Thanks for listening.