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Looking for work as a babysitter or nanny

  • 15 years paid experience
  • Babysitter in Crown Point, IN 46307

Meet Mary Ellen

  • Speaks Spanish
  • Comfortable with pets
  • Has a car

Every parent needs a break, yet you shouldn't have to worry about your kids when you're away from them. I would like to provide that break for you, complete with peace of mind, knowing your child is well cared for and with someone who finds the humor in everything and can make even homework fun. I am an energetic, patient, creative and responsible person. I am reliable and trustworthy - my time spent in your home will be devoted exclusively to your children and their needs - not my cell phone or the television! That is what I would expect from a sitter in my home and that is my commitment to you. I have provided loving care for numerous infants and children my entire adult life. For the past three years I thoroughly enjoyed working as a nanny for two different families - one with three children and the Read more other with seven. For a period of 15 years, I worked as an as-needed evening babysitter for 15 families. I have assisted in church infant and toddler nurseries for 25 years. I have taught Sunday School for over 10 years to children ages 2-10. I have taught Spanish to children ages 4 through adult for 5 years. I have worked with both children and adults with developmental delays (including behavioral issues and learning disabilities) for 20 years. I have worked as a primary and elementary school dual language teacher, a reading interventionist and private tutor with children who have learning struggles. I enjoy getting to know children to discover their likes/dislikes and tailor games and activities accordingly. We can play outside, do arts and crafts, sing, make up stories - the possibilities are endless! English is my first language, but I speak Spanish fluently. Just say the word and I will spend all the time you like speaking in Spanish to your child(ren)!

Trust & safety

We encourage parents to conduct their own screenings using the background check tools. See what each of the badges covered, or learn more about keeping your family safe by visiting the Trust & Safety Center.

  • Incompleted Enhanced Background Check badge Icon

    Enhanced Criminal

    Expired on 08/02/2022

  • Incompleted Basic Background Check Badge Icon

    Basic Criminal

    Expired on 03/19/2023

  • Incompleted Motor Vehicle Records Check Badge Icon

    Motor Vehicle Records

    Never run.

  • Incompleted First Aid Certification Badge Icon

    First aid certification

    Not reported

  • Incompleted CPR Certification Badge Icon

    CPR certification

    Not reported

Availability

Babysitter

  • Generally available mornings, afternoons, evenings, late nights and weekends
  • Daytime care availability during summer months
  • Before and after school care availability

Nanny

  • Willing to consider either a part time or full time position
  • Seeking Permanent (2 or more years) employment
  • Available to start on 6/17/2024
  • My availability is valid through 9/16/24

Ratings & reviews

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Jim B.

7/25/2024

David W.

12/13/2023

Katie B.

2/7/2022

I found Mary Ellen for a last minute babysitting job and I am so thankful. She is very professional and clearly has a plethora of childcare experience. Mary Ellen is just the 2nd babysitter I’ve ever had for my 16 month old and she put my mind at ease. She gave my son her full attention, talked to him, but also gave him space to be independent. I highly recommend Mary Ellen and I will definitely be using her in the future!

Kari G.

7/27/2014

We found Mary Ellen about 8 months ago and she has been a regular with our family since then. I don't trust many people to care for my children, but I feel so comfortable when I leave my kids with Mary Ellen. I even left my daughter a couple of days after she had had minor surgery, and I completely trusted Mary Ellen to give her extra TLC and to handle anything that might have come up. The kids absolutely love her and are excited to hear she is coming over. She is patient, kind, funny, and firm, when needed, and I am so happy she has become an extension of our family!

Cynthia O.

8/2/2013

I have used Mary Ellen as a baby sitter numerous times and she is awesome. The kids are very comfortable with her and tell me it feels like they have one of their aunts watching them when she is here. She is unfailingly safe, caring, guiding, timely, organized, and tidy and communicates in an effective, positive manner. I can focus on whatever else I'm doing and NEVER worry about the kids when she is with them.

Lisa P.

1/2/2013

If you are lucky enough to have Mary Ellen as your baby sitter, you are truly blessed. She has cared for our 2 year old daughter many times now, including daily when we were out of the country for 2 weeks. I can't say enough what a great job she did. She has an abundance of energy which she used to play with our daughter and gently but appropriately set limits with her when needed. She always arrived on time or early and was always very professional. She is clearly passionate about working with children and has a lot to say about child development. She has so many good recommendations about many topics about child development and offers them in a polite and nonpushy manner. She also has an abundance of common sense which helps a lot when caring for a child. The bonus is that she speaks fluent Spanish which was perfect for our bilingual daughter and made her more comfortable. I am certain we will be calling Mary Ellen to baby sit for us in the future and whole heartedly recommend her to anyone needing childcare.

Stacy O.

12/8/2012

Mary Ellen is a fantastic sitter. She has watched my 5 year old son at least 10 times. She is reliable and always on time. My son always looks forward to her coming over. She is very involved and plays with him during her time here. I highly recommend her.

Tracey I.

3/20/2012

Mary Ellen has been so great with our two kids! Our two and a half year old son is pretty easy going, but our 7 month old daughter can really be a handful (she cries a lot). I've been confident leaving her with Mary Ellen as I know she's in good hands. It's never easy for me to leave my kids with a babysitter, but I completely trust Mary Ellen and hope to have her watch the kids again soon.

Carrie P.

3/7/2012

I have used Mary Ellen several times to watch my 4 month old daughter. Mary Ellen is reliable, responsible and most of all she gives my husband and I peace of mind that our daughter is in good hands while we are away. I plan on using her as our "go to" sitter in the future. I would recommend Mary Ellen to anyone looking for a night out. ~Carrie P.

Elizabeth A.

9/30/2011

Mary Ellen recently started watching our 5 and 7 year old on a periodic basis and now she is in very high demand by our kids. We felt very comfortable from the beginning as she is very open and wanted to make sure she answered all our questions. The kids love that she plays and engages with them. It's clear she is patient, kind and caring. As an added bonus, everything is straightened up perfectly when we get home. We would highly recommend Mary Ellen.

David T.

8/27/2011

Mary Ellen is such a breath of fresh air. I never have to worry if she's going to be on time, prepared or dedicated. She's always in good spirits, extremely reliable and emotionally and physically responsive to my exuberant toddler son. She's even given me helpful suggestions on how to further his education, in terms of his learning to read. She's down-to-earth, motherly, and joyful. I highly recommend her.

Karen T.

4/17/2011

Mary Ellen has been a fabulous sitter for our 18mo daughter (and very patient with our rambunctious dog!). Our daughter enjoys having her come over and doesn't even seem to care that we're leaving. Mary Ellen engages her in play/activities, listening to her ideas, talking with her and gently persuading her towards something else if her thoughts aren't reasonable. She has an easy going demeanor, quick to laugh and always has a smile on her face. Mary Ellen is very prompt in responding to our scheduling queries and she always arrives on time, ready to play. We've so comfortable having her take care of our daughter we're scheduling more date nights!

Moyra K.

12/9/2010

Mary Ellen has worked with our family for about six months as our regular every-other weekend baby sitter for our 4 and 2 year old children. She is a compassionate, trust worthy and highly skilled in childcare. She has always been very punctual and consistent with her care, and we can trust her to be there for us when we need her. Our kids greatly enjoy her company and she has provided us with great ideas for our children too. Mary Ellen is a gem.

Tina L.

9/23/2010

PEACE OF MIND Mary Ellen babysat for my two children plus two cousins - four kids in all ranging from 3-10 years old. We felt confident after meeting her that the children would be in good hands. They definitely were. Not only did she come prepared and ask all the right questions before we left for the evening, but also kept us informed and handled the situation superbly when things took an unexpected turn. While Mary Ellen was babysitting the four children, one of them became ill (fever/flu symptoms). Mary Ellen assessed the fever and phoned promptly to let us know and get additional instructions. She had a lot going on with four children, but was completely calm and in control of the situation. She took really good care of my sick niece, keeping her comfortable and making sure she was cared for until her mom was able to get home. Meanwhile, the other three children had plenty of activities and were all happy at the end of the evening. None of the kids had met Mary Ellen before that evening and we were all (parents and kids alike) very pleased with how things went. I will definitely call her again.

Jenny C.

10/13/2009

What a wonderful person and sitter! Our son (15 months) is very comfortable with Mary Ellen and we are completely at ease when we leave him in her care. Such a great personality; both caring and professional. She's also so patient with our very unruly dog :). So happy to have found her! Jenny C.

Jodi V.

9/14/2009

MaryEllen is excellent! We know that our kids are in great hands whenever she watches them. She sets appropriate limits, is fun and interactive but the kids know that they can't pull any tricks. MaryEllen has been watching our kids during ages 1-3 1/2.

Holly W.

9/7/2009

Mary Ellen is great. My kids really enjoy when she sits for them. My son is usually tentative when we leave him with a sitter but he really likes Mary Ellen. She is really silly with them which helps distract them when we leave. I would highly recommend her.

Katie G.

9/1/2009

Mary Ellen is fabulous! She came into our house and completely "got" our kids! She is great and we can't wait to have her again! Katie G

Bing G.

11/10/2008

Maryellen is absolutely wonderful. i cant ask anything more in a babysitter. my kids love her. we love her. i hope to use her many times over.

Debra F.

7/31/2008

Mary Ellen has been an outstanding sitter for my 8-year old daughter. She is the perfect blend of warmth and professionalism. Always focused on making the experience a positive one, she is equally comfortable doing crafts or just taking a walk with my girl. She is punctual, flexible and her experience as a mother is evident as she gently establishes appropriate limits with skill and humor. She is even great with our little pup! I highly recommend her!

Timothy G.

7/7/2008

Mary Ellen has joined our family as our "A" string babysitter. She has done an excellent job engaging our active 4 and 5 year old while caring for our son Jack. She has sat our children as a group and individually and has done an excellent job. The kids love her and she is very education focused and works well with the needs that our children have. We are very excited to have her as a part of our family support and continue to use her for monthly parents night out and as a helper or coverage when our regular school and home care are not available.

Ruth K.

6/5/2008

I have interviewed and used Mary Ellen for my daughter and she is absolutely fabulous. She has excellent credentials and I would hire her instantly. She is a mom, and also volunteers as a Sunday School teacher and also has taught children in the elementary school. My daughter looks forward to her time with Mary Ellen. I am very comfortable leaving her with Mary Ellen and can actually enjoy myself when I go out as I know she is in good hands.

Holly T.

5/12/2008

I just used Mary Ellen tonight. She was fantastic at engaging my 3 year old. He completely forgot about my leaving. It was very clear that she was a mother herself, and I think my son picked up on that immediately. I would highly reccommend her.

Experience

Willing to care for 4+ children per sitting

$23-$25/hr for the first child, $2 for each additional child

  • Infants (age 0-11 months) expand

    • Assist with setting a routine
    • Mother's helper
    • Occasional care
  • Toddlers (age 1-3)
  • Preschooler (age 4-5)
  • Grade School (age 6-11)
  • Pre-teen/ Teenage age (12+)
  • Special needs expand

    • Cognitive Disabilities
    • Medical/Special Healthcare Needs
    • Social/Emotional
    • Alzheimer's
    • Asperger's Syndrome
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
    • Autism
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder/Pervasive Developmental Disorder/Asperger Syndrome
    • Central Auditory Processing Disorder
    • Down Syndrome
    • Dyslexia
    • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
    • Learning Disabilities
    • Mental Illness
    • Pervasive Development Disorder
    • Sensory Integration Disorder
    • Administering Medication
    • Applied Behavior Analysis
    • Bathing
    • Dressing Assistance
    • Feeding Assistance
    • Grooming and Hygiene
    • Positive Behavioral Support
    • Specific Meal Preparation (foods to avoid, etc.)

Education

Psychology/Spanish

Graduated Saint Norbert College 1979

References

Additional services

  • Meal Preparation
  • Laundry
  • Light Housekeeping
  • Crafts
  • Potty Training
  • Willing to run errands as needed
  • Willing to drive children to events, school, appointments, or carpooling
  • Homework expand

    • Finishing homework
    • Checking answers
    • Studying for a test
    • Proofreading
    • Basic math
    • Elementary science
    • Earth science
    • English
    • Social studies
    • Spanish

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