Carol D.

I want to preface this with the fact that we have actually had six different caregivers for our son and I've heard countless more arrangements and situations from my friends and family regarding their caregiver situation, so I want to establish that this review has the context of some firsthand experiences and secondhand accounts. It's difficult to put Carol's contribution to our family in words but I'll try my best here. Carol (or grandma, as we are teaching our 2-year-old to call her) is one of a kind. Thinking about her potentially going to another family is, for me, emotionally overwhelming. For the purposes of anyone looking to hire her to look after their child, perhaps it's helpful to know what I looked for in someone who would be our son's caregiver and all the ways in which Carol exceeded my expectations. For me personally, it was extremely important to consider the following in finding a caregiver for our son: - They will be spending more time with our child than we do. - As a result, they will be tremendously influential in the child's development for the time they are together. - They are a human being, and their happiness (and ability to sustain a level of personal happiness) is essential to our child's happiness. Not talking about just having a sunny disposition or positive attitude -- are they genuinely happy? Does it come out in the way they go about their work, their life? This is an extremely hard thing to find these days -- after all, looking after someone else's child isn't an easy job, and for most it is a job. - They are well versed in basic safety and health protocols and remain calm under pressure. - They communicate clearly, accurately and consistently. - Are they drug-free? (You'd be surprised!) Carol checks these all off in spades. In her time with us she has not only been an incredible caregiver to our son, but has become a close family friend and someone I refer to as my "white mom." She is calm under pressure, consistently makes an effort to prepare ahead of time, and is extremely knowledgeable about how to respond in challenging situations. She communicates to an impressive degree of clarity and accuracy. She has a keen attention to detail and an eye for safety best practices. None of this, however, can describe my two favorite qualities about her. She is genuinely happy -- herself the matriarch of a very lovely family, she is not looking to make a quick buck or cut any corners to get the job done. She CARES and does it because -- and this is my other favorite quality about her -- she LOVES her work and treats our child like she would her own. She has done this for going on two years. Our child loves her dearly -- their eyes light up when they hear she's coming. When she knocks on the door they run to the door like Juggernaut from the X Men, trampling everything in their path, likely with the strength to burst through walls to open the door for their favorite human being. There is no amount of money that is commensurate to the peace of mind and genuine love and care Carol brings to your family. My friends with young children have asked about her availability in months past. I told them in no uncertain terms they could go kick rocks. The time has come for Carol to look for her next family and whichever family is given the blessing of her time and attention will be one very, very fortunate family indeed. Please take great care of her. - Carol's Korean son

Carol was a dream for us! It was our first experience with a nanny too and she absolutely exceeded our expections. She cared for my first son for a year and a half starting when he was 10 months old. I then had a second son during her time with us, whom she also cared for when he was a few months old. Carol is super reliable, trustworthy, patient, kind and likeable. She became part of our family and we would still have her if we could! Happy to chat with anyone interested.