A sneak peak into what a Nanny does and gets out of her day to day from a local Long Island Nannies point of view.

Hi all, I’m Lucy, I have always loved working with children. I started babysitting at 13 years old around my neighborhood and, as soon as, I was old enough I applied and started working at a daycare. I was the toddler teacher for over 10 years. There wasn’t a day that i didn’t love to walk through those doors and see my babies. Year after year I got to teach, love and be a constant person in these kids lives. After time I decided I need something more and that’s when I decided to become a Nanny.

When a family welcomes you into their lives, and their homes and parents hand their children over to you, it can’t just be a job. The trust that must exist already makes it more than that! It becomes a partnership. It becomes my sole responsibility to protect, and love and teach. I am responsible for these sweet little lives. I feed them, and drive them to school, and cuddle them to sleep but the real responsibility lies in nurturing their spirits. Seeing them for who they are, where they are, and helping them grow. There are amazing things that come with being a nanny, actually so many, I couldn’t possibly even list them all.

I get really offended when people think what I do is easy. I don’t find my job to be “difficult” by any means but it is certainly not easy. Juggling the everyday routines of children you don’t spend 24/7 with means having to come in, in the morning, and leave at night. Yes, it’s a regular 9-5 but you’re raising tiny humans. When you’ve got routines to keep, nap times and school drop offs and pick ups, it can be quite chaotic. To top it off, they aren’t your kids! It’s not your house, so you have to adjust to working for a family who has their own system, and finding a way to make it work for your day. To me, the craziness is part of the appeal. I love busy days that are jam packed with stuff because it is like the ultimate challenge. Staying organized, on time, and on task — I feel like nannies who can do this should get a gold medal.

I never thought I would be one of those people. One of those women who is considered to be a “Mary Poppins”. I’ve been told by one of my families that they were looking for their “Mrs. Doubtfire” but that they found me and well “You are so much better and even more then we could of hoped for”! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would become so important in another families household. That feeling is beyond any words I could use to describe it. It makes the 5am alarm so worth it, waking up and smiling getting ready to head to a “job” that makes you feel so important. I don’t even consider it work. I always say “ I’m off to be with my other family”.

written by: Lucille Priolo