Mariola, a professional nanny, was having problems with a child who was hitting and screaming. Alma, another nanny, wasn’t sure how to respond when one parent’s instructions regularly contradicted the other parent’s instructions. A third nanny, Monica, wanted to know how to manage a situation where a mother’s preferred discipline techniques weren’t working for her.
A group of eight nannies discussed these challenging situations and others at Super Nanny Academy, a seminar offered jointly by First Class Care, Inc., a domestic placement agency, and North Shore Pediatric Therapy. The four-hour program provides Chicago nannies with professional training to successfully handle difficult behaviors, special needs children and related situations.
Based on North Shore Pediatric Therapy’s award-winning Behavior 911 Program, Super Nanny Academy addresses behavior issues specifically from the perspective of a caregiver. The curriculum reflects First Class Care owner Erin Krex’s expertise in fostering successful relationships between nannies and the families who employ them.
“Problems may arise within the child-caretaker relationship that don’t occur when the child is with the parents. Not only does a nanny need special training to effectively manage the difficult behavior, she may also require guidance in communicating with the parents about their child’s behavior issues,” according to Krex. “I give the nannies strategies for maintaining open communication and a good working relationship with their employers in what may be a stressful situation.”
The program isn’t just for nannies who are currently employed. “If a nanny is looking for a position,” says Krex, “having Super Nanny Academy on her resume makes her stand out from other applicants. It means she’s better trained, and she’s committed to providing quality care. ”
Participation in Super Nanny Academy can also boost a nanny’s salary. First Class Care nannies who complete the course are promoted to the Premium Nanny level, qualifying them for a higher level of compensation.
The course instructor is Brooke Einhorn, an applied behavior analyst and learning behavior specialist. She relates well with the nannies’ concerns because, she says, “I face the same challenges with children I see at North Shore Pediatric Therapy and I also have to interact with the parents.”
“One of the most important things I tell nannies is not to talk about behavior issues in front of children. They have to discuss these problems privately with the parents, or if that isn’t always possible, they can leave notes in a daily journal the parents can read in the evening,” Einhorn says. “If the nanny says to the parent, ‘your child throws a tantrum whenever I tell her to clean up her toys,’ in front of the child, she is reinforcing negative behavior and it will be repeated.”
Super Nanny Academy will benefit nannies who care for children with known behavior issues, special needs or just basic behavior difficulties. “One of the red flags indicating a caretaker may need additional behavior training is when a child exhibits different behavior with different people at different times.” says Einhorn.
Einhorn begins the seminar by asking each participant to list three main problems they’re having. In the course of four hours, she addresses all these problems and covers a curriculum that includes case studies and best practices.
“The program ends up being part seminar and part support group. I teach the nannies, but they also share what works with each other.”
Seminar participant Mariola liked the support group aspect of the seminar so much she suggested the group meet again. “I learned many ideas of how to communicate with the child both from the teacher and the other nannies.” Another participant, Helen, said the course gave her new skills. And Monica feels more confident: “I learned how to discuss behavior issues with the parent.”
Seminar participants receive a reference guide with tools they can use to track behavior and assess modification strategies. They also receive a certification of completion.
Krex and North Shore Pediatric Therapy founder Deborah Michael, who holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and is a certified sensory integration specialist, believe their idea of offering targeted training for nannies is extremely unique in the Chicago area. The idea for the program came about when Krex and Michael met through a networking group and realized together they could help their clients who were looking for nannies qualified to care for children with special needs.
Super Nanny Academy is a single – session, four-hour group class offered once a month at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, 1308 Waukegan Road, Glenview. Private sessions also are available. Clients of First Class Care can request a nanny who has already attended the program, or they can arrange for their current nanny to attend.
For more information about Super Nanny Training Academy, call toll-free 847-486-4140 or visit their website at http://www.nspt4kids.com.
For more information about First Class Care domestic placement services, call 847-733-2700 or visit their website at http://www.firstclasscare.com.
