Sarah Kinghorn

 

Name:
Sarah Kinghorn

Location:
Newcastle and Sydney areas

How long have you been a nanny?
I have just reached the 12 year mark. Today I went to Balmoral Beach with a 3 month old baby, which felt like a nice (and purely coincidental!) way to celebrate.

Now don’t be shy, why are YOU a great nanny?
I feel like my best qualities as a nanny are adaptability, creativity and a huge respect for children as people.

What is your philosophy when it comes to taking care of children?
I aim to assist parents in raising confident, capable and compassionate children.
I think it is crucial to put ourselves in the shoes of the people in our care: how does it feel to hear “no” a hundred times a day? What is it like to be left in a room by yourself when you are upset and want a hug? How much do you respect those who give you instructions without considering your needs? Some of these things are par for the course, but often we can choose a much kinder, more respectful way to interact with kids.

What is your current role(s)?
I finished up a permanent role in June and have since been enjoying blocks of temp work. I’ve had a few new families with blissful babies, and have also had “cameo” roles with previous families – it’s so great to spend a few weeks with these kids I love so much, rather than just an afternoon visit. I’ve been so fortunate, throughout my career and especially at this time, to work with such wonderful children, families, nannies and agencies, and temp work sure does make it easier to take a week off for the ANA Convention!

Do you have any projects or business you do on the side?
I’m more of a cheerleader than a CEO, and am passionate about supporting nannies as they expand their careers and explore new adventures. One thing I love is helping nannies take their resumes to the next level, with personality and more powerful language.

What are your plans and goals for your nanny career?
A personal goal of mine at the moment is upskilling and building a brand so that nannying will be a sustainable career choice into the future, including, hopefully, having my own family.

What’s your favourite part about being a nanny?
I have so many sensory-rich memories that add beauty and soul to every day of my life. When I see the moon, I think of baby T’s obsession, and downloading an app so I could help him spot it at the right time of day. When I board a plane, I think of the long-haul flights with L that should have been painful but were filled with sweet snuggles and giggles and the instant friendships that form between everyone on a flight that is caring for a child. When I walk over the footbridge at Darling Harbour, I picture all the little hands I’ve held on the way to the Aquarium. I say “actually” about 8000 times per day, because R did, and I thought it was actually the cutest thing ever. These moments of connection haunt me in the very best way possible, and convince me that my work matters, regardless of the challenges our industry faces. I don’t know what these children will choose to be when they grow up, but whether they are famous or infamous or quiet achievers, I am proud to have shown them that everyone is worthy of love and respect and choice.

Why did you join the ANA?
I was and am impressed by the hard work of the ANA’s volunteers, the passion of it’s members, and the potential of what we can achieve by working together for common goals.

How has your ANA membership benefited your career?
Membership has allowed me to make many new contacts in the professional nanny community. I know I will see more and more benefits unfold the longer I am a member, and more importantly, I hope that I will be able to benefit the ANA community as much as it benefits me.

Is there anything else you would like share with the ANA community?
The word “nanny” gets pulled in a lot of directions – it is used interchangeably with terms like babysitter and au pair, for better and for worse; it is linked with royal babies and Hollywood affairs; it can be sign of both high and low social status – listen to the difference in the tone of your inner voice as you read these two statements: “oh, you have a nanny”, and “oh, you’re a nanny”. With the current media focus and the proposed Nanny Rebate, every time someone hears or sees the word nanny, it is an opportunity that can build our professional reputation, or block us from achieving our goals. As individuals, we can’t do much about big news stories that mention nannies in a negative light. We can, however, ensure our conduct at work, our presence on social media and the language we use to describe our roles and families, as well as our “competitors” such as au pairs and centre-based educators, all work together to make nanny a title to be proud of.