I am a natural caregiver who brings curiosity, warmth, and a deep respect for children’s individuality into everything I do. I’m a single dog mom with Métis (French Canadian) and Scottish-English ancestry. My family is known for being incredibly welcoming, kind, supportive, and affectionate — the best helpers and huggers around! I carry that same nurturing, joyful energy into the relationships I build with children and families. My natural energy is bright, spontaneous, and always in motion — often described as “Vata” in Ayurvedic medicine (which I’m currently taking a course on). I thrive when I’m moving, exploring, and engaging with kids in active, imaginative ways. I love turning everyday routines into moments of joy, whether we’re building a fort, dancing in the kitchen, puddle-stomping in the rain, or making quirky snowmen in the winter. I hold an Honours Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Human Kinetics, where I studied the intersection of Type 2 diabetes, exercise capacity, thermoregulation, and how the body tolerates physical activity in extreme environments. My educational and professional background has deepened my understanding of health, movement, emotional regulation, and resilience — all of which I bring into my work with children. I also have experience homeschooling and am confident teaching lessons, helping with homework and school projects, and making learning both accessible and engaging. I love weaving learning into our days through stories, nature exploration, creative projects, and fun conversations that build self-confidence and curiosity. When I’m not caregiving, you’ll find me: • Biking or stand-up paddle-boarding • Gardening or digging in the dirt • Volunteering at local races or music festivals • Teaching yoga and fitness classes • Exploring balanced dog training and animal wellness • Painting, knitting, decorating, and baking • Playing guitar, singing, dancing, or doing theatre • Cuddling my dog, nieces, nephews — or just enjoying a good laugh! I have had experience and success using counter conditioning and positive reinforcement to decrease or cope with both child and canine separation anxiety, as well as emotional outbursts. I believe in balanced support — firm when needed, gentle always. Just like dogs, kids thrive with daily physical and mental stimulation, structure, connection, and space to self-soothe. I meet them all with compassion, boundaries, and plenty of play. I believe that children feel safest when adults are loving and clear. Aside from that, I will be respectful of your parenting style, and am happy to adapt within your family’s preferences — including screen time limitations. Ideally we will hold similar values that you wish to be instilled in your kids and home such as respect, kindness, compassion, connection, curiosity, healthy living, balanced play, growth and joy. My Core Values as a Caregiver: • Respect: Every child deserves to feel heard, seen, and valued. I approach caregiving with deep respect for a child’s autonomy, personality, and unique way of learning. • Connection: Children thrive in relationships where they feel safe, loved, and emotionally connected. I build those bonds through quality time, shared laughter, and responsive care. • Balance: I believe in a well-rounded day — with moments for movement, creativity, stillness, nourishment, and fun. This balance helps regulate emotions and build confidence. • Boundaries with Kindness: I’m not afraid to say “no” when needed — always with clarity, kindness, and respect. Boundaries create safety and trust, not fear. • Curiosity & Growth: I model a love of learning, from baking and building to exploring science in the garden or finding stories in the clouds. I also believe children are our greatest teachers. • Joy & Humour: Laughter is my favourite language. Joy is not an afterthought — it’s an essential part of raising happy, resilient humans. I have an excellent driving record and am confident in helping with transportation, errands, or outings. As of September, I’ll have some scheduling flexibility but I’m ideally looking for a consistent weekly position. Families describe me as intuitive, enthusiastic, creative, and grounded. I believe humour is one of the best tools for building trust and joy — and laughter is truly my favourite language. I would love to bring my energy, education, and experience into a home where children are encouraged to thrive as their full, vibrant selves — messy puddle boots, wild ideas, big feelings and all.

I’ve been teaching swimming lessons and sports to kids and adults since 2002. I love to play and be a big kid myself, though safety is always my top priority. I’m an auntie and godmother to some wonderful children, such as my little cousins and my friends’ kids- and I just love spending time with them as I don’t have any kids myself. I’ve worked successfully and joyfully with kids and adults who have special needs, such as those who have mild to moderate cognitive challenges, and/or those with mild to severe physical limitations, or a combination of the two. I’ve worked with kids in a teaching capacity in roles as a summer camp counsellor, Sportball Coach, swimming and first aid instructor, and volunteered as a Mentor for the Go Girls Program, teaching young girls how to navigate the start of their teen years with confidence, curiosity, and courage through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa. As a yoga and fitness instructor for adults and kids, I practice daily mindfulness, movement therapies, and start my days with intention. I am currently learning to apply Ayurvedic principles to my lifestyle to bring harmony and balance to myself, my environment, and those around me. I enjoy and thrive on routine, and I love modelling helpful, kind, clear, safe, healthy, present, compassionate and positive behaviours for kids and animals within these routines. I am fluent in English, intermediate in French (BBB at last government testing), and am willing to work in both languages.