My name is Alma, and I am a Nanny/Family Helper with over seven years of childcare experience living in the beautiful city of Vancouver. I am looking for part-time/full-time work to help me save my pennies for school in the fall, where I will be working towards getting ECE Certified and starting my professional career in childcare. A little about myself: I am the youngest of five children, raised by an outstanding single father who taught me everything I know about life, love, and family. I graduated as valedictorian of my class and have always loved to learn and challenge myself. My many hobbies keep me busy, with the most prominent being Ghostwriting, which I have been doing professionally on the side for quite some time. I believe the quality that makes me such a well-rounded child care provider is that I balance the magical, fantastical, and creative aspects of childhood with the practical tasks such as homework, chores, and cleaning up. These tasks, that children typically do not enjoy, can be turned into lasting fond memories if approached with the right attitude. I like to tailor our time together to each child's interests and strengths, making it relevant to them (and making the boring stuff a little more manageable for a young and restless kid). I have personally learned from every child I have cared for, and each new and brilliant kid who comes into my care holds a unique and special place in my heart.

I have been volunteering with children for four years, with three years of additional work experience. Between 2016-2020, I led small groups for kids aged three to four on a bi-weekly basis for a church in Fort Langley that I was attending at the time. My duties here included planning and carrying out relevant and age-appropriate games and tasks, telling stories, and generally occupying the children's attention for an hour and a half. There were an average of 5-7 different children in my group each week. In the summer and fall of 2019, I assumed a regular babysitting position for a family with four boys, aged one, four, nine, and eleven. My responsibilities included making lunch and dinner for all of them, taking them on outdoor adventures, and helping the older boys with their homework. I became quite close with the family, and during the lockdown in 2020, the boys and I became pen pals. I felt that such adventurous and creative children must be bored behind closed doors for so long, so I wanted to give them something to look forward to that was all their own. Between the winter of 2021 and fall of 2022, I worked for a family with two children, a seven-year-old boy, and a nine-year-old girl. I would pick them up from school and walk them home, where we played, did homework, and occasionally watched a movie until their parents came home. I was tasked with making dinners for the children and their family, as well as completing some light housework (dishes, laundry, and general tidying). In the summer of 2022, I decided to travel abroad and became an Au Pair in England, living with a family of four, including two boys ages one and five. As an Au Pair, my duties were more significant, including maintaining the house, preparing meals, picking the boys up from school, running errands, and planning age-appropriate activities. I always encouraged the older boy to assist with baking and housework, which I believe helped build his sense of pride and independence. After returning from England in the spring of 2023, I joined a local bakery called A Bread Affair. Within less than a year, I moved up to the position of Production Coordinator. This experience is relevant as it demonstrates my work ethic, initiative, and organizational skills. Working in production has also provided me with valuable experience in general cleaning and housekeeping, as food safety and preparation have become second nature to me. For a short period I had the pleasure to work with a young 12 months old baby boy living on Commercial Drive in East Van with the most wonderful parents, and the family and I quickly grew very close. Sadly, they have recently moved away to the island.

I graduated as Valedictorian of my class and have received over $1, 500 in scholarships, but due to family issues was not able to attend university out of graduation. I intend to start school for my ECE certification in the fall of 2025.