Need a nanny or babysitter for a wedding in Geneva? Meet Andréa, our “Nanny On Top” of the month!
Andrea is a passionate and experienced professional, often commissioned by BeeBoo to act as nanny or babysitter for weddings in Geneva and the canton of Vaud. With a wealth of experience ranging from day nurseries to institutes for disabled children, she loves to contribute to children’s development and offers warm support to parents. For special events such as weddings, her expertise enables her to offer children unforgettable moments, while allowing parents to enjoy their day to the full. Her discretion, organizational skills and creativity make her a much-appreciated professional, while her constant encouragement to parents to follow their instincts testifies to her unrivalled empathy! Meet a professional whose presence on D-Day is as important as a wedding cake!
(BeeBoo) You’re often hired by BeeBoo as a nanny and babysitter for weddings in Geneva and the canton of Vaud. What led you to the nanny profession?
(Andréa) There are many reasons why I chose to become a nanny and entertainer. I’ve always loved working with children, as I find great satisfaction in contributing to their development and well-being. I took a training course in this field, which gave me the skills I needed to look after them professionally. Firstly, in the field of entertainment, thanks to the BAFA diploma, because I loved sharing moments of joy with them, and then in the care sector as a nursery assistant (French diploma), to help them develop and also to provide help and kindness to mothers in supporting parenthood. So I’ve been able to discover different structures (from hospitals, to institutes for disabled children, to multi-accueil centers such as crèches), and now I’m a live-in nanny and I sometimes intervene at different events.
As a childcare professional present at events covered by BeeBoo, can you describe your typical day as a wedding nanny or babysitter?
It’s a fairly standard routine that we put in place for most weddings:
- We arrive on site about 30 minutes to 1 hour before the children are due to be picked up, in pairs or groups depending on the number of children, and introduce ourselves to the wedding planner who guides us to our space.
- We set up our space. It’s best to have several areas for the children to choose from: reading, board games, handicrafts, beading, glitter tattoos and make-up (always a big hit), handicrafts (chosen in advance), outdoor games (if possible).
- We welcome the children, accompanied by their parents, to the Kids area, and often keep them with us until the end of the evening, so that the parents can enjoy their evening to the full and the children can have fun with each other.
- We also take care of them during dinner, when we provide coloring pages so that they don’t find the time at the table too long. Afterwards, we suggest a few games during the evening, so that the children can all have a good time together.
- For the little ones, some of us take time out to put them to bed in a separate room, in beds provided in advance, and for the older ones, we offer them a quiet time: stories, board games…
- Then it’s time for the end of the event (it could be 10pm or 1am), when we take the children back to their parents and greet the bride and groom and the wedding planner before tidying up our space.
As a wedding sitter, what do you consider to be your added value or indispensable qualities?
For me, the most important qualities on this kind of event are :
- Discretion: we intervene as professionals in the midst of a unique day. We have to make it memorable by meeting the expectations of the bride and groom, and of the parents, by being autonomous and responsible, so as not to disrupt the course of the evening.
- Organization and anticipation: sometimes large groups of children are involved. To manage them as well as possible, and to avoid being overwhelmed by the group’s energy, or by lulls in the activities (meals, for example), it’s important to know how to deal with all situations by organizing and anticipating the course of the evening and the activities as well as possible.
- Creativity: the children are there to have fun and make a great souvenir of the event. You have to be creative to always find fun workshops for every child.
Do you have a wedding nanny or babysitter anecdote to share?
At a wedding, a child asked me if it was “for life”. I replied “yes, if they want it”, and he said “that’s a lot” 😂
What do you think of POP.PINS ACADEMY, which offers training courses and seminars for nannies? How is this good news for childcare professionals?
I think this is a real opportunity for professionals and parents alike. As a professional, it’s important to feel valued and recognized, and that means training. Not everyone has had the opportunity to train, and I find it so important when it comes to a profession in contact with people, especially children. As far as parents are concerned, there’s nothing more reassuring than knowing that the person looking after their child has the necessary knowledge.
What’s the most valuable advice you’ve ever given to parents?
“Trust yourself, because deep down, you have the answer!”
Parents sometimes have doubts, and that’s quite normal, so their first reflex is going to be to turn to professionals for answers to their questions. I like to advise and support parents in their role, and I tend to encourage them to trust themselves, to trust their instincts as parents, not always to follow the letter of the law but to do things their own way. Parents will sometimes hear very different things from each other, and that can be destabilizing, when in reality, all they need to do is listen to themselves and their child.
Thank you very much Andréa! ❤️
📢 If you’d like to see more portraits of nannies in Geneva and Vaud , visit our BeeBoo blog or contact your Geneva and Vaud childcare recruitment specialist!
