I live in Chicago with my husband, and I’m thrilled to say we will be welcoming home our first child this May. I have been working with families in the community for the past fifteen years, and I feel so grateful that I finally get to add “Mom” to my resume. When working with children my desire is always to bring out the best in each child, so that they are able to showcase their truest and happiest self to the world.

After graduating from Nursing School over 5 years ago I felt pressure from myself, as well as the outside world, to pursue a career in the Healthcare Industry. I have a remarkable amount of respect for everyone in the medical field, and I am proud to have gained the education and experience, but… I honestly felt I had already found a career that I loved. My heart was, and always has been, with all of the families that I have been fortunate enough to work with over the years. Although it didn’t quite fit into the appropriate box to package for the outside world that I was “just a nanny,” I knew that helping parents raise happy, healthy, and well-adjusted children is what I was meant to do.

This realization led me to further my education in a field that I am so passionate about, which is how I found Sharyn Timerman and the incredible work she does at the Early years Family Development Center. I saw that her philosophies on child rearing so closely mirrored my own belief system and knew it was something that I had to be a part of. Once I made the decision to enroll in her program to specialize as a Child Behavior Consultant, I began to understand that all behavior is meaningful and purposeful, regardless of how disruptive or difficult it may be. Through her teachings I was afforded the opportunity to learn the “why’s” behind child behavior and development, and was also equipped with the best tools and strategies to implement when met with behaviors that are often challenging for parents and caregivers to navigate.

It has been so exciting for me to bring these positive parenting techniques into the communities that I work with and help parents become empowered as their children begin to thrive. With an emphasis on consistency, we can set firm and fair boundaries that allow children to know what they can expect from us. Together we can create environments in which children are secure and know that they will be protected, their needs will be met, their world will be filled with safety and stability, and that the people in it will seek every moment to understand and connect with them.