Sunday, March 16, 2014
What do Other People say are Your Positive Personality Traits by Jenn Farlow
Thi is the fifth in our series of essay submissions for the Nanny Transitions INA Conference Scholarship.
What do other people say are your positive personality traits?
Jennifer Farlow
Essay Submission for Nanny Transition INA Scholarship
Looking through the essay question choices it was hard for me to choose which one to write about. I
finally settled on this question because I think that nannies are often givers who spend their lives taking
care of others and it can be difficult for us to sit back and hear the nice things that others say about us.
Additionally, we as a society often go through our lives skimming the surface and not digging deeper,
which is a direct result of the on the go world we live in.
My current position caring for infant triplets is a very busy one. Our everyday life can be hectic and
I know personally that I often brush off compliments that my friends, family, employers and even
strangers we meet on our outings give to me. I thought this would be a good exercise for me to really
absorb the positive attributes that others see in me.
To get me started on this assignment I dug out all of my reference letters from past employers. Instead
of skimming them as I have in the past, I sat down and really read them. After reading each one I tried
to really soak in the positive things my employers said about me and reflect on each position that I have
held. As I was reading each letter, I started to notice some themes and similarities. Almost all of my
past employers wrote how loving, caring, responsible and active I was with their children and how they
wouldn’t hesitate to recommend me as a nanny or even hire me again if they had the chance. Several
wrote about how I was very hardworking, gave 110% to my job and was a self-starter who needs
little direction once I settle into a job. Others wrote about how I was always friendly, sweet and had a
positive disposition around their house, even when the circumstances of the job may have been difficult.
The next step in this assignment of self-exploration was to ask some of my friends and family what
they thought my positive attributes are. Some of the answers I got back were I am funny, loving, hard
working and always willing to help out those I love. My brothers told me how brave and adventurous
I am for traveling and volunteering around the world and how the envy those traits in me. Both of my
Sisters in Law told me how much they treasure having me in their children’s lives and how happy they
are that my nieces and nephews have an Aunt like me. Finally, my mom told me how caring, sweet and
dedicated I am to my family.
The final step in this process for me was to ask my current employers the positive attributes they see in
me. My mom boss told me how she knew I was the right nanny for them almost as soon as I walked
into the interview and how incredibly happy they are to have me as part of their family. She went on to
tell me how much she appreciates that even though it’s difficult to get out of the house with three babies,
that I am so active with them taking them on regular outings. Both mom and dad added that that they
both love how knowledgeable and patient I am with the babies and that even when they are all crying at
the same time, they have never once seen me lose my cool with them. Finally, they told me how much
they appreciate how organized and hard working I am and how they have never had to remind me to do
anything no matter how small the task.
In conclusion, this wasn’t the easiest choice of topics for me and I almost changed my mind several
times during the process. What started this as a way to possibly save some money and win a scholarship
to the International Nanny Association conference from Nanny Transitions has turned into so much
more. In the process I’ve gained a deeper understanding of myself and how others see me, which more
valuable than anything I could win.