We make judgement calls all day long. To let the kids climb a tree or say it's too dangerous, to pull out the cool art supplies or stick with crayons, to respond to a child's tears with love or indifference. I often get dizzy trying to figure out how to make the right call. Here's a trick I use: I imagine my charge at age 25 telling a friend about her nanny. "When I was a kid I had a nanny who..." It often puts the situation in perspective and clarifies the right decision. Like, "when I was a kid I had a nanny who took us to the library once a week on our bikes." Bingo! Good choice! It works for bad choices too like, "when I was a kid I had a nanny who was always distracted by her phone." Just sounds like a drag, right?

I'm inspired by this even now! Here's a list I hope my charges could say about me.

When I was a kid I had a nanny who danced with us in the kitchen.
When I was a kid I had a nanny who admitted when she was wrong.
When I was a kid I had a nanny who was really patient when she helped me with my homework.

Try adding to the list, it's super fun!