Electra (19 / Ms. ), Swedish & American, Babysitter living in USA looking for Au Pair job in Italy, Portugal, Germany, Iceland & Switzerland for 10-12 Months

Hi! My name is Electra. I’m 19 years old turning 20 in august. All my life I’ve always loved being around kids, playing and being creative. I have a very positive attitude to life and love exploring. Spring of 2022 I was a dance teacher for children 3-9 years old. I have a lot of energy myself and love to laugh. I am currently living in New York and working as a part time babysitter.

Background:
I come from a family with 3 kids, I’m the oldest. My siblings are 5 and 9 years younger than me, which means that I have babysat them a lot growing up.

I went to high school in Sweden and studied music and science. I’ve been vocally trained since I was 6 years old. I also play a lot of instruments such as: Violin, guitar, piano, drums and the base.

I would love to be an au pair because I love to see other cultures and experience through children’s eyes. All children are special and different, which I find is so admirable about them. What I love about children is that they are curious about everything. I myself love being curious and learning new things.

I am a very easygoing person and very flexible. Life with kids can some times be hard to plan, but I have no problem changing plans last minute. I love being creative with kids and talk to them about their thoughts and feelings.

As a babysitter it’s important for me to see that every child is different and that they have different needs. It’s also very important for me that they know that their feelings are valid, and that I am here to listen to them and acknowledge them for who they are.

For me it’s very important that I speak to them like they are people, not to neglect them because they are children. Some parenting styles talk to children like they are animals (I’m referring to the terminology “good boy” and “good girl”). This teaches the children that their worth is in their accomplishments, which I do not agree with at all. Teaching them that it’s safe to express their feelings with me is something that is crucial to me.

I am a very patient person and don’t easily get mad. With kids things happens and it’s important to have your boundaries, but what’s more important is how you present them. Yelling and throwing you’re hands in the air is not going to make children feel safe and calm, but rather scared. Instead of yelling I like to talk to them calmly about what happened, and at the same time express that I still care for them and that they still are important to me and reassuring them that we are still best friends.