March 25 2013

Meet Erika of Cape Nanny

Meet one of our amazing Spring Thing event Sponsors – Erika, founder of Cape Nanny. We met on-line, true story (thank you, Facebook), and now she’s on my speed dial. Erika not only delivers the ultimate family resource, but she does it with true New England style.

Meet Erika of Cape Nanny.

Tell us about Cape Nanny?

Cape Nanny is a boutique nanny agency serving families from the cobblestones of Boston to the beaches of the South Shore and Cape Cod (and beyond!) We take pride in our strong pool of carefully selected candidates, many of whom hail from the nation’s top universities! We especially value the wonderful Cape Nanny families with whom we place our candidates. From assisting an expectant first-time mother in baby-proofing her home to serving as a sounding board for a parent while he weighs the pros and cons of each nanny candidate, there is no limit to the on-going support we provide for our treasured clients.

How did the inspiration for Cape Nanny come about?

During the summer following my college graduation, I lived in Southampton, New York with one of my best friends while we nannied for two respective families. We shared a beautiful guest home and rode bicycles to and from our nanny jobs each day. It was an idyllic summer and we grew incredibly close to the children for whom we cared. As word spread about our services, we found ourselves filling our evenings and weekends with additional sitting jobs for various families. The idea for this agency was planted that summer, nearly ten years ago!

Upon my return to Boston, I continued my work as a nanny on Beacon Hill while earning my M.A. in Teaching from Simmons College. Now that I reside on the South Shore with my husband, I continue to be in close touch with the families for whom I’ve cared. After countless conversations with families about the seeming difficulty of finding excellent nanny services, I brought to life my vision of an agency rooted in elite placement services and launched Cape Nanny.

What do love most about living and working in New England?

I love the seasons! My husband and I enjoy skiing in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine during the winter and spring. We also love sailing (I’m best as a passenger) on Cape Cod during the summer and fall. We spend many of our summer weekends at his childhood home in Chatham. We were even married there in October!

Are most of your families and nannies from the area?

While many of our families are Massachusetts natives, we work with many out-of-state families who spend time on Cape Cod and the islands exclusively during summer months. Many of our summer families are from New York and even California! Nearly all of our permanent nannies live in Massachusetts. At the same time, many of our summer nannies are college students or recent graduates who plan to spend their summers as live-out or live-in nannies here in Massachusetts. They come for the summer from as far as Spain and Italy (where they study aboad)!

What advice would you offer parents who are looking for help with their family needs? (you can keep it simple as to not give too much away).

Parents should never hesitate to be up front about special qualifications they would love in a nanny. For instance, some families prefer a nanny who is fluent in Italian or is an excellent cook. Another family who lives in close proximity to the ocean requested a candidate who possesses a lifeguard certification. These criteria (in addition to the list of requirements for all Cape Nanny candidates) will ensure a nanny who is the best fit for your family’s needs. You’ll be so glad you spoke up!

You have a beautiful family. If you could describe your family in three words, what would they be?

Thank you!! My three words to describe them: adventurous, goofy & loved.

What can we expect to see next from Cape Nanny?

You can expect to see Cape Nanny contributing expert tips in some very exciting upcoming features!

For parents interested in learning more about your services, how should the reach you?

I can be reached directly at erika@capenanny.com. Parents can also fill out this contact form and I will be in touch right away!