Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Nanny speaks of Gratitude and Loss in the Spirit of Thanksgiving
Ever so often a Nanny will write me about her personal experience with a family. This one was particularly touching as a loss in the family takes place.
Dear Marta:
"Just want to let you know how grateful I am for you to continue to be offering these classes for Nannies and Housekeepers. In 25 years of working as a Nanny I never heard of an agency caring so much for the professional development of their domestic clients. Most of the time they just care about the paying client and not the nannies or the housekeepers.
I'm still working for the family that you placed me with almost 4 years ago next January).
As you probably know they had twins last June(boy and girl) but the baby girl passed away a week after she was born.It was the most difficult experience I ever went through as a Nanny cause I had to be very strong for Gigi and her new brother Jordan. That meant I had to put my chance to grieve for the loss of the little girl I was so looking forward to taking care of and be there for the family.
I was honored when they asked me to represent their grandparents in their daughter's funeral but it wasn't easy having to throw dust on the little casket cause I didn't get to see her and say goodbye. Last time I saw her she was a healthy little baby at the hospital.
I had lots of support from my family and friends and with the grace of God I was able to pull through to be emotionally strong and to be there for this wonderful family.
Gabriel is 3 years old now and is in school full time so I spent most of the day with the little guy who is now almost 5 months. What a joy he is!
These are the best kids I ever took care of. They tell me to leave on time but I just love them so much that it's hard to leave sometimes so I end up staying later.
In the spirit of thanksgiving this month I just want you to know how thankful I am for you placing me with this family. I still remember the day I called your agency and they told me there was no opening for a live out and only live-in. I asked if I could fill out an application anyway and your assistant said OK. I came in and as soon as I was done completing the form you called me into your office and told me that you had just got a call from your client and that you could send me on an interview with them that following Saturday.
I met with them that Saturday afternoon and I fell in love with the baby and their dogs at first sight and by Sunday afternoon I had a job offer from them. I was so happy. I knew it was the perfect job then. I was still working for another family so we had to wait a few weeks for me to get started.
Now it's almost 4 years and I continue to love my job. What a blessing to wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work. How many people can say that?
I am so thankful for God for giving me this job. And thankful he led me to your agency that day even though there was no live out open position.
That tells me something...
With God everything is possible...
Thank you again Marta for being so dedicated in your work and for caring for us Nanny so much.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God bless you with lots of joy and abundance."
Grace G.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Dear Marta:
"Just want to let you know how grateful I am for you to continue to be offering these classes for Nannies and Housekeepers. In 25 years of working as a Nanny I never heard of an agency caring so much for the professional development of their domestic clients. Most of the time they just care about the paying client and not the nannies or the housekeepers.
I'm still working for the family that you placed me with almost 4 years ago next January).
As you probably know they had twins last June(boy and girl) but the baby girl passed away a week after she was born.It was the most difficult experience I ever went through as a Nanny cause I had to be very strong for Gigi and her new brother Jordan. That meant I had to put my chance to grieve for the loss of the little girl I was so looking forward to taking care of and be there for the family.
I was honored when they asked me to represent their grandparents in their daughter's funeral but it wasn't easy having to throw dust on the little casket cause I didn't get to see her and say goodbye. Last time I saw her she was a healthy little baby at the hospital.
I had lots of support from my family and friends and with the grace of God I was able to pull through to be emotionally strong and to be there for this wonderful family.
Gabriel is 3 years old now and is in school full time so I spent most of the day with the little guy who is now almost 5 months. What a joy he is!
These are the best kids I ever took care of. They tell me to leave on time but I just love them so much that it's hard to leave sometimes so I end up staying later.
In the spirit of thanksgiving this month I just want you to know how thankful I am for you placing me with this family. I still remember the day I called your agency and they told me there was no opening for a live out and only live-in. I asked if I could fill out an application anyway and your assistant said OK. I came in and as soon as I was done completing the form you called me into your office and told me that you had just got a call from your client and that you could send me on an interview with them that following Saturday.
I met with them that Saturday afternoon and I fell in love with the baby and their dogs at first sight and by Sunday afternoon I had a job offer from them. I was so happy. I knew it was the perfect job then. I was still working for another family so we had to wait a few weeks for me to get started.
Now it's almost 4 years and I continue to love my job. What a blessing to wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work. How many people can say that?
I am so thankful for God for giving me this job. And thankful he led me to your agency that day even though there was no live out open position.
That tells me something...
With God everything is possible...
Thank you again Marta for being so dedicated in your work and for caring for us Nanny so much.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God bless you with lots of joy and abundance."
Grace G.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Durable Dishtowels
I was in need of some new dishtowels as we rarely put cooking utensils pots and pans and other china in the dishwasher preferring to do them by hand It is a shared experience with my husband regardless of who made that night's dinner.
After sorting through the many choices at my local Bed Bath and Beyond, I chose Calphalon brand towels. I found the pattern more to my liking and they were about $1 more, but as importantly they were about 20 sq. inches larger and seem more absorbent and of a higher quality cotton. The fact is we typically replace our dishtowels only under duress or after a kitchen redo.
When they have been through the washer and dryer a few times I will tell you all how they are holding up.
Weekly I review cleaning products and tools for the home on my website.
http://www.martaperrone.com
After sorting through the many choices at my local Bed Bath and Beyond, I chose Calphalon brand towels. I found the pattern more to my liking and they were about $1 more, but as importantly they were about 20 sq. inches larger and seem more absorbent and of a higher quality cotton. The fact is we typically replace our dishtowels only under duress or after a kitchen redo.
When they have been through the washer and dryer a few times I will tell you all how they are holding up.
Weekly I review cleaning products and tools for the home on my website.
http://www.martaperrone.com
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A Dinner Party with Marta Perrone - Step 2 - Choosing a Menu and Theme
When you begin choosing a menu and theme for your dinner party, here are some tips:
1)Choose a menu that has significance for your guests. It may be someone's favorite meal, birthday, anniversary or engagement. It may be related to one's ethnic background.
2)Choose a theme that relates to a holiday like Valentine's Day or Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving. All these holidays have colors associated with them. You can be creative by adding decorations creating a table around the theme.
3) Once you select the occasion you want to celebrate for your dinner party, consider what foods go best always keeping in mind the season. There are various foods that are best for the Fall or Summer, while hearty foods are welcomed in the Winter.
4) Most importantly, choose a menu that you know how to make, and do not make it for the first time for your guests (unless you have the ability of a professional chef). It is always best to have prepared the meal at least one time before so that you are very clear as to how each course is prepared and the timing needed for it.
5) Consider how the foods will look on the plate. For example, it is good to have a green and yellow or orange vegetable together. When making a salad, consider the ingredients and not only how they all taste together but how they look on the plate.
6) Consider what foods your guests can or cannot eat due to taste or allergies.
7) Plan your menu for a minimum of 3 courses (i.e., Course 1-salad/soup, Course 2-Meat, Fish, Chicken or Pasta, Course 3 - Dessert). It can be overwhelming serving too many courses at a sit down dinner unless you have help to assist you.
8) Get ideas of meal variations from Food magazines & the Food Network. They will illustrate meal choices suggesting how certain foods can be combined for a more savory overall meal.
Next step....Setting Your Table. Stay tuned.
1. CHOOSING YOUR GUEST LIST CAREFULLY
2. SELECTING A MENU AND THEME FOR PARTY
3. TABLE SETTING
4. GROCERY LISTS & SHOPPING
5. FOOD PREPARATION
6. COOKING YOUR MEAL
7. SERVING YOUR GUESTS
8. ENTERTAINING YOUR GUESTS
9. DESSERT
10. CLEAN UP
READ MORE - http://www.martaperrone.com
READ MORE AT: www.MartaPerrone.com
1)Choose a menu that has significance for your guests. It may be someone's favorite meal, birthday, anniversary or engagement. It may be related to one's ethnic background.
2)Choose a theme that relates to a holiday like Valentine's Day or Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving. All these holidays have colors associated with them. You can be creative by adding decorations creating a table around the theme.
3) Once you select the occasion you want to celebrate for your dinner party, consider what foods go best always keeping in mind the season. There are various foods that are best for the Fall or Summer, while hearty foods are welcomed in the Winter.
4) Most importantly, choose a menu that you know how to make, and do not make it for the first time for your guests (unless you have the ability of a professional chef). It is always best to have prepared the meal at least one time before so that you are very clear as to how each course is prepared and the timing needed for it.
5) Consider how the foods will look on the plate. For example, it is good to have a green and yellow or orange vegetable together. When making a salad, consider the ingredients and not only how they all taste together but how they look on the plate.
6) Consider what foods your guests can or cannot eat due to taste or allergies.
7) Plan your menu for a minimum of 3 courses (i.e., Course 1-salad/soup, Course 2-Meat, Fish, Chicken or Pasta, Course 3 - Dessert). It can be overwhelming serving too many courses at a sit down dinner unless you have help to assist you.
8) Get ideas of meal variations from Food magazines & the Food Network. They will illustrate meal choices suggesting how certain foods can be combined for a more savory overall meal.
Next step....Setting Your Table. Stay tuned.
1. CHOOSING YOUR GUEST LIST CAREFULLY
2. SELECTING A MENU AND THEME FOR PARTY
3. TABLE SETTING
4. GROCERY LISTS & SHOPPING
5. FOOD PREPARATION
6. COOKING YOUR MEAL
7. SERVING YOUR GUESTS
8. ENTERTAINING YOUR GUESTS
9. DESSERT
10. CLEAN UP
READ MORE - http://www.martaperrone.com
READ MORE AT: www.MartaPerrone.com
Friday, November 12, 2010
Planning a Dinner Party
Choosing your Guest List is the first step to making your party a success.
1) Pull out your address book and look through it from A-Z. Start with the following questions to help you narrow the list: Who haven't you seen lately? Who has invited you over or out to dinner that you would like to reciprocate? Who would be a good business contact for you that you want to get to know better? Once you have selected one or two people, then build your guest list around them.
2) Make sure that the others selected have similar interests (recreational sports, travel, business-related, charities, membership to organizations) so that the conversation can begin.
3) Consider their personalities, political interests, and religion so that the conversation doesn't turn ugly. For example, if you invite someone who is loud and boisterous with someone who is more on the quiet side, this could be a problem for the others, particularly the quiet one. If you invite someone for example who is a staunch Republican and group this person with a raving Liberal, it could either turn into a very passionate and aggressive conversation or shut down the desire to converse. If you group a very religious person with an Atheist who is outspoken, someone might feel uncomfortable.
4) Consider their ages and energy level. Older people tend to like to arrive early, eat early and leave after dinner. However, you may find an elderly guest is youthful, energetic and eager to participate in a longer evening with others of all ages. (You just don't want your guest falling asleep at the table or couch and causing a domino effect on the others.)
5) Consider how many people you want to entertain at one time. If you are not hiring help in the kitchen to cook and clean, then a party of 6-8 people is perfect. When the list turns to 10-12 people, it really becomes difficult to get food served and the clean up is that much harder. With a smaller group, it is not only easier for you to cook, serve and clean, it is also easier for everyone to discuss things as a group and carry on one conversation at the table.
6) Now pick up the phone and check on availability, this is the real trick. Hopefully all the people you want to invite as a group will be available on the same date. Give people as much notice as possible to help ensure availability.
Now that you have your list, Step 2 will be choosing the menu. Stay tuned!
http://www.martaperrone.com
1) Pull out your address book and look through it from A-Z. Start with the following questions to help you narrow the list: Who haven't you seen lately? Who has invited you over or out to dinner that you would like to reciprocate? Who would be a good business contact for you that you want to get to know better? Once you have selected one or two people, then build your guest list around them.
2) Make sure that the others selected have similar interests (recreational sports, travel, business-related, charities, membership to organizations) so that the conversation can begin.
3) Consider their personalities, political interests, and religion so that the conversation doesn't turn ugly. For example, if you invite someone who is loud and boisterous with someone who is more on the quiet side, this could be a problem for the others, particularly the quiet one. If you invite someone for example who is a staunch Republican and group this person with a raving Liberal, it could either turn into a very passionate and aggressive conversation or shut down the desire to converse. If you group a very religious person with an Atheist who is outspoken, someone might feel uncomfortable.
4) Consider their ages and energy level. Older people tend to like to arrive early, eat early and leave after dinner. However, you may find an elderly guest is youthful, energetic and eager to participate in a longer evening with others of all ages. (You just don't want your guest falling asleep at the table or couch and causing a domino effect on the others.)
5) Consider how many people you want to entertain at one time. If you are not hiring help in the kitchen to cook and clean, then a party of 6-8 people is perfect. When the list turns to 10-12 people, it really becomes difficult to get food served and the clean up is that much harder. With a smaller group, it is not only easier for you to cook, serve and clean, it is also easier for everyone to discuss things as a group and carry on one conversation at the table.
6) Now pick up the phone and check on availability, this is the real trick. Hopefully all the people you want to invite as a group will be available on the same date. Give people as much notice as possible to help ensure availability.
Now that you have your list, Step 2 will be choosing the menu. Stay tuned!
http://www.martaperrone.com
Monday, November 8, 2010
No way am I giving my Nanny a Reference Letter
It happens very often that a person who has worked many long and arduous years for a family has the misfortune of leaving a place of employment without obtaining a Letter of Reference. With a gap in the resume, chances for employment can be problematic.
In many states, like California, the labor code requires “employment verification”. This means the employer is obligated to provide a letter indicating dates, duties performed and reason for termination. It is actually a good idea to comply and write this type of reference letter to avoid personal calls while giving the employee at least proof of employment.
There are many reasons why an employer refuses to write a letter of reference:
· Disgruntled, angry and resentful, the employer is virtually “pissed off” for one reason or another and decides to offer the final lashing by not helping the employee obtain further job opportunities with others.
· The Employee was actually not competent and the Employer doesn’t want to have to lie on paper nor be obvious about the truth. It would be much easier to simply say…”Have anyone just call me for a reference.”
· Without a letter, there is no proof that the employee worked and this may be prudent if the employer did not comply with federal and state laws as it relates to immigration and internal revenue issues.
In these economic times, the worst thing that any employer could do is to make it even more difficult for another person to become employed. Do you really want to be responsible for this employee to turn out homeless or struggling just because there were differences between you? I would hope not.
Obviously, you cannot dismiss the fact that domestics – nannies, housekeepers and other household employees can be found doing things that warrant immediate termination. For example, if a childcare provider hurt a child or was so negligent that the child was put into severe danger, you would not want to recommend this person to continue working with children. Other examples may relate to honesty and trustworthiness. But if the issue is less severe and more of a personality issue between you resulting in attitude and performance problems, then we must be more compassionate, attempt to see both sides and ultimately be the teacher and student in the experience.
My advice to the employer:
1. Commit to at least writing a letter of employment verification
2. Be open to speak objectively with a prospective employer taking into consideration the overall picture and everyone's perspective.
3. Ask questions of the prospective employer so you understand the new job description. Perhaps this new job is more suitable for the employee and things that happened in your position would not be relative.
4. Sit down with the employee quietly and explain why you are upset and reluctant to write a letter – hash it out so that you can clear the air in yourself and with the employee so you can end things in the best of terms possible.
5. Try to be forgiving and understanding knowing that we are not perfect and all of us have much to learn in many ways.
Mistakes are made in every relationship; it is always better to make an effort to make peace with your adversary even if you can't make the relationship work.
http://www.martaperrone.com
In many states, like California, the labor code requires “employment verification”. This means the employer is obligated to provide a letter indicating dates, duties performed and reason for termination. It is actually a good idea to comply and write this type of reference letter to avoid personal calls while giving the employee at least proof of employment.
There are many reasons why an employer refuses to write a letter of reference:
· Disgruntled, angry and resentful, the employer is virtually “pissed off” for one reason or another and decides to offer the final lashing by not helping the employee obtain further job opportunities with others.
· The Employee was actually not competent and the Employer doesn’t want to have to lie on paper nor be obvious about the truth. It would be much easier to simply say…”Have anyone just call me for a reference.”
· Without a letter, there is no proof that the employee worked and this may be prudent if the employer did not comply with federal and state laws as it relates to immigration and internal revenue issues.
In these economic times, the worst thing that any employer could do is to make it even more difficult for another person to become employed. Do you really want to be responsible for this employee to turn out homeless or struggling just because there were differences between you? I would hope not.
Obviously, you cannot dismiss the fact that domestics – nannies, housekeepers and other household employees can be found doing things that warrant immediate termination. For example, if a childcare provider hurt a child or was so negligent that the child was put into severe danger, you would not want to recommend this person to continue working with children. Other examples may relate to honesty and trustworthiness. But if the issue is less severe and more of a personality issue between you resulting in attitude and performance problems, then we must be more compassionate, attempt to see both sides and ultimately be the teacher and student in the experience.
My advice to the employer:
1. Commit to at least writing a letter of employment verification
2. Be open to speak objectively with a prospective employer taking into consideration the overall picture and everyone's perspective.
3. Ask questions of the prospective employer so you understand the new job description. Perhaps this new job is more suitable for the employee and things that happened in your position would not be relative.
4. Sit down with the employee quietly and explain why you are upset and reluctant to write a letter – hash it out so that you can clear the air in yourself and with the employee so you can end things in the best of terms possible.
5. Try to be forgiving and understanding knowing that we are not perfect and all of us have much to learn in many ways.
Mistakes are made in every relationship; it is always better to make an effort to make peace with your adversary even if you can't make the relationship work.
http://www.martaperrone.com
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