Marian B. - Denton Babysitter

I have always been very passionate about caring for children and began baby-sitting at about age 10. I attend the University of North Texas, and started my freshman year as an education major. After a year and a half, I decided that I wanted to find a career that would involve more one-on-one time with children and switched my major to speech and hearing sciences in order to become a speech pathologist.

I am currently in my senior year at UNT, and for the past three and a half years have worked as a nanny for a family with one child. Although I have only little experience with special needs children, I am eager and willing to get experience with any individual requiring special attention, as my main goal is to create a career as a speech pathologist specializing in children with special needs. I have completed all of the offered American Sign Language courses and fell in love with the language and am happy and open to any opportunity to learn and engage in the beautiful language.

Prior to nannying, I baby-sat often with children ranging from infants to 10 years old and family sizes up to four. I have also worked at two children's birthday party locations as a party hostess responsible for up to 30 children at a time.

In high school, I was involved in a program that allowed students to experience student teaching at different locations. I participated in working with pre-K, 2nd, 4th, and infant care within this program.

I have always wanted to make a positive impact in children's lives, much as many of my own teachers have made on me, and strive to do so in all aspects of my life. Children are such a joy to be around, and nothing is more rewarding than witnessing the growth of children mentally and emotionally as well as teaching them something new.

I am very energetic and love to do creative activities, especially outdoors. I enjoy getting children to participate in both active and educational activities and try to use as many resources as possible to do so.

I have been a type one diabetic since I was 14 years old and am open and happy to sharing any information about diabetes. I also have had asthma since birth, and living with both conditions has allowed me to grow accustomed to special daily heath needs.  In addition, I have been vegetarian for the past three years, but tend not to eat any egg or milk (I would be vegan, but I just can't give up cheese! I like it too much!)  My mother also has found that eating a gluten-free diet helps with her Lupus, and so I have become accustomed to leaving out gluten when necessary. From personal experiences with each of these dietary restrictions, I am capable of dealing with and fully understand the requirements of dietary restrictions and have no issues in caring for children with any special dietary needs.  I am more than comfortable working with children with any special health needs and understand how hard it can be for a child with one of these and how important it is to communicate with them on the issues. Because of my hectic school schedule and required time in the Speech and Hearing Clinic, I am only available for weekend babysitting.