Having moved a couple of times with children, I think the most stressful part is finding nannies in a new place. I struggle with anxiety and have such a hard time being away from my boys, so leaving them with a babysitter that I personally know is hard enough. When we moved to Amsterdam, it was so much scarier not knowing anybody to ask for a recommendation.
So when I met Stacy and Bryony, I just had to tell you all about them!
Bumble and Tumble
I originally met Bryony during a Mamasocial Amsterdam brunch where she was nannying. Then, I met both Stacy and Bryony again when they came to my home studio for a branding session. After hanging out and laughing our way through their session, I felt like I could trust these nannies with my little boys.
They are very genuine and sweet ladies, and when I reached out about doing an interview, they agreed! Now after hearing their answers regarding their approach to childcare, I’m even more confident in my initial feelings.
Interview with Stacy from Bumble and Tumble
Q: How long have you been in business?
A: I am Stacy and I have been in private child care for 10 years. My mother was a day mother for babies in our area and with that, caring for newborns and infants has always been a part of my life. I was an au pair in California for two years at 24 years old and it was a discovery of my vocation. Upon return to Cape Town, I was a nanny for various families within Cape Town. I moved to Amsterdam in 2019 and the child care sector was effortless to transition to. I am a private nanny for families within Amsterdam and enjoy every child and family I get to service. I met Bryony in 2020 and we hit it off immediately. We have had our company Bumble & Tumble since January 2023.
Q: How many caregivers work with you under your agency?
A: Bryony and I are the primary nannies in our company but have ad hoc nannies that assist. We have about 3 nannies on rotation to assist clients’ child care needs.
Q: Are your nannies trained in CPR and prepared for other emergency situations?
A: Our nannies have up to date CPR training and VOG clearance.
Q: What language(s) do you speak to the children in?
A: Our main language for communication is English. A few nannies have a basic understanding of Dutch or another native language.
Q: How is hiring a nanny through an agency different from hiring someone you know to babysit?
A: The difference between hiring a nanny through an agency, you have the security of having experienced nannies who have a vocation to work with children. You have the guarantee of someone showing up, and our small team is curated with a standard that we would entrust our own children with. We have so many clients that we get only through word of mouth recommendations – if you trust someone that you know and you feel that person could assist a friend or family member, that’s great too. This is how Bumble & Tumble grew and the demand for our two woman team was too much and we had to recruit a few more ladies.
Q: Do you work with all age ranges of children? Is there an age range you lean more towards?
A: Across the board, our nannies have the skillset to care for any age, but we try to place a nanny where they are most comfortable. I, personally, enjoy newborn to 3 years old. I have pushed myself into a role that I now care for older children. The vulnerability of newborns is very special to me. The inquisitive nature of toddlers is always a joy to witness. The awe of life and the little things never gets old for me. The development of self in toddlerhood is so precious and I feel it makes me a better adult when you don’t sweat the small things but you take awe in them.
Q: What types of activities do you come prepared with for young toddlers?
A: I am personally not a preparer of activities. I will ALWAYS have bubbles with me, a balloon, crayons and a book in my bag when entering a home that i will nanny at. Toddlers want to be the center of attention so the best tactic for me is to invite them to show me what they want in their environment. My focus will be to make the child feel comfortable and to establish a connection so that the parents leaving is as smooth as possible.
Q: What activities do you find older children engage with?
A: My approach with older children is the same. Engage on a social level and ask questions about likes and dislikes. Connection with older kids is paramount, again coming with something to show or a trick I have is normally an ice breaker and a funny joke.
Q: Are you comfortable caring for neuro-divergent children? How might your nannies care for a neurodivergent child differently than a neuro-typical child?
A: We have not had experience with neuro-divergent children. This may change in the future should we have such clients reach out to us. We are happy to learn to care for the specific child and meet their needs when we are on duty.
Q: What is your opinion on nanny cameras for parents to be able to check in remotely from their outing?
A: We do not have any issues with cameras in clients homes. It is their home and they have the right to monitor as needed to make them feel secure with having a nanny in their home. The only requirement is that all cameras need to be disclosed to the nanny upon entering the home.
Q: What would you like parents to know about your business?
A: We would like parents to know that we are career nannies. Our passion for childcare is beyond what we ever thought being a nanny is about but also starting this business. The small team we have is of a standard we hold ourselves to. Our rate is inclusive of experience, skillset and worth of the value we extend in our services.
Q: How far in advance should parents reach out to you? And what is the best method to reach out? (Text, WhatsApp, email, calling?)
A: A client should reach out as soon as they think they may need a nanny to check availability. A deposit for the event will secure the date. We prefer an email but a call, text, or messenger on social media will work too.
Q: What areas do you serve?
A: We predominantly service the greater Amsterdam area but we are willing to travel should that be required.
Q: Do you offer overnight care or late night care?
A: We are happy to do overnight child care and late nights with consultation.
Q: Do you offer vacation care? For example, if parents want to take their children with them on a trip and would like the option to also go out at night, would a nanny for your agency come along on the trip and be with the children while they sleep and the parents are out?
A: We do offer vacation care with consultation with the client and their needs in conjunction with nanny availability.
Contact Bumble and Tumble
If you’d like to contact Stacy and Byrony, you can do so via their website.
Email: info@bumleandtumble.nl
Bumble and Tumble Phone Numbers: +31 6 27 14 89 89 or +31 6 83 86 34 97
Branding Photoshoot
If you’d like to book a branding photoshoot with me, please use the booking tab on my website or email me directly at simsawyersphotography@gmail.com.
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