Experienced, Loving, Spanish Speaker Nanny Available Full-Time in DMV Area

[Anonymous]

This post is bittersweet for me. We have to say goodbye to our ROCK for the past 7.5 years: the amazing, Spanish-speaking nanny Maria Mahecha, or Cenaida, as the girls know her. She is available for a new opportunity, as our daughters have aged out of this phase of life.

Locations: She prefers to stay in the Brookland area, as she is extremely knowledgeable about other caregivers and their kids, the surrounding parks, and businesses within Brookland. However, she would be open to areas around DC and Montgomery County. Live-in or live-out.

Start Date: Able to start full-time on August 4th, with flexibility for an earlier start depending on the opportunity.

Details: We initially found Maria during that crazy time when people had to go on waiting lists for government daycares before they even knew they were having a kid (2016). We were unable to get off the waiting lists, and thank goodness because it led us to work with Maria. From the initial interview, where she came with her adult daughter and their loving relationship was palpable, we instantly felt comfortable with her.

For the next 7.5 years, we had the privilege of watching her care for my oldest daughter and then my second daughter. She has become part of our family. Both of my daughters have come to see Maria as a grandmother. We are truly devastated to say goodbye to our professional relationship with Maria and hope to find her a new opportunity. While her preference is to start with a newborn, she is open to caring for any child under 5.

At home, she has a plan for every part of the house and the day with the child. She completely managed food prep, tidying, and activities for our girls. She would home-cook the newborn’s food and made sure to take the baby to activities in the neighborhood, whether at the library or the park. By the end of her time, she was so sweet and made us extra food so we could also enjoy her amazing cooking. She helped tidy up the house and fold the baby’s clothes. At the end of the day, my daughter was fed, in a clean diaper and clean clothes. She cleaned up before heading home. She is extremely sweet, never yells, and always showed our daughters so much love, hugging them before leaving.

Other Things to Note: She does not drive but is adept with the bus system. She is always punctual. She is from Colombia and is working on her English. She is a green card holder, eligible to work in the United States, and pays taxes. If you are considering sending your child to a dual-language Spanish-speaking school, after three years with Cenaida, your child will likely be fluent in Spanish already. This isn’t an exaggeration. Cenaida sings and converses constantly with the baby, and both of our girls were fluent by age 3. Neither of us are native speakers, but I studied Spanish and have a conversational level. My wife does not speak Spanish, but with Google Translate, managed to navigate all conversations.

For us, we didn’t have grandparents in the area. We didn’t have much knowledge about how to care for a newborn. Yes, we read books, but it doesn’t always translate when you get into it. Maria was an incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and calm presence in our house the entire time. She did not have a sick day for the first six years, even through COVID! She has been an indispensable part of our parenting team—someone who is incredibly dependable, extremely competent, and unfailingly kind. Feel free to contact her daughter, Ana Maria, at 240-755-4608. Texting is preferred.