About Daniela

Reviewed on 6/24/2024

Words cannot properly describe the gift Dani has given to my family through her care, unparalleled love, and unwavering devotion to my two children. She has, and continues to be, one of the most profound blessings to have walked into our lives! Dani and I met several years ago. Introduced by a mutual connection, I arranged for Dani to come the home and meet my family for a play-based, abbreviated introduction, believing this might be the first of many introductions to allow my children to feel comfortable around someone new. But from the moment I opened the door, I knew she was the fit I had so desperately been seeking. What I did not know, however, was that this slender young woman from Brazil would so magically and miraculously transform my children into the compassionate, inquisitive, creative, insightful and selfless growing souls they are, and continue evolving into, today. Dani is the epitome of caring. She devotes every second of her day to the children above all else; surrounding them with love and positive emotion, and ensuring they feel not only physically, but emotionally safe in her presence. Dani is present – she doesn’t check her phone or find distraction in things around her. She devotes her eye contact, her speech, her body language, and her time 100% to the kids, and makes them feel unequivocally important for being in her space unencumbered. She is gentle and affectionate, yet understands the boundaries necessary to grow strong, emotionally stable children with healthy limits in a supportive environment. In my family, we practice a tremendous amount of emotional recognition with the children – validating their feelings and allowing them to identify properly what they are experiencing so they can move through feelings without suppression. Dani has become an expert; not only practicing with the children when emotional situations arise (every 5 or so minutes,) but modeling this same technique back to them as a mirror, reinforcing its effectiveness. Dani practices deep breathing with my children when they feel overwhelmed or emotionally off- balance and assists them in finding a more peaceful place to communicate with unparalleled love and support; never with judgement, offensiveness, testiness, or lack of patience. Dani is not only scholastically educated, but interpersonally sophisticated and experienced well beyond her years. She is deeply insightful in her observations of my children and their continually evolving personas. She is attuned to their voiced challenges on a surface level (i.e. crying, anxiety, demanding temper, etc.) but is equally as tapped-into her thoughts on the problem’s root cause – an upcoming developmental milestone, a physical change, a break in pattern, or disruption to the schedule, etc. She vocalizes her observations in a most caring and empathic way – always attempting to make my job easier as a mother, and ready with possible solutions. Dani instinctively possesses the level of care, concern, attentiveness, and motivation most mother’s wish their husbands only had. Proactive is an understatement as there was nothing she couldn’t accomplish within my home. When there was down time and both children were sleeping, she was always sure to tidy and keep clean the kitchen and common areas / bedrooms, yet never losing sight that the children were her utmost priority. Dishes, laundry, organization – she excelled at all, and did so with the most positive of outlooks, always eager to please and go above and beyond the call of duty. Dani is an outstanding reader – fluent in both English & Portuguese - and developed a deep, extremely special connection with my children through their shared love of stories. Not only was she committed to reading in hopes of expanding their imaginations, she did so with the intonation and inflections necessary to spark curiosity and interest amidst rooms filled with endlessly distracting toys; she was always able to capture them. She used books as tools for lessons, teaching my daughter colors, shapes, animal sounds and identification techniques, and with my older son, an opportunity to creatively explain story ideas ‘between the lines,’ and elaborating in ways that enveloped my son into the wonders of words. A most vivid memory comes to mind in reflecting on Dani teaching my now 3-year-old the meaning of ‘integrity,’ – a self-titled book she also purchased for him a few months back. I remember tearing up as I listened to her say ‘integrity is when we do the right thing, even if no one else is watching.’ That might have been one of the most powerful experiences to stand spectator to as a mother – to quite literally see the manifestation of altruism being passed from an adult to an inquisitive child. How unbelievably fortunate my son was to be the recipient of that lesson – and to all the beautiful lessons Dani has imparted to him throughout her time. Dani is creative and loves assisting the children in expressing their artistic tendencies through crafts, make-believe, and imaginative play. From handmade cards, to chalk drawings, picture magnets, hand crafted hopscotch decals and family room forts, Dani’s imagination is unencumbered, and both inspires and motivates my children to think outside the box, learn, grow creatively, and explore. Dani is a fantastic listener, and unbelievably willing to mold and morph her systems and techniques into any ideation of parenting my husband or I feel inclined to try. Dani is adoring and endearing to my rescue dog as well, demonstrating that her love and compassion run deep through all areas of her life; not only to my home and my children, but to all the things kept safe and sentimentally inside. There is no one I could recommend higher than Dani, and I genuinely wish every child had the opportunity to be cared for by a Nanny as talented, honest, devoted, loving, and selfless as she. Dani will always and forever hold a very special place in our family; the blessings of her work and her love will continue through each of our lifetimes.