Adventure Nannies Blog

Open Love Letter to Nanny Camp and the Nanny Campers of 2024

September 19th, 2024

By Shenandoah Davis

“Nannies don’t need much.”

I was at the 2016 International Nanny Association conference when I heard this phrase during a lunch table conversation. As soon as I heard it, I looked around to see who had said it, but it quickly became clear that it didn’t matter– many at the table nodded in agreement. The discussion had started with a question about how agencies appreciated or honored the nannies they worked with – the pillars of their business, the support for the families they serve, the adhesive that keeps households together, and the crucial factor that enables many women, especially, to return to work after taking parental leave. The conversation focused on the dollar amount of Starbucks gift card that was appropriate to give a nanny who had gone above and beyond or to celebrate a milestone work anniversary, and many passionate voices chimed in—some felt $25 was appropriate. In contrast, others felt it set too large a precedence.

For better or for worse, the last eight years and change have proven the speaker correct. Nannies got working families through the COVID-19 pandemic, stepping in to become instant homeschool teachers, fill-in housekeepers, dog walkers, untrained private chefs, and picked up every other task imaginable (remember when we were sterilizing Amazon packages in our garages?) Some nannies moved in with their employers temporarily to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, sacrificing opportunities to pod with their own families. Others were suddenly left without a job or home as their employers fled to the Hamptons or other more remote locations to wait out shutdowns.

For many families, their nanny was the reason both parents could continue working during COVID-19. For many children during the pandemic, nannies were a much-needed source of comfort and familiarity in trying and confusing times. During this, and in the years and economic turbulence of the last few years, nannies have coped with all different types of changes to the market – families trying to pay under the table, taking away their access to disability, Social Security, and financial solvency, as well as missed raises, holiday bonuses, and other milestones that many folks in corporate careers take for granted. They sacrificed opportunities to move on to higher-paying positions to stick with the families and employers they’ve become bonded to over the past few years.

Nannies don’t need much. But they deserve everything.

This year at Nanny Camp, we welcomed over 50 nannies from all over the United States. Some were seasoned Adventure Nannies we’ve had the honor to work with over the years, and we have seen them grow and flourish in their careers. Some were nannies we hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet.

The amount of planning and logistics that happened in the months before the event was intimidating—everything from considering how people would get themselves to and from the airport to assigning volunteers to dish duty in the mess hall to writing out complicated directions for the many craft projects available in our arts and crafts space.

Yet when we came together, everything went off more smoothly than our wildest dreams. A Facebook group was formed around attendees where rides and carpools were offered and exchanged freely. Every dish was done after every meal. Knowledge was shared freely and respectfully. Charging banks, books, games, and camping supplies were lent out and returned promptly.

The campers swiftly established their own ecosystem where everyone watched out for each other, fostering a supportive and caring community–what else would you expect from a group of nannies? But it was better than we could imagine– Friendships were formed, secrets were shared, songs were sung, constellations and wildflowers were studied, hikes were had, and our micro-community formed over a few short days.

This year’s Nanny Camp was particularly impactful for me on a personal level because I got to share it with my youngest sibling, Alenni.

They were diagnosed with breast cancer in February and have been through a double mastectomy and 5 rounds of chemo pre-nanny camp and together we have spent much of the year, along with my parents and other siblings, studying cancer. After undergoing genetic testing, and trying to forge the best path forward, making daily decisions that no one has been prepared for or can ever feel fully researched about, they attended camp to run Relief.

This was our camp store that benefitted Nanny Relief Fund. I was excited to share this experience with them but also held some eldest-sister reservations – on top of being a non-binary person with a very specifically gendered form of cancer, they had recently lost their hair and eyebrows as a result of chemotherapy treatments and were feeling anxious about inserting themselves into the most social environment they’d exposed themselves to since their diagnosis. The attendees at Nanny Camp embraced Alenni with open arms, spending extra time in Relief just to have dance parties or some introvert downtime.

This experience felt like bringing many different pieces of myself together. Whether it was playing Neutral Milk Hotel songs on the guitar around a campfire after midnight, leading campers in Wheel of Life exercises, or cooking a special meal for our volunteers the night before camp, Nanny Camp helped me find my place in an industry where I haven’t always felt like I belong (and quite frankly, quite a few people have told me I don’t belong!).

I wasn’t the only one with that sentiment – many campers shared that Nanny Camp was their first opportunity to feel like one of the “cool kids”, to experience belonging, inclusion, and celebration for being the complete and total badasses they are.

To the families we’ve worked with who gave nannies time off to attend this weekend, thank you so very, very much. We know managing schedules around nannies’ PTO can be challenging for everyone, and we deeply appreciate you giving them time to recharge and connect with us.

To the agencies, nanny community leaders, and other companies that scholar-shipped in campers for Nanny Camp (Educated Nannies, Seaside Staffing, A Perfect Fit Nanny Agency, Your Happy Nest, Nashville Nanny Agency, All About Nannies, HomeWork Solutions, Modern Minders, New York City Nanny Collective, The Nanny Network, Mommy’s Day Off, Sawyer Products)- thank you for backing this wild idea. In a year that has personally been turbulent and challenging, and in the crucial moments when you see the people who really care and are standing by to support you. Thank you thank you thank you to you were there (before it was “cool” to be there) –I will not forget it. Thank you for being ardent supporters and cheerleaders at every step along the way – it won’t be forgotten, and I look forward to returning the favor.

To Laura, owner of SJ Riding Camp – thank you for letting us take over and turn your charming, very demure, very mindful horse camp into what essentially became the Burning Man of the nanny industry for three days. Thank you for letting us into your camp world and for helping all of our campers feel so accepted and welcomed.

To Reagan, the co-conspirator behind Nanny Camp (and, more recently and very happily, Adventure Nannies’ new marketing coordinator), thank you for not only sharing but also feeding my wild intrinsic belief that anything is accomplishable and actually following through on accomplishing it.

To the campers – holy hell.

Y’all are amazing. I’m so grateful that I got to share space with you.

And to all nannies – you deserve everything.

A lot of people have been asking me what’s next– will there be more Nanny Camps?

Is Adventure Nannies buying or building our own camp to host nanny retreats all the time?

Good question.

This weekend opened up a lot of possibilities and ideas for the future, and also shone a light on a lot of deeper-seeded needs in the nanny community at large. But rather than jump straight into the “what’s-next” of it all, for this moment I am practicing one of my own learning edges – reveling in our experiences, the stories we shared, and the memory of a few truly magical days.

Nanny Camp Forever,