International Nanny Training Day in Austin, 2026

Windsor House Nannies and Moms Best Friend celebrate International Nanny Training Day to recognize the needs of young children and to raise awareness of the importance of nanny training and its effect on quality care. This national initiative is part of Week of the Young Child, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. NAEYC is the leading early childhood education association of almost 90,000 members and a network of more than 300 local, state, and regional affiliates.

On Saturday, April 11th, thousands of nannies in more than 35 cities and a few events overseas will gather in their local communities at training events designed to meet their unique needs. Moms Best Friend and Windsor House Nannies are proud to be the local sponsor for the Austin event that will be held at Texas Children's Hospital.

It is open to nannies throughout the community. This event will offer caregivers pertinent training in the field of child care as well as the opportunity to network, share resources, and be appreciated for the important work they do.

• Access to all the tea and coffee you could drink
• Snacks galore
• Candy bar

• Classroom style trainings by some of the best child care professionals.

• Lunch
• Creating lasting memories in a fun photo booth

• Raffle prizes. Raffle tickets are included in the ticket price!

• Swag bags

• Networking event
• Certification of completion

Sandwich box provided by Texas Children's Hospital catering.

A selection of turkey and swiss, ham and cheddar or a vegetrian sandwich box. Chips and a cookie.

Upon purchasing a ticket, you can access a food intolerance form in your confirmation email to mark if you have any.

Understanding the psychological needs driving behavior—and how to respond without rewards or punishments.

What if “misbehavior” isn’t misbehavior at all?

In most cases, children aren’t trying to be difficult—they’re communicating unmet needs. When we know what to look for, behavior becomes information, not defiance.

In this dynamic session, we’ll move beyond the usual “tired or hungry” explanations and explore Self-Determination Theory—a powerful, research-based framework that reveals the core psychological needs driving children’s behavior from toddlerhood through adolescence.

You’ll walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies that expand your toolbox and help you respond with clarity and confidence—without relying on rewards and punishments. Instead of managing behavior, you’ll learn how to support motivation, cooperation, and emotional growth in ways that strengthen connection and build long-term resilience.

Cheryl Hersh

Cheryl Hersh, a PCI Certified Parent Coach and Instructor®, shares her expertise through Hersh Parent Coaching. With a strong background in education and nonprofit management, Cheryl is committed to helping parents navigate the challenges of raising children.

Website: www.hershparentcoaching.com

Safe Sleep Across Developmental Stages

o Infants (0-12m)

o Toddlers (1-3 years)

o Pre-K (3-5 years)

Reasonable Expectations by Age

o Infants (0-12m)

o Toddlers (1-3 years)

o Pre-K (3-5 years)

Routines, Schedules, and Developmentally Appropriate Structure

Communication & Professional Boundaries

Conversation Tools: Scripts & Reframes

Wrap-Up & Resources

Ciarra Morgan, TLCD, HBCE, CSC:

Ciarra Morgan is the owner of the Empowered Beginnings agency in Austin, Texas. She is the creator and host of the Birth, Baby! Podcast and the founder of Birth, Baby! Academy, a birth doula training and certification program. She is a certified birth and postpartum doula, HypnoBirthing educator, and pediatric sleep consultant with a passion for supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Website:

www.EmpoweredBeginningsATX.com

www.BirthBabyPodcast.com

www.BirthBabyAcademy.com

A curated panel of childcare professionals ready to answer your questions on car seat safety, ADHD, the fourth trimester, and being a career nanny.

Cheryl Hersh. Serves as a parent coach with Hallowell Todaro ADHD and Behavioral Health in Seattle, Washington, where she supports families using research-informed, strength-based approaches. She completed the ADHD Service Provider Certification Course in 2024, further deepening her expertise in supporting children with ADHD and related behavioral challenges.

Jes Gannon. A Birth & Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Educator specializing in gentle, evidence-based support during the early weeks with babies. She helps caregivers feel confident with feeding, sleep, and recovery through compassionate, judgment-free care.

Amber O’Neil. Has been a nanny for 18 years, anwell-being NCS for almost 2 years, and a child passenger safety technician since early January 2026. Her goal is to educate and empower parents and caregivers to correctly install and buckle their children into their car seats every time. The safety and well being of children is of vital importance to her.

Bridgette Isaac. More to come!

*The importance of play in child development (including relevant and timely research)

*Categories and types of play

*Reflective responding and 'Be-With' attitudes

*Dr. Garry Landreth's Rules of Thumb for 'Special PlayTime'

*Therapeutic limit-setting using the A.C.T. method (including role-plays)

Shawna West
Shawna West (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Autism-Informed Professional (ASDI), currently pursuing her Certified Clinical Adventure Therapist (C-CAT) credential. She earned her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University and previously spent fourteen years in public education as a Dyslexia Specialist and school counselor. Shawna uses Child-Centered Play Therapy, adventure-based therapy, and expressive modalities to help children communicate safely and authentically. She values compassion, relationship-building, and family connection. An Austin resident since 2005, Shawna enjoys rock climbing, volunteering, and time with her cats.

Suzanne O'Brien

Suzanne O’Brien (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™). She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from St. Edward’s University and her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Texas State University. Suzanne brings over 20 years of experience as an elementary school counselor and is a strong advocate for children’s mental health. She believes every child has the resilience to heal from trauma and grow into their authentic selves. Suzanne has extensive experience supporting children impacted by trauma, learning differences, behavioral challenges, and autism. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, EMDR, and Sandtray therapy.

Website: https://www.ensembletherapy.com/

This interactive 1-hour workshop helps nannies identify what makes them uniquely powerful in their profession — and teaches them how to translate that into stronger resumes, confident interviews, effective negotiation, and long-term career growth.

Dr Lynn Chang

Dr. Lynn Chang helps people build fulfilling careers without losing themselves in the process. Drawing from her background in counseling psychology and her training in yoga and mindfulness, she weaves together practical career guidance with grounded self-awareness.

Her East Meets West approach combines structured tools with reflection, intuition, and clarity. Lynn helps professionals understand their natural strengths, calm comparison and self-doubt, and communicate their value with inspired confidence.

She believes that when you understand who you are and your purpose in life, advocating for yourself becomes much easier — and much more natural.

Dr Binta Brown

Dr. Binta Brown helps people translate their strengths into strategy — on resumes, in interviews, and during negotiation — so they can navigate their careers with composure and professional authority. She is the founder of Career Prompt, an Austin-based career development firm.

Drawing from her background in mental health counseling, business management, and organizational learning, she brings a holistic and practical approach to career development. She understands that our relationship with work shapes not only our income, but also our well-being, confidence, and quality of life.

Through her books Dear Career, We Need to Talk and The Layoff Playbook, and as a trusted partner in possibilities, she equips professionals to align their standards with their voice — because when those align, communication strengthens, negotiation becomes collaborative, and career growth becomes deliberate and sustainable.

Website:

career-zen.com

careerprompt.co

Texas Children's is creating a healthier future for children and women across our global community through our leadership in patient care, education and research. We’re proud of the daily efforts that build into cumulative medical results and discoveries accomplished by each of our institutions.

As one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive pediatric and women’s health care organizations, the significant scope and impact of Texas Children’s as a whole is impressive:

• We have nearly 4.9 million patient encounters and nearly 7,000 births take place annually.
• A staff of more than 2,000 medical professionals work across more than 40 subspecialties.
• Texas Children’s Hospital is consistently ranked in the top 4 of US pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
• We are the academic partner and principal teaching site for Baylor College of Medicine.
• We are at the forefront of cures for neurological diseases.

Website:

https://www.texaschildrens.org

Website:

https://cidercade.com/austin/

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Texas Children's Hospital North Austin Campus, 9835 North Lake Creek Parkway, Austin, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Get App