New York nanny remembers her roots

(Photo by Kris Todd) Missy Lair lays on the floor in her home's basement playroom to peruse the Lakeshore Learning catalog with children she watches. The Spencer child care provider recently learned she's the winner of a $1,000 grant, which will allow her to purchase things featured in the catalog. [Order this photo]

After spending many hours thumbing through the wish book filled with quality educational materials, Missy Lair has practically every page in the latest Lakeshore Learning catalog memorized.

Since receiving word that she's won the latest Max and Charlie Garner Grant, the local registered child care provider can finally order the items she and the eight children she watches have been dreaming about.

They've already picked the indoor/outdoor Crawl & Climb Caterpillar and a large wooden table they'll all be able to play Legos on.

The $1,000 grant Lair received is named for Max and Charlie Garner, the 3-year-old and 9-month-old children Kristin Laubenthal has served as a professional nanny and governess for the last three years in New York City. Laubenthal, a Kossuth County native, organized the grant two years ago at the prompting of her mother.

"When I left for New York City, my mom told me to never forget where I come from -- the Midwest. Being true to her words, this is one way of never forgetting," she said.

Laubenthal, who graduated from Iowa Lakes Community College with an early childhood degree, has experience working with young children in the classroom, as well as in Iowa, Colorado and New York homes. She's taught infants, toddlers and preschoolers and is a former assistant director of a child care center. The parent educator is also writing a curriculum book geared toward nannies and governesses.

Knowing the limited access and availability of appropriate children's materials in rural Iowa, the grant she originated two years ago may be used for anything in the Lakeshore Learning catalog or Web site.

"I've been organizing this grant for two years now because I know how difficult it is to find quality children's materials in rural Iowa -- particularly at the rate at which providers receive," Laubenthal said.

The grant, which was offered to registered and/or licensed home child care providers on the Upper Des Moines Opportunity (UDMO) Child Care Resource and Referral database, received 40 applicants in 2009.

"Missy's letter seemed to be the most enthusiastic out of anybody's I read. Not only did she boast enthusiasm, but she also seemed to be a professional -- which is one thing that is very important to me. She had stellar references and just seemed like she would be the type of provider that would deserve something like this. And, not only deserve it, but would have earned it altogether," Laubenthal said of the Spencer child care provider.

Lair, who started her home-based child care business June 1, 1992, regularly watches eight children throughout the workweek. Along with the application letter she sent Laubenthal, the registered provider made a video with the children she tends to. They welcomed Laubenthal into their basement playroom stocked with a variety of toys, games and books, and explained what they'd like to do with the things they could purchase if awarded her grant. Recommendation letters from all the parents of the children Lair takes care of were also included. "Reliable," "compassionate" and "loving" were the three traits they all described her with.

"I do it because I love it and I love the kids," Lair said. "Besides my husband, Matt, and our children, Ashley and Tyler, who allow me to do this, I am so grateful for Kristin and her contributing sponsor, Emma Garner, for giving us a chance to do this."

Lair and Laubenthal, meanwhile, are planning to meet in June, when the New York nanny and model returns home to host the Miss Poise and Personality Pageant in Burt. Proceeds from the charity pageant, which will target girls between the ages of 9 and 18, will go to UDMO Child Care Resource and Referral, Laubenthal said.