Hi there, I’m Jordin Rivera, a seasoned professional-nanny-turned-business-owner, and Mom to my toddler babygirl, infant babyboy and 6-year-old Mini Aussie.
Well, where to begin? It wouldn’t feel right without first mentioning how much I genuinely enjoy motherhood and helping others navigate it. I don’t say that to make it sound easy– it’s not in the slightest. But I find it to be so fulfilling. I love my little humans and the season of life I’m in. I’ve dreamed of it since I was a little girl.
Between my own personal journey and my time working as a private nanny in NYC and Europe, I’ve seen so many different aspects of motherhood. I’ve worked with all types of families, different amounts of children, in different countries, and a plethora of baby products– so I felt very confident, empowered, and excited when I had my first baby. Without such experience, I know my entry into motherhood and my feelings about it would’ve been entirely different. I’m so grateful for all that preparation and I’m eager to help and support new Mamas that aren’t quite there yet.
I met my husband in his hometown of NYC, but I am a proud Austin native. I adore this city and its people, but especially–you guessed it–its little babes! I am the proud owner/operator of a infant care program that grows with them into toddlerhood. My passion is nurturing littles and helping their parents thrive at doing the same.
Speaking of passions, I have many. A self-proclaimed “multipotentialite”, I dabble in a few things. Arts and crafts, singing, guitar, and gardening, just to name a few.
I spent my entire childhood thinking I was going to be a professional singer. I was classically trained through high school and sang in a national honor choir. I was accepted into the School of Music at Texas State University, but on the first day of classes I had a change of heart– a crisis really. And so began a degree in business. At the time that felt safe, but it never felt like it was the right choice.
It did however lead me to studying in Spain. I fell in love with Europe and didn’t came back for a while. I traveled on my own, couch surfed, and au-paired for a while in Germany (where I learned enough German to speak confidently). I’ve always felt like an old soul but traveling completely on your own at any age will fast track 10+ years of wisdom in a short few weeks. I found it exhilarating! So much so that when I finally returned and started working for Texas Health and Human Services, it was incredibly mundane compared to what I was doing before.
I worked overtime, banked up all my sick time, and moved to NYC without ever having visited. (I’ve always been resourceful and I knew I’d make it work). Sure enough, I became a house manager/travel nanny on the Upper East Side. It was there that I met my husband, who was working as a doorman on Park Ave. Together we saved up and backpacked through Europe, visiting a dozen countries over the course of 3 months.
My grandpa then became very ill and we came back to Austin to be with him in his last days. It wasn’t our intention to “settle” here but that’s how it worked out. My husband now loves Austin just as much as I do.
I am so happy to be contributing to Austin Moms Blog and look forward to providing unique and helpful insight into being a Momma in the city of Austin! Nice to meet you!