Meet Jonalyn Santiago★ Top Yaya Pick

Snapshot

Jonalyn Santiago has over twelve years of experience in early childhood care and household management, working exclusively with British families in the UAE. She began her career in Abu Dhabi from October 2014 to July 2020, caring for two children from newborn to six years old over a six-year period. During this time, she taught children safe behaviors for crossing streets and avoiding unsafe objects, maintained a child-friendly environment with engaging activities and outdoor play including games and sports, and taught basic hygiene skills while bathing them daily. She also performed daily and weekly house chores including cleaning, laundry, ironing, and bedding changes, while preparing nutritious, healthy meals for the family. From August 2020 to July 2025, Jonalyn worked with a British family in Dubai, providing full-time care for three children including a newborn, toddler, and six-year-old. She coordinated daily routines tailored to each child's developmental stage including feeding schedules, nap times, and play, while supporting the eldest child with homework, reading practice, and school drop-offs and pickups. Her responsibilities included engaging all children in creative play, crafts, storytelling, and educational games, introducing structured learning activities for the toddler to help with speech development, and managing bottle sterilization, diapering, and sleep training for the infant. She describes herself as compassionate and dependable, maintaining open and consistent communication with parents on each child's progress and needs throughout her career.