Sigríður was a childminder for half a century.

Sigríður was a childminder for 51 years.

„You have cared for over 300 children in your career, assisted their parents, raised your own children, touched the lives of their friends, your in-laws, your grandchildren, and that's before we mention other family members, your own friends, and us, your colleagues,“ said Ellý Erlingsdóttir, chairwoman of the Association of Day-care Providers in Hafnarfjörður, to Sigríður Guðrún Jónsdóttir, a day-care provider for 51 years, as she presented her with a token of appreciation at the day-care providers„ workday in Hafnarfjörður on 4 October. “You have always been a big part of the profession and have worked hard for it."

Sigríður started working as a day-care provider on 1 October 1973. There are now 22 day-care providers working in Hafnarfjörður, four of them in couples.

Stefndi is to work for half a century

Sigríður says that she had aimed to reach 50, which then became 51. She retired in June this year and is delighted to be settling into her new life with her little five-month-old great-grandchild at home, while her parents, her grandchild, await housing after living abroad.

„Yes, she's the first great-grandchild, but there will soon be three,“ says Sigríður, who herself has five children and became a mother of three at the age of 22. She then moved with her family to Blómvang in their own home.

„I'm so pleased to see how much she's developed while she's been staying with me for a few weeks, wow,“ says Sigríður, who will be 75 in December.

But how the job has changed in fifty years. „The pay is better than it used to be,“ she says, describing long working days, split shifts, working until half past seven in the evening at first. „But I did notice how much the price of food went up in the last three years. It was awful,“ she says. „In recent years, I also had kids on special diets. I might have had four different types of milk. That wasn't here before.“

But have the children changed? „I don't know. I was lucky, they were good.“ Having one-on-one time was difficult at first. But what did her children think about having other children always in the house? „My daughter wanted them on weekends as well,“ she says.

Few, if any, have worked for longer as a day-care provider.

When asked, she says she is not sure if the 51 years as a day-nanny is an Icelandic record. Her friend, Guðbjörg Viggósdóttir, Bibbi, had worked for quite a long time. „We're friends, I'll ask her next time we meet,“ she says, smiling in pink novelty glasses for the occasion.

Sigríður attempted a career change but quickly gave up. „I went to work at Hrafnista in Hafnarfjörður. I can't remember if I made it one or two days. The clock just wouldn't move,“ she says, but time flies when you're with children.

„Yes, I was a great routine person and always have been in my life. I had an incredibly good setup, both indoors and out in the back garden. Then I went for walks with the pushchair for a change. Then one year I had four children instead of five and I felt the difference,“ says Sigga. „I worked a lot for the same families.“ Sigríður was also for a long time the chair of the parish council of Víðistaðakirkja, for almost a decade.

Sigríður's pink colour

The blue leather jacket, a pink bag. Over the years, Sigga has sometimes been associated with her favourite colour, nicknamed Sigga Pink. Has she always been this colourful? „Always, ever since I was born,“ she says.

„Mum said that when I was a little girl, I used to go with her on the bus to buy fabric, because she sewed so much. Then I'd stand in front of the mirror and ask, “Is this stylish, does it go together?'

She was captivated by the colour pink. „I've always been really into pink, but now I try to wear other colours too, so people don't think I'm a bit weird,“ she says, laughing.

„I was very much in yellow in September, as it was the month for yellow. Now this month I'm in pink, since it's Pink October,“ she says, laughing.

But why work until the age of 74? „Dad was a building contractor and worked until he was 78, and so did my brother. It seems to be in the genes.“

Gratitude. We are truly grateful that you have worked in Hafnarfjörður for so long and given so much to all these families. Our heartfelt thanks for your exceptional dedication, Sigríður. Thank you.