Tuesday

North Field Park, Glencoe, Illinois

Tuesday, September 12, 2006 10:45 AM
Very fit looking petite nanny with dark hair, light complexion and blue eyes. She may have a French accent. I often see her jogging pushing a Phil and Ted's blue and black stroller. She runs in the rain and when it is really hot out. She wears ear buds connected to an IPOD. The baby she takes care of is only about six months old. The baby can be screaming his lungs out and she is oblivious. I am all for a nanny who would prefer to get physical activity instead of sitting on a sofa at home, but on more than one occasion I see her run passed me and the child is just screaming. Seems kind of selfish to put her needs before the needs of the child in her care. Not too mention, the child is really screaming sometimes. Maybe this is how she gets him to sleep. Just thought I would mention it. Nanny runs in black lycra running pants and Adidas tennis shoes. Seems very committed to fitness and looking good, not so committed to young child who may need attention.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a mom to me--I don't think nannies generally exercise during working hours.

Anonymous said...

I am a nanny, I work ten hour days as a live in. I don't always know if my employer will make it home on time as she is an emergency physician. Be certain that I do exercise any chance I get. I love using the jog stroller (that my employer bought for me) as well as the gym membership my employer bought for me. And yes, I get to drop my charge at the gym daycare! Of course my #1 priority during working hours is the child I take care of. I am really good at what I do. I have a tremendous regard and respect for my boss and the child I take care of and the respect is mutual.

Anonymous said...

I am a WOHM. On my lunch hour, I take a joh in the park any chance I get. I would LOVE it if my nanny was so much in to exercising that she wanted to do this! Excepting the fact that this nanny seems tuned out, I think to encourage your nanny to be physically active at work (even if it is indoors while the child sleeps) is only going to make the nannier happier and improve her job performance

Anonymous said...

I would never hire a nanny who will drop my child at the gym daycare to work out - do it on your day off.

Anonymous said...

The poster above sounds like a bitch. Possibly beyond. My nanny takes my child to the gym with her. She drops her at the daycare program. I got my nanny the gym membership. It is the same gym that I go to. I have an awesome nanny who works long days and is a live in. I would do anything to keep her. You above have zero clue about relationships or nannies. I find you disgusting.

Anonymous said...

Nannies using a gym or daycare program at the gym is one of the less common, but wonderful perks of a good nanny position. And in these cases they would be gyms in the employer's neighborhood where the employer is a member or has at least visited, I am certain. The kind of nanny who is on the ball enough to take a child with her to the gym to work out sounds like a really outgoing and energetic person to me. Someone who probably seeks out activities for herself and the child. The kind of nanny who might stick around for more than three months. For every bad nanny out there, there are 3 bad nanny employers. My experience has been the better I treat the nanny and include her as part of the family, the better for me and my children. My oldest child is 16 and I have had only two nannies in my life, (the current one has been with us nine years) so I know of what I speak.

Anonymous said...

I would never let my live out nanny workout when watching my child (let alone put them in a gym daycare). Walking to the park - fine - but with earphones on! Totally irresponsible.
Hopefully the mom will see this post.

Anonymous said...

My nanny goes to the same gym I go to. It is an upscale gym with an awesome program for children. You sound limited. And sad.

Anonymous said...

You guys all sound like selfish bitches to me. Raise your own damn kids. You're the one that had them, right? Your kids are ALL going to grow up to be entitled, out-of-control brats.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the baby is colicky and if she were at home, someone would complain that her baby was crying all day. Maybe, just maybe the nanny feels stressed and knows this way she will not hurt the baby physically or emotionally. Some babies cry.
Just giving her the benefit of the doubt, though only the mom of the baby would really know.
Theres a reason I stay home with my kids. This is it.

Anonymous said...

To the poster two above;
I am an only child raised by a mother who was more concerned about how she looked than if I had a good day. I was shoved off on many nannies while she would go to shows and parties. I have taken that experience to better myself and become a social worker. I help the children who cannot help themselves. You are judgemental and rude.
Spend more time criticizing and bettering your own life and stop being a brat.

Anonymous said...

Good for you, I have a friend who was raised by an alcoholic mother who shoved her off on nanies, ignored her needs and belittled her at every opportunity. Where is she now? Lost. Repeating the same vicious cycle she swore she never would!

Anonymous said...

I am caucasian and my little sister is bi-racial. She is 23 yrs younger than me. When I watched her for the first time when she was 5 months old, she cried the whole time. I actually had to resort walking her in circles in the parking lot. Not everything is how it seems. I suspect she may need to jog the child around to call him/her. Those of us who drive do the same in the car.

Anonymous said...

Let me guess. 2.5 kids? Dog (dog walker included)? Fancy car or two? Huge house? Gym and country club memberships? That's the North Shore for you...people arguing over how their nannies should stay fit. And refering to it as "job performance" makes me sad. You mean "raising YOUR children"??
Cheers to those who choose to stay home and actually put most of their time and energy into raising their own children. It's hard as hell sometimes and certainly not always glamourous, but no one ever said it would be easy, it's a huge sacrifice. Try it...your kids will be better off for it.

Anonymous said...

Let me guess. "Mom" aka anonymous at 11:28, playing her one note aria?

Anonymous said...

Gosh Cali Mom, you usually write nice things to me, although it's probably when I have been anonymous and you don't know who I am.
Anyway, I didn't write anyting above, although I suppose it's no surprise that I do think it's best for moms to raise their own kids when possible.
And, for the record, I don't see this as a black and white issue. I know there are moms who have to work for reasons beyond their control. I know a lot of them would rather be home, and I have nothing but compassion for them.

And I don't think it's bad to have a nanny helper if one can afford it, and doesn't use the privelege abusively to leave her kids day in and day out.

As for the jogging nanny. My guess is that the child was crying before she put him in the stroller. Most kids calm down when getting a ride outdoors. It might be a way for her to get some peace of mind while caring for a child who might tend to cry a lot. Or, maybe she was out jogging and he started to cry. What could she do if she still had to get home? There were times when one of my kids was in a stroller and wanted out or started to cry. Sometimes you just have to let them be unhappy for a little bit. While it's always good to be attuned to your child's needs, it doesn't mean catering to every whimper and allowing them to become so spoiled that they become unable to cope with having to wait a little bit for some things, or not getting their way every time. No need to raise little tyrants.

Anonymous said...

PS, You also won't see Mom criticizing anybody for being wealthy, or poor.
Good and bad moms run across the board.
Although I do find that I have a particular distaste for parents who have a whole lot and use it to pamper themselves endlessly while ignoring their kids. I don't know why exactly. Perhaps it just seems extra selfish. Like they insist on only the best for themselves, and care not about how others feel.

Anonymous said...

11:28 here. Cali Mom, you are pathetic. It's all true and you know it. Truth hurts, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

I agree with "Mom". It's not a black and white issue. There are many, many parents who have to work to make ends meet. Those folks seem to have a wonderful knack for bonding with their children despite their situation, though. And most of those aren't the ones with full-time nannies, anyways! As I see it, there are two kinds of working Moms: 1) those who choose to work because they love their jobs, yet they still spend a lot of time with their children and are certainly NOT entitled people and 2) those who work because they are so status-conscience and need to have the best things and need the money to "keep up with the Joneses". Those are the people whose children seem to have everything, yet what they want and need the most is their parents in their lives, and the kids end up being spoiled little brats.
Trust me...I just moved from a very working class area to a very affluent community and I'm surrounded by it. I thought perhaps it was more of a stereotype, but nope...there are a TON of self-involved parents out there. To them I say "why did you even have children?"

Anonymous said...

11:28 again....I'm a brand new blogger, I've never been on this website before. See, Cali Mom...you were blaming the "aria" on someone else, but there are more of us out there who believe in raising our own children.