Received Monday, October 30, 2006
In line on Saturday 10/28 for a table at Serendipity when your nanny/au pair came along with your 10(?) and 6(?) year old. They were quite behind us in line and also waiting for a table when your nanny/ au pair asked your ten year old to hold the spot in line while she ran over to Dylans with "Sophie". I imagine most of the patrons assumed your 10(?) year old was with us and worry not as I kept my eye on him. Your nanny/au pair returned fifteen minutes later with candy for all. Exceedingly bad judgment on her part!
When I was 10 years old, I was more than capable of waiting in line by myself for 15 minutes. I don't think this is "exceedingly bad judgment" by the nanny.
ReplyDeleteI think the only bad judgment this nanny showed was in patronizing such overpriced tourist traps as Serendipity and Dylan's.
ReplyDeleteLeaving a child alone in NYC is unforgivable. Especially if the child is from the suburbs!
ReplyDeletewhat is it lately with nannys leaving children alone in public places! their job is to watch the children. if the parents wanted their children left alone, they wouldn't have hired a nanny! this is inexcusable to me and i can't believe people would think about doing this, let alone actually do it!
ReplyDeleteA 10 year old is big enough to be left for a couple of minutes
ReplyDeleteA 10 year old is not old enough to be left alone in NYC. (Do you know the area?) I do. Also, as a parent, this would be a judgment call I COULD make but the nanny who is being paid to watch the children- needs to WATCH the children.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a 10 year old may be able to take care of herself while standing in line for a few minutes, that is most definitley NOT the judgement call for the nanny to make, that is for a parent to decide. The nanny needs to make sure that her charges are in her view at all times when in public!
ReplyDeleteAs a born and raised Manhattanite, I disagree. I grew up on the Upper East Side, and certainly got to walk around a bit as a 10 year old. Why do you assume the parent didn't allow this?
ReplyDeleteYes, I know the area. I live in NY. And, as for a parent making that call, not the nanny, the nanny is paid to make calls while the parent is gone. if the kid is 10 years old, chances are that the nanny has been taking care of that child for a very long time. signed, a mom
ReplyDeleteyou don't know how long the nanny has been working with the child.
ReplyDeletesorry, I'm a born and bred Ny'er too and I wouldn't want my 10 yr old left alone and told to stay there. What if something happened to nanny? What if some sicko was watching and decided to take advantage? Too easy to lose a kid permenant;y these days
ReplyDeleteAs a nanny, I have to agree with respondents who said it isn't the nannies call. No matter how mature the ten year old is, you are being paid to keep them in sight at all times, especially in NYC.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't a 10 year old be left alone for a couple minutes on line in a restaurant? The nanny clearly knew that "her boy"was capable of doing just that! So many of us want our kids to be babies all the time.
ReplyDeleteSORRY NANNY.BUT I AM A NANNY AND A MOTHER.AND IF AM THERE WITH MY 18 aND 7 YEAR OLD.I KEEP AND EYE ON THEM. AND FOR A 10 YEAR OLD. AND ITS MY JOB.I WILL BE BY HIS SIDE.KNOWING WHAT GOING ON OUT THERE NOW.KNOWING THAT EVERYONE IS LOOKING TO SEE WHEN WE GO WRONG.
ReplyDeleteScary all caps nanny above- no you don't do the right thing because you think you are being watched; you do the right thing because it is the right thing.
ReplyDeleteA 10 year old is perfectly capable of waiting in line by him/herself. I had more responsibilities than that when I was 10 years old. Even in New York City, I would be left for a alone or in charge of younger siblings while my mother would run someplace else quick.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know the child was 10? Perhaps he was 11 or even almost 12. Surely a pre-teen should be allowed to wait in line in a public place and be trusted to not go off with a stranger for fifteen minutes.
ReplyDeleteIts sad to say but times have changed. We had a lot more freedom when we were young and maybe the world was a safer place. I think it is very poor judgement to leave a child alone in NYC. If something did happen to that child or to that nanny and they never reunited...then what? Was that candy worth it? They should have stuck together and the little one would survive w/o her candy until later.
ReplyDeleteI agree, how do you know the child was 10? You can't accurately judge a child's age by their height as there is way too much variation...some are super tall, some are very small. Also, a lot of children begin being left home alone at the age of 10 or 11 for short periods of time, and even begin baby-sitting for short periods of time at the age of 11 or 12, so I don't see how it's a stretch to have a child hold a place in line for a few minutes. My guess is that she knew she was going to be gone briefly (5 to 15 minutes) and knew his level of independence as his caregiver. Most 10 year olds are allowed to go to the park, walk to school, and do other "little tasks" by themselves for the first time (this is one of the first ages that really starts to assert independence before the teenage years) so perhaps she was just following what his parents allow. At the age of 10 though I still had a babysitter, I was allowed for the first time to do stuff such as hold a place in line for a few minutes, and walk to the local park, it truly is the typical age where kids first start to gain more independence and trust. This is not to say a 10 year old is old enough to be left for more than a very short burst, but just so say they are getting to that tween stage and are a bit more trustworthy.
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