Received Thursday, February 22, 2007
Not quite a sighting, more like a story. I was shopping at the Manhattan Mall in the city yesterday at approximately 5PM EST. Two nannies, each pushing a stroller with a child. One stroller held a young baby of about six months, the second held a toddler. I saw them once inside Charlotte Ruse and again in the foodcourt where one of the nannies was in line ordering drinks at Arby's. I passed by and told the nanny that her child was beautiful (wavy dark, dark, hair, porcelin skin, sharp blue eyes) and she said "oh she's not mine, I'm her nanny". I then said "well, she's beautiful". The nanny then made a couple of comments about how I was right and how lucky she was. I then looked at the younger child in the stroller next to her and said, "They are both beautiful, is she yours". With that the other nanny appeared and handed a beverage to nanny#1. She jumped in and said "she's mine, I'm her nanny". I looked at both children, back and fourth and said "they could actually be sisters, they look just alike". Nanny #1 said, "They are sisters". The nannies were very sweet and funny, obviously in love with their children and relaxed. It almost made me feel bad for my nanny who was home at that minute with three children under five. Whoever the parents were of these two darling girls, they obviously had the means to hire multiple nannies but I was delighted to meet two such stellar nannies. I hope that family appreciates how fortunate they are!
Okay, but I think people who can hire 2 nannies are kind of in another realm than those of us who struggle with the very real issues and guilt of returning to work/leaving the child with the nanny.
ReplyDeleteGreat for them, but?
just a guess but a family with two beautiful, healthy children does not appreciate how fortunate they are. The fact that they assigned these children to strangers to be raised is a clear indication.
ReplyDeleteRather than feel bad about leaving your nanny with 3 kids under 5, you could have given her a break and you and your kids a treat by taking one or all of them with you. I have 3 kids under 5 and a nanny. On the rare days when I have time off I either give her the time off (paid) or I give one of the kids one on one time with Mommy while she cares for the others. Try it. It will make you, your kids and the nanny happy.
ReplyDeleteummm, my ex boss hired 2 nannies. When the youngest was born she needed a lot of 1 on 1 attention so MB hired another nanny part-time to assist with school runs and lunches for the toddler so I could stay home and do exercises, take baby to appointments, admisister meds and spend time getting her into a good routine which was a bit difficult as she had really bad reflux and was held to sleep a lot till she was about 3 months.
ReplyDeleteBoth us nannies would often go out together with the childrenm especially when baby was having a good day. And TBH, they were both really involved parents, just needed to work and considered that hiring a temp, part-time nanny for a few mnths was worth the expense for peace of mind(both mine and theirs) and for the best interests of the children.
6:39 PM They are not strangers. They are apparently loving and nurturing nannies. Does every good post have to deteriorate into bashing working parents and nannies?
ReplyDeleteIn reply to the other two comments..... maybe the parents want the best for the children & hired two nannies so that the children would receive impeccable care. Those parents might work regular 8hr days and then spend hours at nights & weekends with their much loved children. You never know.. don't assume that every family who has nannies are parents who are just pawning their kids off on someone else. I am a Nanny myself, and I have worked for some parents who pay me quite well to provide their children with the best quality of care, only because they had to work to provide more for them in other ways. During their time off, they were wonderful parents. I know a lot of parents with money do just let their nannies raise their kids, but please don't assume all wealthy parents (or just parents in general for that matter) are like that.
ReplyDeleteAs a stylist on a Television show in NYC, my JOB requires that I do ALOT of shopping. I may take a break to grab a Dr. Pepper from the Food Court- to drink on the run- but I am still on the clock.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know this Mom wasn't working? Or on her lunch hour from work? Or out shopping for one of her children?
Believe it or not, MOST mothers are GOOD.
My friend just had her 4th child. Her children are 8, 5, 21 months, and 2 1/2 months. She DOES NOT have a nanny. I'm a nanny and I love being one, but if my friend can raise 4 children without a nanny, then I find it completely ridiculous that a family of 2 has 2 different nannies. What happened to raising your own children?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI once worked for a family that had 6 nannies working different shifts around the clock. There were always two people on duty for their toddler triplets. The sad thing is that they even had people all weekend long so that they could go to the "club" or stand outside staring at their garden...anything to keep from spending time with their own kids.
ReplyDeleteThat is why so many lily white country club jet set tots and tweens have Jamaican dialects.
ReplyDeleteI am a nanny whotakes care of 2 kids. A baby now turning 1yr and a 4 yr old, my employers had to hire another part-time nanny to help me for a few months,when the baby were born. Just like some parents need to have a baby nurse to help.Just because i am a nanny does not mean that i don,t need the help.
ReplyDelete