Thursday, March 8, 2007
HowsMyNanny.com is a service run by a New York prosecutor who is also a mother of two. Through this site, parents can now purchase a license plate for their stroller that enables the public to anonymously report good or bad nanny observations. Registered parents receive an email alerting them to the report. HowsMyNanny.com has received a lot of press and is quickly spreading across the country. Various media entities have requested to interview members of HowsMyNanny.com on why they believe this service is a helpful step in safeguarding our children. HowsMyNanny.com will not disclose members' information. As such, if you would like to become a member and agree to do a press interview, HowsMyNanny.com will send you a free license plate and one year membership. Currently they are seeking a member in Maryland, Connecticut, Brooklyn and the Upper West Side. New requests come up each month. Contact info@HowsMyNanny.com if interested.
Dear Fellow readers,
ReplyDeleteThis seems a very strange way of keeping tags on your nanny's behaviour?? it also seems that all these accounts of nanny's behaviour is totally out of context, you have no idea - either whether the person you are seeing is a nanny or a mother???
It just seems that it's another way to criticise the way in which children are being disciplined, and while I agree that some of these accounts seem to be shocking behaviour some are also totally ridiculous! for instance smoking in a car while the children are in it does not mean you might as well kill them! It just means that the person smoking does not have the decency to think of the children over their habit! what can possibly be gained from writing these accounts? If the employer suspects the nanny/ au-pair of bad behaviour- then it should be between them, not a 2 min observation from a complete stranger.
As for the "How's my nanny?" website, well that also seems to be saying that you can get people you don't know to comment on the behaviour good or bad of your nanny? If you don't trust the person you have hired as a nanny - then don't hire them! But don't betray their trust by having complete strangers spy on them!
What is the world coming to - you can protect children without betraying the trust of the carer working for you!
above commenter,
ReplyDeleteyou sound scared.
This is merely one nanny's opinion and in no way should you take the following as me preaching to mothers or other childcare providers about what they should think or feel.
ReplyDeleteThat being said . . . I would never work for a family that had an affiliation with How's My Nanny and I would give my notice to the family I work for if they ever decided to get a How's My Nanny license plate. I blogged about it here back in October when I first read about the company.
I will continue to urge all competant nannies that I know to stand up for their rights as employees and individuals and only work for families who understand that trust between a nanny and the family she cares for is one of the most important elements to quality childcare.
annie,
ReplyDeleteThat makes sense. I have a nanny & rely on a nanny because I work in NYC. The disrespect with which my nanny has been treated is shocking. What's next? Barcodes across their foreheads?
I agree with Annie, I would never work for a family who kept tabs on me like that. If you can't rely on your neighbors and friends to tell you their honest opinion of me, then don't expect some stranger to do the same. That being said, 10:21, as I nanny living in a neighborhood where most everyone is a SAHM, when I first moved here I was looked down on completely by most moms in the area. I was "hired help" and therefore not worthy of their time. 3 years later, I have proven myself more than capable of being a top notch nanny while juggling a more than full time job, part time schooling, and living life. Even so, those outside of my street who do not know me so well, might as well put a sticker on me that says "hired help" becuase I will never be anything more, But I wonder if they would say the same thing if they were labled "stay at home mom" and looked down upon.
ReplyDeleteSimply saying, don't diss the nannies, the good ones, we kick arse! and love our jobs and our children (yes our children, becuase we may not have given birth to them, but I'd still do anything a mom would do)
I think the plates are insulting and degrading. If an employer acquires one, I would advise the nanny to quit on the spot.
ReplyDeleteParents, if you think you need one, you don't have the right nanny. Do your due diligence when you are hiring. Interview well, speak extensively with references, and have high standards for your nanny. (education, knowledge of ECD, CPR certification, and not just good, but enthusiastic references). After you hire, get feedback from neighbors, class teachers,and SAHMs she has play dates with.
My employers would never humiliate me by putting one of these on the stroller, because they know how I am out and about from all the rave reports they have gotten!
Frankly, I see the stroller plates as just one more way to make money by fueling parents fears. (They cost $50, that is a pretty big profit margin)
A nanny
I am a parent, not a nanny, and I think the idea is a moronic one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a loser. Sell something that makes sense!
Forget stroller tags,
ReplyDeleteI would love to slap a bumper sticker on my nanny's fat ass!
Of course since she is always sitting on it.........
I think most of these comments have been left by nannies. WHat I have to say is this. Ideally, we would all be able to hire our wonderful Mary Poppins-esque, early childhood education degree nannies. But not everyone can. Yes it would be an insult to a true professional nanny, but how many true professional nannies are out there? Especially in New York? These women come up from the Caribean with no experience but the goal to be a nanny. Most of them are not educated past the 8th grade. I am not saying they are bad people, but they tend to be cliquey and don't respond well to directions and questions. So I can completely see how this liscence tool would be a valuable one!
ReplyDelete$50 isn't much
ReplyDeleteI can't stand seeing mom's write things about their nannies being lazy. YOU are the lazy ones for not hiring someone more productive. How can you be content with leaving your children with someone you can say "sits on their fat ass all day"
ReplyDeleteyou might have a bad nanny but by not valuing your children enough to hire someone more competent you are practicing bad parenting.
Sounds like a company started by a guilty mom working long hours away from her children.....
ReplyDeleteNo. The barcodes should be tattooed across the knuckles so as the nannies push the strollers, the nanny cops can easily sidle up and scan them. If it's on their foreheads, they could wear hats or scarves. And of course no nanny would be allowed, once tattooed, to wear gloves, no matter how cold it gets. Them's the breaks. Sorry.
ReplyDelete5:17 who said "I would love to slap a bumper sticker on my nanny's fat ass!
ReplyDeleteOf course since she is always sitting on it......... "
Don't you value your children enough to hire a good nanny? I just don't understand your attitude. I can't figure out if you really employ a lousy nanny, or you are just a mean spirited person.
My first thought was, what a great idea! BUT, who's to say someone wouldn't report a false sighting? Or take something out of context? I agree with the other posters here, that if you would need to resort to this kind of monitoring, maybe you need a new nanny.
ReplyDeleteSigned, a Mommy
What a stupid idea!
ReplyDeleteIt's just a band-aid on the problem of families not being confident in the nanny they have hired. Having an outward sign- such a lic. stroller plate- just screams out -"HEY I DON'T TRUST MY NANNY! CAN YOU TATTLE ON HER AND ASSURE ME SHE IS NOT HURTING MY CHILD"!
If parents want to check up on their nanny there are better ways than relying on strangers to tattle.
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS:
~Call during the day at different times. Does the nanny seemed frazzled? is your child always crying?"
~Drop in unexpected, or have a relative, neighbor drop by.
~How does your child/nanny react to each other? are they happy to see each other? Does your child ever talk about the nanny and the fun things they do?
~How is your house kept at the end of the day? Does your nanny seem to give care to your child's things?or is everything just thrown around and mixed up?
~Does it appear your child and nanny have had a good day?
~Does the nanny keep a nanny/child log? Keep you informed of your child's developements by gushing about how great your child is?
~Can you meet up with your nanny or have someone you know meet up for lunch/playdates sometimes to see how they interact?
If a parent has a bad feeling about the caregiver- they need to act on it- not get a stroller lic. plate!
What's to stop the nanny from throwing a long blanket over the stroller to hide the plate?
That is why I think it's a good idea to only hire a nanny with at least two solid years of nanny exp. if your child is under the age of 4. Another good indicator of a serious nanny is if she is involved with continuing child-related education- keeps up with her CPR and 1st Aid Cert. and is a member of a nanny support group or organization.
In the end- the way to know if you have a good nanny is that your child is thriving under the nannies care- and that your nanny is exited to share new developements and milestones your child has reached and gives you feedback on how to help your child.
These are the things that will give you peace of mind....
I am torn about this blog & that idea. I like what the poster said regarding professional nannies. We have all seen what is out there and what people will settle for. And these nannies need to be accountable!
ReplyDelete10:30 PM Excellent advice.
ReplyDeleteA nanny
Parents should hire a nanny they feel confident and comfortable with. If not feel free to do the stroller tag thing.
ReplyDeleteNannies are people too and if they were treated as such, we wouldnt be having these boards
I don't believe "if parents does not feel confident and comfortable with their nanny" then they should get the sticker. First, if parents feel that way, then get another nanny. Plus, if you want a nanny with a master degree or a degree in child psychology, their everywhere, but remember that at the end of the day your cookie jar, pockets, bank accounts, 401k and everything else will be empty. they charge what they want, not what you want to pay. Again, why would someone with such degree would want to be in someone's house taking care of their children.
ReplyDelete