Received Monday, March 5, 2007
This could have happened to almost anyone. At about 10 AM this morning (3/5), a nanny layered in maroon sweatshirt, navy knee length jacket with light brown hair & blue jeans was pushing a child of about 2 in a nondescript stroller on West Leland and went to cross North Harlem Ave (not in the crosswalk). As the stroller dropped down off the sidewalk, the curly haired boy plopped out of the stroller and into the street. I kid you not. His grey/black jacket looked pretty well padded, so that probably cushioned his fall. The nanny had quick reflexes and quickly put the child back in to the stroller, but not before looking around with a worried expression to see who saw the incident. I did! I hope he's okay. Those strollers come with buckles for a reason!
anyone who fails to strap a kid into a stroller.
ReplyDeleteIf it was a nondescript stroller then the buckles are probably old and broken.
ReplyDelete6:47: ummm...did you lose your train of thought???
ReplyDeletea non descript stroller is one that doesn't stand out. you know, like a bright orange bug! Or a mcclaren with an obnoxious pattern.
ReplyDeleteIt had nothing do with being old and broken!
It couldn't have happened to anyone who spent thirty seconds to properly strap in the kid...
ReplyDeleteCould you maybe give a better description of the nanny/child. For exapmle how do you know it was a nanny and not the mother?
ReplyDeleteThat isn't a huge area, it's a small neighborhood. So if you have a son with curly hair, an unremarkable stroller, the boy wears a black jacket and the nanny a knee length jacket and your child lives or has business in that area- what else do you need to know?
ReplyDeleteI am just curious because the race was NOT mentioned. Once someone mentions race, they get screamed at for that too!
Actually, I have had things like that happen to me too:
ReplyDeleteI was a nanny for a 6 month old girl and I had her in her carseat on the kitchen floor. To my surprise, she leaned forward and grabbed her feet, hitting her head on the floor. It was my first few weeks with this family, and I didn't have her buckled in. The second she hit the floor, I picked her up and made sure she was OK. I called Dad and couldn't reach him, so I called Mom and let her know what happened. Mom was concerened, not upset and everything was fine. I learned my lesson about using the safety straps.
Before you tell me I'm a terrible nanny, remember that this was my first few weeks with this child and I didn't know how strong she was....
7:25 I would hire you any day. You are honest and you are responsible. Everyone makes mistakes. Not everyone admits to them. It's called integrity and sorely lacking in many people.
ReplyDelete11:16-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliement! I have found that many parents in the city/suburbs that I live in hire 18-25 year olds with lack of education and common sense.
It's disturbing to know that "babies" are watching "babies".
I don't get it how do you konw that this lady was a nanny?? Do you know the parents? If you do why not inform the parents...
ReplyDeleteI agree that the older you are the more experience you have, obviously. But lots of these sightings are of older nannies, so there is no guarantee. I'm 22 and have a baby, 16 months, and I am a good mother, much better than some I've seen that have years on me. Obviously it’s different to be a mother than a nanny, but before I gave birth I was a nanny. It's kind of harsh to stereotype, whether it be age, race, or gender.
ReplyDeleteIt actually seems 18-25 year old nannies have more stamina when dealing with the never-ending energy of young children. I am 24 and have been a nanny for 3 years, and before that I worked in a preschool for 5 years..I have tons of experience! Most of my nanny friends are also the age of 25 and we are all great at what we do..I just think it's unfair for you to criticize as we are all on the same team!
ReplyDeleteHaving energy is different from having sound judgement, and that is what is sorely lacking in most of the young, immature nannies, but not ALL. You don't find the older nannies smooching and necking in the park while watching (or neglecting, rather) their charges. Wisdom is usually realized via experience and that is something that is missing in the younger set of nannies. There is a reason, and I might add, a valid one, for the drinking age being twenty-one. There is a reason that youthful drivers must pay higher premiums for their automobile insurance. Statistics don't lie. Ah, to be young again and to experience the exhileration, the exuberance, and feeling of being invincible, is a wish easily cast aside with the realization that along with all of that would come the foolhardiness and embarrassing, nonsensical indiscretions of immaturity. I would opt for the older, more seasoned nanny everytime and would ultimately recommend this mindset to any parent in need of a nanny or aupair or childcare giver.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the person. I am a 35 year old nanny, and spend anywhere from 1-3 hours straight playing outside with my charge, who generally wears out before I do.
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