NY Children's Museum in NY, NY

Received Friday, March 9, 2007
I work F-T outside the home, but try to take a day or two off every month to spend with my son. Today was one of those days and I took my son to the NY Children's Museum. This is both a good and not-good nanny (and parent) sighting. First off, I want to point out that the majority of the nannies and parents at the museum were attentive and caring--particularly a lovely African-American woman who was older with short hair and a red coat and caring for a baby boy who looked to be about six months old and an older child. She was just really wonderful to the baby, all the while keeping her eye out for the older child.I'm sorry I can't be more specific, I was chasing my little guy around.
Here are my observations: Some parents and nannies might consider turning their blackberries and cell phones off. I saw one nanny (long wavy dark hair, young, black slim, but puffy-style coat, very pretty) who was on the cell phone every single time I saw her (at least 8 or 9 times in the 90 minutes we were there).There were a half-dozen other nannies doing the same to some degree. Where were the kids? Often out of eye sight as evidenced by a momentary "hold on" and dart across the room or to another area to find the child. Other nannies and mothers were sitting along the wall bored and barely paying attention. This is an interactive museum, for goodness sake... not a tot lot. Finally, the one that took the cake for me was a mother--slim blonde, late 30s--whose daughter--about 2 or 3yo, blonde--was typing messages on her blackberry the entire time. Other parents and nannies would have to ask her child to share or move for a second so their child could get by. The little girl sat on one climbing area and refused to move (blocking the way for five or six other kids) and would yell "no" and push the other kids with her feet. My child just walked to the other end and kept playing. But finally, after no less than three minutes, another mother asked the girl to move, then physically lifted her so the other kids could go by. The mother of the girl was still typing away on the blackberry. Just as the girl resumed her spot in the way of the other kids, the mom looked up and said,"honey, we need to make room for other kids" and moved the girl to another area.Within about 30 seconds, she was back to her blackberry, ignoring the girl who would rotate between playing and staring at her mom. This museum is really one where you've got to interact with your child about half the time to help them understand what they're doing or to just cheer them on. I felt sad for the little girl. She seemed to know (I say this from the look she'd give to her mom--like she didn't want to bother her but hoped mom would notice she wanted her) not to bug her mom and the mother was oblivious to her child's need for interaction.