Received Thursday, April 5, 2007
Everything was wrong with this sight (4/4, 10 AM-ish). The nanny was on her phone. I could not help observe her VERY long red fingernails. Nanny was wearing tight black jeans, very tight fitting shirt, lots of jewelry and straight or straightened black hair. Her hair was shoulder length and she was pushing a little boy on a bike toy with a hand held pole. The little boy needed to be pushed because he certainly could not have driven it. He was not that very steady on the bike and she kept getting annoyed with him. Why? Because she had to stop and use both of her hands (gasp!) to recenter the little boy on the bike. This causes her to struggle with continuing on her animated phone call. And just for the record, I have no problem with a nanny being on the phone, under normal circumstances this might be an opportune time for a cell phone call, but this child was young and SMALL. This nanny gave off a vibe that said to me "I don't even like this kid". The little boy had on muddy white tennis shoes with black stripes, blue jeans and a brown jacket. He had curly/wavy hair and was probably about 2. The child was white and the caregiver was Black. She spoke with a very loud voice on her phone and I think I detected an accent but I could not place it.
It wasn't the best day to be in the park with a child. Kind of on the cold side. Very wet. Even sprinkling now and again, but more rain imminent. That is why I say everything was wrong with this sighting! I was there walking. One last thought, the little boy might have been able to hold on his handles more but he kept rubbing his ears. Isn't that still the textbook sign for an earache? And did the parent know he was out on such a cold, wet and windy day? I certainly hope this is not a case of a mother ordering her nanny to take the child to the park! But even so, I would never hire a nanny with such dramatically long fingernails! There, I've put my two cents in!-VL, Stamford
24 comments:
What is the issue with fingernails! You'd never hire someone with such long fingernails, how weird are you?
There is nothing wrong with taking a child out on a cold day, even a drizzling day as long as the child is appropriately dressed.
You are probably the same kind of person that complains that the nanny doesn't take the child outside enough.
As far as the kid rubbing his ears, I have known several children to do this when they are ready for a nap or bed. After several trips to the doctors we were assured there was no ear infection.
Who really cares about the nanny's fingernails?
I have two children under three and if at an interview, someone showed up with "dramatically" long fingernails- RED- I would not hire her! I want a nanny who is going to play with children, fingerpaint and sandbox. Not worry about chipping a nail!
Westport Mom here. I don't think yesterday was at all a good choice as for a day to take children out to the park. Everything was soaked. And the rain was pretty near consistent all day.
When fingernails impact the job you are hired to do in a negative way, it IS an issue. There are many jobs that you cannot have extremely long fingernails and be able to do your work, like word processing, for instance, and evidently trying to balance a kid on a bike and still manage a cell phone call. This nanny had her priorities out of order, for sure.
I agree, long (fake?) nails are not appropriate on the job, and she needed to hang up and help the little biker. As for playing outside in damp weather, my charges love to put on rain slickers and boots and go jump in the puddles. We play out when it is snowy too. Many moms complain that the nanny won't go out in "bad" weather. You can't win!
A nanny
Yesterday was for sure an "inside day" in Connecticut. Maybe the system hadn't gotten to the south-eastern part of the state yet, but it rained on my drive from central CT to the Shore-line around 10 am straight on til morning as they say. Definitely an arts and crafts, special movie, baking cookies kinda day.
The fingernails thing is an odd basis for so much disgust. She got her nails done... I am not personally a fan of the abstractly long fingernail thing because I find it looks a lil tacky and gets in my way... but hell, if you can function with 'em, more power to ya. Admittedly though, I think I might have to be pretty impressed with the caregiver to let the nails just go unquestioned. They really aren't very user friendly.
Ewwwww !
I would NEVER, and I repeat EVER hire the long finger nail type.
1. Can you imagine those germ infested things touching a child's diaper region? Nasty!
2. You can expect the owner of the nails to be the type who doesn't get down to play -- guaranteed.
3. Long nails like that are simply tasteless.
Not sure about the potential earache though. If the kid was around the age of 2, it could have been his 2 year molars coming in.
I get my nails done every two weeks, but I keep them short. As long as you have good hygeine about washing your hands and using a nail brush there is no harm in them. I guarantee you find me digging in the sand, playing in the mud, fingerpainting, etc. etc. etc. The woman that does my nails always laughs at how destroyed they are when I go back to see her. But my nails don't grow on their own, they are weak due to a medical condition. So what if I take $30 and an hour of my time every other week to pamper myself.
THe fingernail item is an interesting one - I would personnaly not hire a nanny as described by the OP, in the same way as I have to dress in a certain manner in my work, I would expect the nanny to be appropriatelly dressed in order to be comfortable when playing with a baby or toddler...and somehow tight jeans and top plus very long fingernalisl seams an inconsistent choice of clothes to be our on a rainy day caring for a toddler.
Boring, I can't believe I just wasted 2 minutes of my life on this one and now another 30 seconds typing, bye.
What is the big deal about nails, anyways? What if it were a mom with long nails, would that be ok? Oh, that's right, this is a nanny tattling website!
A mother can damn well wear her nails anyway she wishes! It just makes sense that a nanny with long, red fingernails isn't going to be okay with messy child projects, digging for worms, playing in the sand, monkey bars, etc.
Stop comparing yourself to mothers.
A nanny is supposed to be a professional position. A professional nanny damn well knows the difference between herself and the mother!
I love to clean in the nude.
But it is not okay for my HK to scrub in the buff.
Now, do you get it?
If it took you thirty seconds to type that crap response, you are a damn fool.
Some women are so invested in the long nails thing, I am not.
When I was in school for massage therapy, there was a woman who came to classes with long dragon lady nails. The teachers told her repeatedly to cut them off, but the most I ever saw her do was cut them down to about a half inch long. Who did she think she was going to massage with nails like that? She finally opted to drop out of school rather than lose her precious nails. And that school is not cheap. She blew a lot of $$ to keep her claws. Just as well - I don't know what she expected, but she wasn't going to be any good with her priorities screwed up like that.
That goes for anyone with a job requiring activity. I agree with those above: If a nanny shows up ready to go clubbing rather than to get down on the floor and dirty with the kids, RED FLAG!!
Just because Steve Bartelstein wouldn't be captivated doesn't mean women don't need to beware of hiring nanny/whores. A lot of these white trash chicks come out here from Washington and Kansas hoping to meet a rich man. Granted, a rich man to that person would be the assistant manager at Bennigans, but never the less, their eyes are always peeled for some man to flash their femine wiles at. It isn't just the red nails. It's a whole look. Right OP?
Long red nails? If they are that long and that red that you are remarking on them from a distance, I smell trash!
Uh, Hi, I Love Steve.. :) Long time no post...
And YUCK! The nanny sounds disgusting! Definately not into her job.
928, and to all the other disgruntled nannies, go away. It will always be a mothers perogitive who watches her children, and most would never hire trash like that. If it bothers you so much to read these posts, go away or else don't comment on what you read. Go start your own site, then. Shesh.
Sounds like a skank to me
The nails issue is interesting... I'm a nanny and I like to have my nails long (not THAT long - a decent long!!) but when I'm actually taking care of a child, I try to remember to cut them when they get longer, because I don't want to accidentally scratch one of the precious children I'm taking care of!!! (And that's happened before once or twice.) Can't say I agree that all nannies like this should be written off solely based on the fact that they have long nails, but if they cared more about the nails than the child, then no don't hire them!!
Melissa:
A "decent long" and an "obnoxious ho" long are 2 different things.
And please, please......spare us the freakin' palm trees and other airbrushed designs.
Why do these women feel that's attractive?
239-Go girl! I get my nails and eyebrows done every 2 weeks, and I keep my nails short. I had long ones a few weeks ago, and it got difficult to work with them, so the lady that does my nails cut them short.
Long nails can be a concern to some parents, and to be honest, what you have on your nails says something about you. Subtle nailpolish is fine if you have long nails-a good rule of thumb is long, artificial nails should be painted with light colors, short nails(natural) look better with dark colors. Long red nails? Run for your lives!
1058-I agree! I have conducted interviews at daycares where young ladies show up wearing a short black dress and stilettos-not the outfit for a job interview, escpecially when working with children.
I live in jeans and tee shirts, and when I go out, I put on the evening makeup, hair done, and I put on the chunky boots or stilettos and a tight tee and jeans. Never, ever, ever, ever, would I show up at an interview like that, or go to work like that.
1059- Who are you?
You are right on track with my line of thinking!
Damn who gives a (&^# about the girl's damn nail length. Jesus you're judgemental. So you've determined that she's unfit for employment or child care because her nails bother you?! Obviously they don't bother the parents or else she wouldn't be hired so stay out of it. Seriously, choose your battles. Seeing a child abused, demeaned, injured, etc in a nanny's care is one thing, but you decided to create a post about 'I didn't like the way this girl looked' and have made huge assumptions in what type of person she is, beacause of her nails!? You must be kidding. Please, step down from the soapbox of sanctimommy scrutiny.
Post a Comment