Sunday

Greenwich Park in Bethesda, Maryland

Received Sunday, April 1, 2007
Friday afternoon between 4 and 5 pm I saw a couple of caregivers in the park, both of them African American, one between 20-30 and the other 35-45.. The older caregiver was with and infant in a stroller, I don't know the brand o model because I don't know about baby gear but it said "Universal" in it. The boys we both 1-2 years old, both of them dark blond, they might be siblings, maybe twins, but it seemed to me that each caregiver was looking after each child (or at least supposed to). One of the boys was wearing a plaid shirt and the other a fleece sleeveless jacket and I am not sure but I think one of the boy's name was Andrew and they were playing with trucks.

What I saw and bothered me was this two caregivers talking to each other nonstop paying barely attention to the little boys they were supposed to be looking for, they were talking in a different language I couldn't recognize. In one moment both of them went into the basketball courts where older kids were playing. The little boys were playing in one end of the court while the caregivers where standing up chatting far away in the other side of the court.They could had gotten hurt with the heavy balls

After this the kids went back to the playground playing by themselves all the time and the only interaction with this women was when one of them start yelling NO NO NO because one of the little boys was trying to get the toy from other kid, but then she went back to her conversation.From time to time they looked at them but I don't think that was enough.

This boys were really small and they shouldn't be unsupervised like that, this went for more than the hour we stayed in the park.

I am sorry I can't describe better but I was with 3 kids myself so I couldn't pay to much attention to details.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw your nanny.... talking at the park?

Not ideal maybe, but if I had a dollar for every caregiver (nanny, mom, dad, grandparent) who was chatting at the park while the kids played, my retirement would be secure.

Leaving the kids alone isn't cool, but I'm growing weary of the posts that complain about nannies talking. I talk to the girl I co-nanny with all day long when we take the kids to the park, on the swings, slide, whatever. Is caring for children supposed to be in silence?

Anonymous said...

I frequent this park with my charge and this happens every day. Really, most of the nannies that go to this park are there regularly and I'm sure I know exactly who the OP is referring to. The park is fairly small but some of the equipment is for older children. I see very young children there often unsupervised while the nannies stand in a little corner shaded under the trees and talk only occasionally glancing at their charges. If you live in the neighborhood and have a nanny, it might be a good idea to pop in on her sometime. These nannies are there at the same times everyday and most bring a lunch because they stay there so long.

Anonymous said...

The often overlooked interview question. Do you have a problem being in the sun? Playing in the sun? DO NOT HIRE A NANNY THAT REFUSES TO BE IN THE SUN! JUST DON'T do it. Your child deserves better than some lazy sack of sh*t that is going to sit on a chaise lounge in the shade while your child plays by his or herself! If it comes to a lazy anti sun nanny or a daycare, I would choose daycare. Atleast then, the kid has other kids! And once those nannies sit on their butts, they do not get up! Child gets a scrape, nanny yells "come here". Child finds a dead bird, "bring that here". Child needs asthma medication or sunblock, does nanny get up and go to child? Or does Nanny summon the child to come to her spot in the shade. Take a guess!

Hire better nannies!
Then there will be better children!
Happier, more evolved, healthier!

Anonymous said...

OP:
your spelling sucks.

Anonymous said...

This post is a little confusing. Certainly the nannies should not be too far from the children, or let them play in an area where they are in the way of big kids playing ball.
As for talking while the boys play with trucks and each other, what is wrong with that? Constant adult interaction is almost as bad as not enough. Imaginative play and socialization are the reasons you go to the playground. Helicopter moms and nannies are interfering with those aspects of a child's development.

Jane Doe said...

I usually run every post through the blogger spell check. My mistake.

Anonymous said...

OP here, I didn't mind the nannies talking, I do it sometimes too but always keeping an eye in the children. These nannies were turning their backs at them, ignoring them and they weren't 5-6 year old, they were really small children and they were playing in a dangerous zone , with big ball bouncing around them.If you feel comfortable with your 2 year old playing UNSUPERVISED in a basketball court were older kids are playing too, then ignored my post.

And sorry for the misspelling, english is not my first language. I hope making fun of it had made your day.

Anonymous said...

I am very much against people making fun of spelling mistakes. When English isn't the first language, and a hard language it is, I applaud the effort! As for the sighting, pay attention to your charges. That's the priority here.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Lorenza. Whenever I read someone being mocked for their spelling or grammar, and you can usually tell if English is their first language or not, I have to wonder if the mocker could put together the same paragraph in another language with no errors.
There are also those who have disabilities like dyslexia. So chill out people.

Anonymous said...

SO funny how you observed ALL that while watching 3 kids on your own I guess you feel your the only one who can multi-task huh....

Anonymous said...

5:35 actually, some people really are that observant, especially law enforcement people. I have some friends in that field and when we exit a restaurant or store or some place we've been together, they start relating all kinds of things they saw going on that I missed and could describe the people in detail while I wonder how I could have missed all that. Some people just come by that naturally and maybe some by training.

Anonymous said...

5:35 my kids are way older, but I still keep an eye on them all the time. They were playing basketball in one side of the basketball court, that's why I noticed the unsupervised little children playing in the other side of the court.

And yes ,with three very active kids I had learn to be very very observant, and maybe these nannies could had done it too, but they weren't looking at them, that was my concern.

I rreally hope you are not a nanny, you are one of the ones that give us bad reputation.

Anonymous said...

OP:

In your post you say, "from time to time they looked at them". Over and over in your comments, you say they weren't looking at them at all.

Which is it?

Anonymous said...

11:06, what I meant is that they werent looking at them because they had their backs turn, but from time to time they turn,look at them and then turn back to their conversation.

And you know, I am tired of this, if you want to go ahead and keep refuting me Ok,do it if that makes you happpy. I did what my conscience ask me, maybe I wasn't clear, maybe I did misspelled but I did what I had to do.

Anonymous said...

to the OP:
I think you did a great job and even clarified things for the dismissive posters and yes, you did do what you had to do. Kudos to you.

Anonymous said...

I agree OP,
these argumentative types come on here to bully and intimidate posters. In an attempt to make sure people think twice about daring to post their own nanny sighting.

You did great!

Anonymous said...

u don't talk to ur friends at the park. What were ur kids doing as u watch the caregivers talk and allowed the kids to play. I've never know a ball to hurt kids. Kids need space to play that is how they learn. You need to watch your kids not the caregivers.

Anonymous said...

I think the OP is to be commended for her post and not mocked...and shame on whoever keeps picking on her grammar, spelling, and other issues -- maybe you're one of the lazy nannies she was writing about?

Anonymous said...

no one knows if this story is even completely true... i mean think about it... if this person who reported this cannot even spell, perhaps she cannot have a normal thought process. she is probably jealous because she cannot afford a nanny or something of that nature.

THERE ARE A LOT OF HARDWORKING NANNIES OUT THERE. All of these comments about lazy nannies and nannies that sit around... is not true for all nannies. I for one, am a nanny and I work 50 hours per week, busting my bu#t... I not only care for the children but am the household manager, doing laundry, cleaning, shopping and i am damn well proud of my job. Just a little reminder that not all nannies are such 'bad slackers'...

Dyslexia Debbie said...

It is important for the symptoms of dyslexia to be determined at an early age.
Problems in math and reading could be an early indication.