Received Thursday, October 4, 2007
On Wed., 10/3, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a nanny or babysitter was walking two children to a bus stop on 23rd St. between 2nd & 3rd in Manhattan. She was an overweight African American woman with two charges - - the boy was a toddler and the girl was about 4 or 5 years old and wearing a name tag that said "Claire" (both Caucasian with light colored hair). The nanny was holding the toddler under her arm like a sack of potatoes. I was alarmed when I saw her holding the child in this way, completely unsafe and the child was kind of dangling as she walked. I didn't even realize that she was taking care of the other child, the little girl, because the little girl was walking about 10 feet behind the nanny, who never turned around to see if the child was there until they all reached the bus stop.
20 comments:
Maybe the toddler was refusing to walk and she had to pick him to keep going. I have carried my children like this when they have thrown fits and refused to walk, did he look distressed to be carried like this? And being overweight as you say, she may have had issues with walking fast to keep up with little girl, but she should have had her by the hand or told her to stay close by.
What's up with the overweight AA nannies by the way, is everyone seeing the same person. Seems to be the latest trend in nannies!
8:10.......get real. As a caregiver myself, I have NEVER carried a child in such a manner and there is absolutely no excuse...especially a child you're being paid to care for. As for the other child being 10 feet behind........again, NO EXCUSE.
Grrrrrrrrrr. I hope the parents see this.
I can understand that the nanny may have been carrying the child like that for a reason. I have seen plenty of parents carry their children like that- just because they want to, child wasn't behaving etc. So I don't feel that is a big deal.
I do think it is a concern that the little girl was that far behind the nanny. Anyone could have grabbed her and the nanny would probably be too far ahead to be able to do something and because she had the boy. It is better to be safe than sorry. This may be a great nanny, who knows, but the parent's should say something about keeping an eye on the children.
The manner the toddler was carried does not sound safe. So sad to read about a caregiver who cares so little for children.
People need to quit saying "I see parents doing that all the time." for one, a parent is just that the PARENT, they can use there best judgment for a situation as it is THEIR child. And secondly, a nanny is someone who is PAID to take care of someone's child. This means you don't do as you please. This is not the Nanny's child and she should not be acting like this at all! I would NEVER let my child walk 10 feet behind me. If my son is refusing to stay by my side or hold my hand then we don't move from that spot. I have stood in the middle of the sidewalk for a good 10 minutes because my son sometimes feels he's the boss. He got the point and held my hand.
Seriously people need to quit saying its ok for the nanny because mom or dad does it. Thats un-acceptable.
~Lindsey, SAHM~
so, nannies aren't the same as parents, wow, that is crazy.
I have carried many children like that. My nephew will laugh his head off the entire time I carry him like that. The little girl walking so far behind with a name tag on isnt exactly safe... but if someone was carrying my kid like this I wouldn't care unless they were upset over it.
I've never had a kid dislike being carried that way. It's like a game.
I agree 12:26, I don't think carrying the child like that was bad. He could have been misbehaving or wanted to be carried like that. Parents and nannies do it. If he was screaming his head off- that is a different story. But it doesn't sound like he was. The girl walking behind is the thing to be concerned about because anyone could have taken her.
Walking 10 feet ahead of a child is not a smart thing.
As for carrying the toddler like a sack of potatoes, my youngest loves to be carried like that. I don't like it, but I guess it's a boy thing. He also likes being held upside down, which I don't like either.
I carry my kids like that all the time, and so do their parents. The kids think it's great fun.
I carry my kids like that all the time, and so do their parents. The kids think it's great fun.
girlyq: ditto. Exactly what I was going to say. This is not a bad nanny sighting.
She does need to stay with the other child though.
The real problem here is the girl being 10 feet behind the nanny.
Lindsey......you are right on. I cannot believe all the posts defending this......she was "dangling" someone elses child!.......with the other child 10 feet behind!!!!!!!!! Are you people nannies? I feel ill.
Nobody is defending the nanny letting a child be so far away in public. That is dangerous, plain and simple.
But really, I don't see any issue with the little guy being carried that way. Most kids love it, and it doesn't hurt them. Unless he was upset by it, let it go.
Kate, have you spent much time around little boys? Some love being carried like that. I don't know why, but they really like it. Now if the little boy was saying 'let me go!", or "put me down!", that would be a different story :)
Kate has no children of her own. So shes quick to judge. Its different once you become a mom.
I agree she should have had the little girl next to her. But I know some kids at that age are a terror, and will lag behind or not listen.
Seriously folks, this site is a joke.
I left the original post. I checked back today to see if anyone recognized the family. The day I left the post it was my first time on the site (I had done a google search for sites about reporting nannies' or babysitters' bad behavior and found only this one). I never post here, I am not a regular reader, and I would never have posted anything that was benign or ordinary -- I was truly worried for these children. Both acts (mis-carrying the one child, and not paying attention to the other who was wearing a NAMETAG) would cause anyone alarm.
As for describing the nanny as "an overweight African American woman," I simply relayed identifying information about the incident which I felt would be most descriptive and helpful to the parents of these children, should they even read this site.
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