Received Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Physical description of caregiver: Younger female, maybe 18-20 years old, caucasian, average-heavier set, brown hair pulled back in pony-tail, wearing gray hooded sweatshirt, green sweat pants with yellow stripes on side, and clog/slipper-type shoes, red Coach purse located near her although not sure if actually hers.
Physical description of involved child/children: Young girl, maybe 18 mos. old (not older than 2 yrs), short blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing long-sleeved light pink outfit with large red, yellow, and orange flowers on top, smaller flowers in same type of print in rows on pants, red socks, Pampers. (*I do have pictures with the little girl in them, as she was playing with my charges...so if her parents need validation of the little girl, I'd be more than happy to send those to them).
Address or venue of observed incident: Edinborough Park in Edina, MN (http://www.edinboroughpark.com/content/facilities/edinborough_park/adventure_peak/index.htm)
Date and time of incident: Wed, December 19, 2007, from about 10:30am-noon
Detailed description of what you witnessed: I was at Edinborough Park with my own charges in the Adventure Peak area. About 10 mins. after playing, a little girl came up to me asking for help up a ledge. She was slightly smaller than the 17 mos. old I was caring for, so I would assume she was close to his age. I helped her up and she turned and smiled at me. From that moment on, she was nearly stuck at my hips. She couldn't climb up most of the ledges, so she'd turn to me and say "Help, help, help". Not that big of a deal since I had to help my own 17 mos. old up, but I began to wonder where her parent or caretaker was at. She had a horribly runny nose and a dirty diaper. I tried asking her what her name was but I couldn't understand what she was saying. I also tried asking her to show me where her caretaker was so that I could let them know she needed a diaper change. After about an hour of playing with this little girl and after we had just gone down a slide as a "train", her nanny called her over. She smelled the dirty diaper, and instead of taking the little girl to the rest room and changing her, she simply walked her out of the Adventure Peak area and up one of the walkways and changed her on the concrete floor. No changing pad; not exactly sanitary. When she came back into the Adventure Peak area, the little girl found us right away once again. Now that I knew who she was with, I watched her nanny. She was turned with her back facing the AP play area and was doing crosswords. When she was finished with that, she began texting people on her phone. The little girl got caught in the rope-cross section, fell, and began to shriek. The nanny didn't even look up. I was right there, so I comforted her.
Is this abuse? No, not exactly, but my point for reporting this is because I think this little girl deserves better. She was so sweet and happy playing with us. She's clearly starving for attention as she wouldn't leave my side and would get excited about wanting to go down the slides with us. I think that her nanny should have put away the crosswords and her cell phone and played with the little girl in the park instead of having her back towards her. She's getting paid to play with small child; not to neglect her by doing crosswords and texting people.
Description of vehicle, bag, stroller that may aid in identifying involved caregiver: No stroller, possible red Coach purse (sitting in front of her, but not sure if hers).
Unfortunately, I am inclined to believe that the care giver was in fact mommy, and that mommy hasn't really given into the fact that she's a young mother. Or maybe she is still trying to be both a party friend and a mom, either way this was bad. If she is the mother, she gives young mothers a bad reputation. Not all of us do that.
ReplyDeleteMom or nanny, still very sad.
ReplyDeleteBad Nanny (or mom) ...
ReplyDeleteNice park!
That play area climber is HUGE! My three year old couldn't do it unattended. Poor little girl. That makes me sad and mad.
ReplyDeleteI'm the OP...
ReplyDeleteI am about 99.9% sure it is a nanny. She showed ZERO affection towards the little girl and the only time she said anything to her was right before she went to change her diaper and when she wanted to leave. I watched when she changed her because I couldn't believe she was doing it where she was. She didn't talk to her at all during that or when they were walking back towards Adventure Peak. When she called her back over to leave (while text messaging at the same time), the little girl got upset that they were leaving and the nanny said nothing. She was expressionless and looked like she was clearly not happy to have this job. So sad.
Oh, of course - a mother could NEVER be expressionless and uncaring towards her child. It absolutely MUST be the nanny!
ReplyDeleteNo offense, OP ... but your assumption that an uncaring mother would never treat her child this way is completely off-base.
However, after taking issue with that, I always like to give the OP the benefit of the doubt when observing the abuse. So, if you say nanny, I believe it is the nanny. But please don't be naive in thinking a mother wouldn't be as cruel.
Aside from all that I'm sure it was very upsetting for you, and I hope the mother sees this and fires the NANNY.
It's probably a little less likely that that cruel of a mother would bother to take her to the park in the first place. She could have perfectly well ignored her at home while doing something she enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Mom.
ReplyDeleteTo 10:39-
ReplyDeleteI'm not naive. I know very well that parents can be expressionless and neglectful. I have been raising my twin cousins since I was 19. Trust me...I know the expressionless, not-giving-a-damn, type of parent.
However, I stick firm in my belief that this was indeed a nanny. The Edina area is one of the most upscale neighborhoods in the Twin Cities area and is crawling with nannies, with this being a popular spot for us to come together.
I hope the mother sees this, too, and fires her. The little girl certainly deserves better.
Edina nanny
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I believe that when abuse is witnessed, you go with your gut. If you think it was a nanny, then it's a nanny. I do get aggravated on occasion because alot of times if there is no conversation, posters will always ask: "How do you know it wasn't the mom". Well, we weren't there. We have only OPs words to go on.
Sorry to hear you were dealt such a raw hand in having to raise your cousins. I'm sure you did a great job ... you sound well-grounded.
Mom, in my neck of the woods moms who hate the playground go anyway because it is worst to be cooped up with kids bouncing off the walls all day. I do see bored moms reading and phoning, but the level of neglect in this post is appalling, whether it was a mom or a nanny.
ReplyDeleteI don't see a lot of nannies in the playground with Coach bags BTW.
True enough 12:36. I hafta say...there were many times I took my kids to the park and brought along a book for myself. But I did take the time to change diapers and push them on the swings when they wanted or needed that...and I even "ate" my share of sand "food" they had cooked for me. Kids don't need played with every minute..in fact I think it's better for them if we don't... but you do have to pay attention and be raady to help them out when they want or need it. This lady sounds fairly negligent.
ReplyDeleteTo 10:39 @ 7:50:
ReplyDeletePlease don't apologize! I would not change the past 5 yrs. for the world! I am so grounded because of THEM. They are my rock and I can't imagine life without them. They are amazing. :-)
To 12:36:
Edinborough Park is an indoor park/play area that you have to pay for. Aside from the huge Adventure Park area, they also have a separate part that is an open gym with a bounce house as well as a very small "regular park".
A lot of nannies in this area carry Coach, Prada, Dooney and Bourke, etc. bags, so it is common to see it.
I know that there are parents that take kids to the park to get a break, but those same parents still seem to keep somewhat of an eye on their child. This girl had her back facing the AP the entire time. She should have been with that little girl and helping her. I'd say half of the kids usually have an adult with them in there because of the sheer size as well as helping climb up...and to enjoy it themselves! :-)
Whomever the caregiver was, either her mom or her nanny, she isn't somebody I would hire. She lacks common sense-changing a diaper on a CONCRETE floor? Nasty. Not interacting with her charge? Mean.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where the parents found this one? In front of the welfare office? She sounds as fake as her Coach bag.