I have witnessed this nanny for the past 7-10 days. She is a new nanny who has recently started to frequent Heckscher Playground in Central Park. I have seen her three times there during this time and never before. She is an overweight, white female who carries an IPhone in bright blue carrier. She is always on her Iphone or texting on it. Usually sitting down. Her charge, and in fairness, it has been cold, but her charge just sits in her stroller. The stroller is light weight with a bright, fun print. The charge is a girl who has to be close to three years old. Looks to be healthy sized for her age, tall and sturdily built, not heavy. The child has exotic coloring, very fair skin, dark eyes and hair and is always wearing dresses, tights and little boots. The nanny who is always sitting and texting is often eating and drinking. She usually has a large bottle of Gatorade and then a grocery sack of snacks. To keep the child still and in her stroller, she constantly feeds this child. Little mini packs of potato chips, m&m's candy, lolly pops, Cheetos, animal crackers. That has been the extent of the outings I have seen them at. I am always at the park, even when it is cold, sometimes I just take a stroll there for fresh air. My charge is only 10 months and still I am just walking around or passing by or I stop and chat with someone I know to talk about play dates and meet ups. This nanny keeps to herself. I don't think this is an example of how a nanny should be. The strange thing is the child doesn't seem to ask to get out of the stroller, which makes me think she has come to prefer shoving food in her face to running around.
Monday
Heckscher Playground in NYC
Received Monday, March 25, 2008
I have witnessed this nanny for the past 7-10 days. She is a new nanny who has recently started to frequent Heckscher Playground in Central Park. I have seen her three times there during this time and never before. She is an overweight, white female who carries an IPhone in bright blue carrier. She is always on her Iphone or texting on it. Usually sitting down. Her charge, and in fairness, it has been cold, but her charge just sits in her stroller. The stroller is light weight with a bright, fun print. The charge is a girl who has to be close to three years old. Looks to be healthy sized for her age, tall and sturdily built, not heavy. The child has exotic coloring, very fair skin, dark eyes and hair and is always wearing dresses, tights and little boots. The nanny who is always sitting and texting is often eating and drinking. She usually has a large bottle of Gatorade and then a grocery sack of snacks. To keep the child still and in her stroller, she constantly feeds this child. Little mini packs of potato chips, m&m's candy, lolly pops, Cheetos, animal crackers. That has been the extent of the outings I have seen them at. I am always at the park, even when it is cold, sometimes I just take a stroll there for fresh air. My charge is only 10 months and still I am just walking around or passing by or I stop and chat with someone I know to talk about play dates and meet ups. This nanny keeps to herself. I don't think this is an example of how a nanny should be. The strange thing is the child doesn't seem to ask to get out of the stroller, which makes me think she has come to prefer shoving food in her face to running around.
I have witnessed this nanny for the past 7-10 days. She is a new nanny who has recently started to frequent Heckscher Playground in Central Park. I have seen her three times there during this time and never before. She is an overweight, white female who carries an IPhone in bright blue carrier. She is always on her Iphone or texting on it. Usually sitting down. Her charge, and in fairness, it has been cold, but her charge just sits in her stroller. The stroller is light weight with a bright, fun print. The charge is a girl who has to be close to three years old. Looks to be healthy sized for her age, tall and sturdily built, not heavy. The child has exotic coloring, very fair skin, dark eyes and hair and is always wearing dresses, tights and little boots. The nanny who is always sitting and texting is often eating and drinking. She usually has a large bottle of Gatorade and then a grocery sack of snacks. To keep the child still and in her stroller, she constantly feeds this child. Little mini packs of potato chips, m&m's candy, lolly pops, Cheetos, animal crackers. That has been the extent of the outings I have seen them at. I am always at the park, even when it is cold, sometimes I just take a stroll there for fresh air. My charge is only 10 months and still I am just walking around or passing by or I stop and chat with someone I know to talk about play dates and meet ups. This nanny keeps to herself. I don't think this is an example of how a nanny should be. The strange thing is the child doesn't seem to ask to get out of the stroller, which makes me think she has come to prefer shoving food in her face to running around.
You have completely missed the point of this website.
ReplyDeleteInstead, of being judgemental, why don't you try and talk to her. Maybe, you can invite her to walk with you and your charge. Push the kids in the stroller. She may be shy or awkward. Maybe, shes not from the city.
ReplyDeleteI would first try and befriend her. Then maybe, see if shes interested in going for a walk or playground with the kids. Or even inviting them for a playdate
Are you sure you didn't come on here to make yourself look good?
ReplyDeleteMaybe, just maybe, you give off the impression of being stuck-up.
And stop staring at people so much, its really rude.
once again, you sure this is a nanny?
ReplyDeleteWell, OP didn't say if the sitting and eating seems to go on fou hours of if she just sees it when she passes by, but here goes. IF I had hired a nanny and this nanny was taking my child to the playground, *I* would assume that meant they were PLAYING at the playground, not that he was being fed junk food while sitting buckled into his stroller the whole time.
ReplyDeleteI hope the parents see this, and it should be enough identifying info, assuming this IS a nanny. You don't say if you've ever seen the child with anyone else or seen her before you ever saw this nanny but IMO, this is NOT acceptable for a paid caregiver and I'd CRINGE if I saw a mom doing this too.
What exactly is your complaint here? You don't mention anything that borders even remotely on "bad or concerning nanny behavior". You do not mention if the child is perhaps underdressed for the wheather, though you mention the temp a lot. And you also do not mention how long this nanny is at the park with her charge. Perhaps she takes 20 or 30 minutes to get some fresh air out of the stuffy apt. and perhaps it is also snack time for her charge, and while I dont approve of those snacks you mentioned, maybe the little girl's parents do. I suggest you keep your eyes out for more serious scenarios where a child's well being is actually being put at risk.
ReplyDeleteSomeday when I am 99 years old I will regret the one minute of my life I wasted on reading this post.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 4:52
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to include regretting the extra minute you took to post a comment of your own after the minute you wasted reading ours!
OP reported what she saw because it disturbs her. Good for her. If this was my nanny I would want to know that I need to talk to her about limiting junk food and encouraging physical activity for my child. Although this is not an outright abusive nanny sighting, definitely a below average nanny sighting and I wonder if the parents know what they hired. Good post.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why OP is being attacked for posting this. True it's not outright abuse, but it is neglectful and lazy. It is exactly the kind of childcare a subpar nanny might get away with, and the parents could easily miss. If this were my nanny I would definitely want to know this information: constant cell phone usage, excessive junk food, no physical activity at the park. Also if this nanny is truly new to her job, imagine how much worse her childcare will get as time goes on.
ReplyDeleteI think many moms would want to know if their nanny kept their child in the stroller eating junk food while she talked at length on the phone, instead of running around and playing. Not my idea of a good, or even adequate nanny.
ReplyDeleteIf the mom doesn't care, or if in fact this is the mom, no harm done.
A Nanny
There are 2 possibilities here: either the parents would be very bothered by this and feel it was not at all the behavior they requested and expected of their children's nanny. In that case, they'd be very glad that someone informed them that his wasn't the case so they could react accordingly. The other possibility is that they're perfectly ok with it. In which case, no harm in the post. Either way, op did the right thing by putting it out there. The parents have a right to know about these activities (or lack thereof), and decide for themselves if they find it acceptable. Thank you op.
ReplyDeleteI dunno...I tend to defend nannies that are being accused of ridiculous things on here, but this one seemed legit. this nanny sounds lazy. I agree with nyc mom...I don't understand why everyone is being so hard on OP.
ReplyDeleteI'm a nanny and even if the parents approved of this type of eating I wouldn't allow it. I'm not sure of any professional nanny who would. Children need healthy snacks not crap foods. Shame on this nanny!
ReplyDeletePeople are being mean to OP because they are anonymous and they can. Don't let it get to you OP. Its just the typical "initiation" around here.
ReplyDeleteYou could report a nanny dipping a child's feet in burning oil and somebody would find a way to criticize you...and then "others" would jump on the bandwagon and agree with her.
does this nanny have red hair?
ReplyDeletedoes this nanny have red hair?
ReplyDeleteEven though those food choices aren't the healthiest, you have NO idea as to what they've been doing earlier in the day. They could be using the park as a resting spot from earlier activities. As much as I agree that there are nannies who do nothing but plop a kid down and pay no attention, I really hate all the people who assume that someone talking on their cell phone and has a child in a stroller automatically means they are neglecting the child and OMG BAD PERSON.
ReplyDeleteMy nanny talks on her cell phone. She does it when I am not around and she does it when I am around. If you saw her sitting on a bench with my child while she talked on the phone, she would still be engaging my child to some degree. You can make a judgment call when you see some of these nannies. I know because I see them all of the time and other parents tell me what a stand out my nanny is. Most of these nannies don't seem to even like children. It's ridiculous what passes for childcare in New York. Especially Brooklyn. Shame on you all.
ReplyDelete