Friday

UES of Manhattan, Carl Schurz Park

Received Friday, September 5, 2008.
nanny sighting logo UES of Manhattan, Carl Schurz Park directly in front of Gracie Mansion, (Thursday 9/4) at 12:30.This is the second time that I've seen this nanny do this, which is why I'm posting this. The nanny is African-American, with short and kind of spiked hair, gold loop earrings, I would guess in her 30's. The child is a Caucasian girl with blonde, shoulder-length hair with bangs, I would guess about 3 y.o. They have a red diaper bag.

Both times I've seen this nanny, she takes the child right in front of Gracie Mansion and keeps the child in the stroller for an extended period of time. She seems to insist that the child just sit in her stroller, without toys/books, while the nanny reads. I've seen the child protest, but the nanny just seems to insist that she stay in her stroller. The child looks so sad --like she's just given in to the fact that no matter what she says, she'll have to just sit there. The nanny barely speaks to her and never smiles. I must add that I saw the girl had tape below her knees, so maybe she's disabled and can't get out of the stroller. Even so, the nanny is in no way engaging. This isn't necessarily textbook abuse, but it makes me feel so bad when I see them.
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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeah she should at least give the child a book to look at or some toys to play with. Atleast she's taking her out of the house! I guess I like to see the silver lining, but its still sad that the child has to be bored to death.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why the nanny does not give her toys or something. Poor thing. Its to bad that there are people out there like that.

Anonymous said...

The mom of the child is probably a SAHM, so the nanny has to sneak out of the house to ignore her, as it wouldn't fly at home. Poor little girl. I guess it could be worse, she could be at Barnes and Noble with all the other ignoring nannies.

Anonymous said...

why would the mom be a sahm?

Anonymous said...

If the mom weren't a sahm, the nanny would not have to leave the house to ignore the child, she would do it in the privacy of the apartment. Since mommy is probably there, she needs to hide elsewhere until nap time. Probably telling mom she was "at the park"

Anonymous said...

This is part of the stroller training ritual that many nannies engage in. It involves forcing the child to sit in the stroller for extended periods of time. Toys and books are not part of the training because the nanny needs to keep her load light if she plans on hitting the stores in the afternoon. The children learn that this is their lot in life when with the nanny. I once witnessed one stroller trained girl start sobbing quietly until another nanny asked her why she was crying. Then she said "i really have to go to the bathroom". She was so well trained she thought she just had to sit there and hold it until she was told she could get up by her nanny

DowntoEarth said...

I would be livid if I thought for one minute that a nanny I trusted with my little chldren made them sit and wait to use the restroom. Training? I would see that just one time and this nanny wold be looking for another job . That is child abuse. I think I know a few friends that need to check on their nannies.

Anonymous said...

Lynn
Excellent post, I know exactly what you're saying. Some of these nannies have these children groomed to a point where they stifle a small whimper just to get fed or changed. And it's disgusting. I blame the parents mostly here. They should do drop-ins on their nanny, and know who they hire to take care of their babies.

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Anonymous said...

lynn and former nanny, current mom: you both are so right. i never thought of it this way. i see many nannies doing this on 86th street b/w the stretch of lex and 3rd all the time. most of them are caribbean and seem to be friends. i've seen all nationalities do this however, including one with two kids in a double stroller at banana republic. it wasn't the fact that she went in there that bugged me, but that the children were crying and she was there before i got there, and still there when i left 20 minutes later. the older girl was 3 and crying miserably. i am a sahm and i used to go shopping with my son when he was under 1 yo and would nap in the stroller, but once he was mobile he would be so upset. i can't imagine children being relegated to a life of this. also, the worst is when i see a 3 yo napping in the stroller. what is wrong with these nannies? put the child in a bed for the nap!

9:33 PM

RE-POST

Anonymous said...

I didn't realize the purpose with which this was done until I witnessed the one nanny with a stroller trained girl move on to her next job with a new infant. I saw her weekly in the park on the bench chatting with friends. The baby, in the stroller, is NEVER held by the nanny. If he cries, she may move the stroller back and forth to soothe, but NEVER does she pick him up. Feedings are also ONLY in the stroller. Once mobile, baby may be allowed out of stroller but must sit at nanny's feet. If he moves more than 3 ft away, he's brought back, after 3rd or so "offense", he goes back into stroller. If he cries in stroller, instead of being able to face the playground and other kids, he's turned in stroller toward nanny so he can only look out of the park where there is no action. He doesn't even face nanny and her friends but is parked along side them facing opposite direction looking out of the park. Her nanny friends do the same with their charges. Once a child is 3-4 yo and able to completely navigate the playground equipment, then they may be 'set free' - and by then, they have learned not to bother the nanny too much or they will be made to sit back in their stroller. These are the kids who glob on to any mom or dad who is playing with their kid.