Two nannies at the "purple playground" behind Mason Rice school. Neither were speaking english (sorry for the bad quality of the pic). One had blondish hair with a white "chanel" scarf, the other had brown hair a tan cardigan, blue shirt, ripped jeans. They set their stuff on our picnic table (where we had been and had our stuff way before they got there) and as we went to get our things and head home, they sat there staring at my charges and before we even got all of our things off the table they both lit up cigarettes and started smoking while my charges were gathering their water bottles, backpack, and sweaters. I found it completely rude and not ok to be smoking at the playground. Now my charges sweaters all smell of smoke. Disgusting.
***I don't care if people smoke. That's their decision. I just didn't agree with 2 nannies sitting around smoking while their charges weren't being watched at all. I admit I was in a hurry when I sent in the original e-mail. I think what really bothered me is there was another picnic table, an empty picnic table. I picked up my oldest charge from school and we walked right over to purple playground. We sat our stuff down, had a snack, cleaned up our mess, and went off to play. An hour later when we were getting ready to leave I noticed people sitting at our table and as we were walking up to start gathering our stuff is when they lit the cigarettes up. We got to the table and by staring at my charges I didn't mean just glancing at them, they were dead on staring at my charges like they were doing something wrong by getting their things. One of my charges had to literally pull her sweater out from under one of their bags, she didn't even pick her bag up as my charge was reaching for her sweater. So now I hope everyone understands why I was so upset. It wasn't just the smoking, that did bother me because the tables are only about 5 feet from the equipment but it was a mix of everything that happened that made me mad.
18 comments:
not illegal to smoke outside... get a grip
This seems more like a cultural difference as far as the smoking goes . . .
well,frankly what they did may have been rude ¬ okay but its your job to protect your charges as well as their things. You should have removed your charges and their belongings long before anyone or thing smelled like smoke.
Sharing a pic-nic table ia no big thing and short of covering their eyes..not really sure what you wanted them to do when the kids approached the table?Look away?
I really think this post is silly.
I am not a smoker..I too hate the smell but I do not oppose smoking outside in public and feel that this is all the post reflects..
I agree with get a grip.
No one on this earth despises cigarette more than me. They were however outdoors, and not with any children. You should've just moved your kids elsewhere.
I think she had a right to be upset. From the picture it looks like the table wasn't very big and if they had things previously out such as snacks (she mentioned the waterbottles and backpack) then they possibly could have chosen another table (if there are other tables). She did say as they were leaving and gathering their things is when they started smoking, but if she was doing her job and playing with her charges while they were at the playground I doubt she would have noticed that someone sat down at their table.
And no lifetime smoker it's not illegal to smoke outside but when your at a playground full of children and other adults (who may or may not smoke) it's pretty rude to sit down and light up where kids are playing. They could have at least gone a few feet from the playground.
There are plenty of jurisdictions where it is illegal to smoke outside in a public venue.....my county in Upstate NY being one of them. That would mean the park.
I am the OP of this post.
I don't care if people smoke. That's their decision. I just didn't agree with 2 nannies sitting around smoking while their charges weren't being watched at all. I admit I was in a hurry when I sent in the original e-mail.
I think what really bothered me is there was another picnic table, an empty picnic table. I picked up my oldest charge from school and we walked right over to purple playground. We sat our stuff down, had a snack, cleaned up our mess, and went off to play. An hour later when we were getting ready to leave I noticed people sitting at our table and as we were walking up to start gathering our stuff is when they lit the cigarettes up. We got to the table and by staring at my charges I didn't mean just glancing at them, they were dead on staring at my charges like they were doing something wrong by getting their things. One of my charges had to literally pull her sweater out from under one of their bags, she didn't even pick her bag up as my charge was reaching for her sweater.
So now I hope everyone understands why I was so upset. It wasn't just the smoking, that did bother me because the tables are only about 5 feet from the equipment but it was a mix of everything that happened that made me mad. sorry I didn't include all the information to begin with.
I don't think this post is silly at all. If this is a playground, it's creepy that adults would hang out around there. And I live on the thirtieth floor of an apartment building in NYC. I have a small park near my house, very small. I love to go and sit there and read a book and then I find myself flanked by smokers. Go smoke in a dungeon where you can also be the second hand recipient of your carcinogens, stay the fuck out of the parks and especially away from the playground. I used to live in a third floor walk up and people from the first floor would stand outside smoking, there smoke wafting up in to my window. I used to throw water and spoiled milk on them. Fuck that shit. Smokers should just climb in a casket, pull the lid shut and spark it up. Leave me, the flowers and the children out of your deathwish.
Were they even nannies? Or just people who were at the park smoking a cigarrette?
If you saw them with children and they were smoking the vicinity, then I fully agree that they should not be smoking on the job;
As An ex- smoker I always made sure never to smoke in the vicinity of children but some people aren't as courteous.
Wow. THis is awesome; I actually go to this park all the time with my charge.
OP, that would totally tick me off. And as far as it just being 'rude' . . . and it's a 'cultural difference' well . . the picnic tables are very close to the playground (Like I said, I go here all the time). Not to mention, that this playground is full of children all the time (It's next to a school as well). There are benches that a person could smoke at if they feel like they must that are a little further away from the playground part. Any little kid or person would be totally exposed to second hand smoke from anyone puffing at those tables. Seeing as that the latest studies are yet again confirming how 'evil' second hand smoke is, esp, for children, I have a hard time believing that smoking that near a playground isn't against some sort of regulation . . especially in little cultured, (and yes, uppity) Newton.
sukiaki, I am not and have never been a smoker, but if you typify New Yorkers, you have confirmed my decision of never wanting to have to live in NYC. You don't own the air and your rights end at the tip of your own nose or property line.
I'm sorry OP, but if you had left your things sitting all over a picnic table and then been off playing for an hour AFTER eating, I don't think you have much room to complain if people sit down at that table and put their things there. You finish eating, then pack up so someone else can use the table if you're done.
As for the smoking, either it was illegal or it wasn't. If it wasn't, it's annoying but too bad. And were there even children with these people that you have posted about as being bad nannies? They just sound like moldy rude people.
LOL, I meant mildly rude, not moldy rude!
Ok you 2 who go to this playground who are you?? I am in Newton all day with my 2 (soon to be 4) charges all day and no nanny to socialize with! I don't bite! Message Jane with your email if you want to get together, and we'll show those smokers where to go!
I think smoking in a place where children play whether it's legal or not is downright rude. The children shouldn't have to breathe in second hand smoke because you can't find somewhere else to smoke!
I am pregnant (and it's very obvious) and will be standing outside of a store or waiting outside alone, with nobody near me and somebody will come out and see me, realize I'm pregnant and spark up a damn cigarette! How rude!
I don't think you "owned" the picnic table, especially since you left your stuff on there an hour, but the smoking thing would have pissed me off too.
As most of you who are arguing that they didn't own the picnic table or had no right to leave their mess out for over an hour should go back and read where she added to her original post. She clearly says they had a snack, cleaned up their mess, then went to play. I don't think they left their stuff all over the table but I'm sure they didn't want their sweaters on the ground and left them on the table or on one of the benches. They must lack some common courtesy if when one of her charges went to get her sweater and the nanny wouldn't even move her bag off the sweater.
I agree with you OP but is it really necessary for us to email in complaints to a blog over every little thing that happens in life?
they look hot, maybe they are french?
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