Sunday

Verona Park & the Essex County area (NJ)

Received Sunday, July 12, 2009
nanny sighting logo If you are the parents of 4 year old twins, Gabe and Zoe, and live in the Essex County area, please consider the following information. I frequently see your children at Verona Park with their nanny, who is frequently no where to be found, as your kids scramble all over the playground equiptment. She is a middle aged, West Indian woman with a sour expression who is usually dressed in large t-shirts and baggy capri pants with her long, graying hair in a ponytail. There are two playgrounds at VP, separated by a large grassy area and swing set, and your nanny can often be found at the "older" playground, sitting with her nanny friends, as your kids play completely unsupervised on the younger area. My charges and I are frequently at the park and Gabe and Zoe always greet us with hugs and frequently ask me to "watch this!" or play with them. Your nanny and I have never spoken but she is comfortable with me (a total stranger) interacting with her kids. If she is in the general vicinity of your children, she is rude and short with them. She never has snacks or drinks with her, even in the heat, and gets upset with the kids if they interrupt her while she's on her cell phone or talking to another nanny. This week, Zoe asked your nanny for her bagel (the nanny was eating a bagel at the time) and the nanny responded, "I will tell you when it is time for lunch." VP is very busy this time of year and Gabe and Zoe have made lots of new friends, who keep an eye on them while your nanny is busy doing other things. My primary concern is your children's safety - the park is frequently crowded and Gabe or Zoe could slip out of the gated playground area, which is located to a very large (and unfenced) pond. Besides the safety issue, your kiddos are truly delightful and engaging (Gabe loves to tell me about the sharks on his shirt and Zoe, although less gregarious, loves to talk to my charge about Minnie Mouse) and deserve a nanny who feeds off their energy, instead of ignoring them. If you are this nanny's employer, please consider dropping by your home during the work day or asking a friend to observe your nanny at the park. I think you will be very unpleasantly surprised by what you see.

7 comments:

Wicker Park Nanny said...

tsk tsk nanny. so sad for the kids.

there are so many great, attentive people out there looking for work! stuff like this makes me angry.

Talking to other nannies - not bad.
Talking to other nannies and ignoring kids - you deserve to be fired.

mom said...

Great siting.


This is typical of what I used to see at the parks daily when my kids were small...which is what attracted me to this site when I heard about it.

How can parents seriously not know that their kids are not being well treated day after day? Wouldn't it somehow reflect in their personalities? Or wouldn't their chattering about their day give some clues? Why don't some of these parents take the time to be SURE their kids are with somebody good? It's not that hard to figure out...if they care.

dawlface said...

this makes me feel so sad.
Thank God your a nice person and not some pedophile.
Besides the pond, what if they were snatched up?

Anonymous said...

I stopped reading after the 5th "frequently."

Good siting though?

NNJ said...

and you have to watch for the bears up there

Verona Park and Essex county area said...

Verona Park and Essex County Area
I have been a nanny for over 15 years and it is a joy to be taking care of children.. but you do come across some people that should not be in care of these little ones..

I have read a post that absolutely disturbs me... it is about the nanny of the twins Gabe and Zoe... i cannot believe that someone would post such un-necessary lies about someone who cares very well for these two children...

I have not interacted with this nanny in question, but from watching and over hearing, she is a very good caring nanny with these children... she plays with them on the swings and slides, she ALWAYS has food and drinks for them... she speaks highly about both Gabe and Zoe.. she also speaks very highly about the parents... for someone to write these horrible things it is very obvious that you are trying to jeprodize her job, in hopes that you may get it.. it is very sad... my question to you is .. you say one day Zoe asked her nanny for bagel (which the nanny was eating at the time, and her reply was I will tell when it is time for lunch) what i want to know is how close were you to her and where were your charges at the time you were in someone elses business?.. if you were doing YOUR JOB, you would not have heard such a thing.. I am there everyday at the park with my charges and i see these kids and their nanny and i will admit everything you have written are lies upon this lady..

To the parents of Gabe and Zoe, please understand that whomever posted that blog is lying and you have a very wonderful, caring great nanny taking care of your children.... it is very sad and disturbing that some people would be so low and post such lies...

Thank You

cha cha said...

I am a nanny and what I saw was not outrageous neglect, but I saw a very disinterested, bored nanny.

I think the parents should so some spot checks on their own. Because I go there often, I know many of the nannies and moms that take their kids there. I don't know her. In my opinion, she isn't a good nanny.