Saturday

Slop House

Received Saturday, May 29, 2010
perspective and opinion I was a nanny for a family in Brookline Massachusetts. Their house is disgusting. Dog poop and pee everywhere. A huge mess no matter where you walk. No silverware tray. The dogs are never walked. No changing table for the 2 year old. No diaper pale. Just the kitchen trash can. The kitchen stinks because of this and because the dogs are let out to poop and eat on the sun porch. The house stinks when you walk up to the front door. And it's just a MESS. Even after the cleaners come. I quit this job because I couldn't stand being in the house that much. It was awful. I gave my notice because I absolutely dreaded going to work each day. They would sleep in and the kids would be late for school. It was awful. Luckily I have found a new position I am very happy with. But I think I am obligated to alert some sort of authority. The kids crawl around that disgusting floor, where the dogs poop more than once a day. I mean, it gets picked up but never cleaned so it can't be sanitary. They are also some of the most inconsiderate, and rude people I have ever met in my life so i wouldn't feel too bad if they got a wake up call. They should be embarassed that they live in such filth. What should I do? I care for the children and think the parents should be FORCED to clean their home.

39 comments:

Bostonnanny said...

You can't do anything because 1) they aren't beating or neglecting the children 2) they hire a maid service. You need to let go and move on. If they live like pigs it's their problem not yours anymore since you quit.

Nanny Sarah said...

Um, its child neglect. Even if child is "well taken care of" it is disguising and dangerous to let your child sit and play in dog crap and pee. It makes me sick just thinking of it. You need to call CPS (Child protective services) and report this. As a nanny- (working with children) it is the law.

TC said...

ok cps will investigate over the animal feces on the floor in the house. I know this for a fact because I called on a cousin who had dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters and other animals in the house along with roaches and it was disgusting. CPS came and made her clean it up BUT that really didn't solve any problems. CPS told them they had X many days to clean the house up and they came back and looked at the house which was clean and closed the case. A week later the place looked like a pig stye again.

Not having a changing table and not using a diaper pail is not grounds for calling cps. I never had a changing table for my son because I don't think they are worth the money. I have yet to find a diaper pail one that eliminates the smell until you take the trash bag out and it's wasteful to change the bag out after only a few diapers. The kitchen trash is a lot easier and since it gets taken out once a day the smell isn't really there and I'm not wasting bags on a few diapers. Again I never used a diaper pail.

If you call CPS mention the animal feces on the floor but I wouldn't mention anything about the changing table or pail because they aren't going to even bother to write that down.

Bostonnanny said...

You can call Cps but they really can't do anything. The family will prove they have in home child care for the children and they have a maid service. You even stated the poop gets picked, so how would cps know about it except for the smell. You can't just punish them for their house smelling. Yes it's disgusting, yes I would have quit but if you really wanted to make a difference you would have called cps while you were still working that way you could prove everything. Even if you did that they would just get a warning. To me op just sounds bitter about the family and wants to get back at them for being jerks. I throw away diapers in the kitchen trash all the time and the family I work for doesn't have a changing table.. It's a waste of money. And what heck does not having a silver tray have to do with neglect.

Lindsey said...

CPS is not something you just call because you have a chip on your shoulder. Obviously yor standards are different then what some people's are. You are complaining about a silverware tray, a diaper pale and a changing table. I may be going out on a limb but it sounds like you are just knit picking because of some bad blood. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of what OP is saying is exaggerated. Go on your way and forget about them. This isn't abuse.

alex said...

I think you can call CPS on them because children should not and do not deserve to be living in that filth. And it is child neglect on top of that!! And for them to sleep in and make their children late for school? That would be neglecting their education as well.

I don't know whether this is true or not, only the OP knows but it is not normal for dogs to poop and pee in the house, sorry it just isn't! Has anyone watched A & E? You can get your children taken away for keeping a disgusting house, it happens all the time! Now not having a changing table & diaper pail, that is a personal choice, but having the kids crawl around in filth? That is worth investigating.

I do not think you should call CPS just because you are mad at the family, only if it truly is a bad situation and something that no child should be living in. CPS is required to investigate and if it is deemed to be a bad situation they do have to do something. This would probably be giving them 30 days to get their act together or something like that.

Andrea said...

Not having a silverware tray, and mentioning throwing poop diapers in the kitchen trash (that does NOT get taken out daily) was just to reiterate how disgusting and slobby these people are and how little they care. There is POOP on the floor and just because it gets picked up means NOTING. the bacteria is still there and so is the pee. And it's several times a day. It was never my job to clean or pick up dog poop. I would only call cps for the feces. nothing else. But there are children crawling on that filth and it's not fair to them. And I'm not bitter. They are jerks, and morons but I wouldnt want their children taken away, I would just want them to be forced to REALLY clean their house so the kids can live a sanitary life. Even the 11 year old confided in me that he was embarassed to have friends over and I feel that that is REALLY sad. I also have pictures to prove all of this.

June said...

Call them. Either they'll do something, or they won't.

drama said...

So basically you let the children wallow in filth until you found yourself a better job. So really, you're really not that concerned about those kids or you would have put them before your job.

I say you're full of shit and love drama in your life as long as it doesn't involve you directly.

Bostonnanny said...

So basically Andrea you allowed all of this to go on until you found a better position. The 11yr old mentioned it and you still did nothing. If you really cared you wouldn't be on this site complaining, you would have called cps while you were with the family. But apparently your well being was more important then the children's, so you peaced out and just put up a post on a public site. Maybe you could have taken out the trash, picked up the poop and had a discussion with family about hiring a dog walker.... Yea it's called going the extra mile. Complaining about petty things like a changing table, silverware tray is ridiculous. It may not have been your responsiblity to do any cleaning but the children were and you dropped the ball on that one. Again Cps won't take their children away since neglect would be hard to prove when they have a nanny who is suppose to care for them and a maid who cleans. Sure they may have to clean up the feces but then the case would be closed and dropped. So call cps get back at them but don't think your some kind of hero for doing this because remember you allowed it to go on until you found a new position. Maybe you should volunteer for horizons for homeless children, then you will really see what kind of living conditions poor children have to be in and maybe your learn to make a difference selflessly.

Bostonnanny said...

Also if you don't want the children taken away then the sitution prob isn't as dyer as you claim it is.

Andrea said...

If the situation was Life or Death I would have alerted autorities immediately. AND I mentioned the disgusting house in my 2 weeks notice I didnt just "peace out". I took really good care of those kids and kept them out of the house as much as possible and I brought it to the attention of the parents on several ocassions. And I did pick up dog poop and trash until I got SO physically and mentally sick of it that I gave my two weeks. They never did anything about it. And I am wary to call autorities because I don't know exactly how that works and I dont know much about CPS and how strict they are but I certainly think the parents are very loving of their children I just think they are lazy and I want them to be forced to clean and keep a clean home. And as a nanny I have every right in the world to complain about whatever it is that bothers me. Im not saying not having a silverware tray is a life threatening thing! I just said it to reiterate the sloppiness of these people! You people are crazy! Im looking for advice on what do to about the situation and you are attacking me. That is ridiculous. Im going to post the pictures here and then you tell me what you think then. Ok?

Andrea said...

Also what about the animals? Should THEY live in that sort of filth? Should I pass on calling CPS and call Animal control? The dogs eat where they poop (If they are not pooping on the living room floor) and they NEVER get walked.

stop blogging said...

hey andrea, your blog sucks. it makes you sound like an elitist young co-ed with absolutely zero life experience. I just linked all my friends on facebook to it, and they are laughing at what a crappy blog you have. You posted a picture of the child that walks around in pee and poop too on your blog.

I hope you get busted. You have to learn about discretion on the internet you dumbass.

Peace out. :)

Bostonnanny said...

Well Andrea, I suggest you call the ASPCA instead of CPS . It will keep the children out of it and will get the same effect as cps in regards to cleaning. I've already mentioned mulitple times what cps will do.
As I would really re read what you write before you post because you made yourself sound like a jackass.

ChiNanny said...

ASPCA won't do anything. CPS probably won't do anything. Just move on.

sheri said...

CPS will investigate for unfit living environment. However, if the children are otherwise well cared for, they may not actually do anything. But I don't think there's any harm in calling.

cali mom said...

Call your city's dept. of public health. They may or may not investigate, but you can call and make a report. That's where people call if their neighbor has a front yard full of 6 foot tall weeds with broken appliances blocking the front steps and an old refrigerator taking up the driveway and dog poops all over the property, 25 cats roaming the house, etc.

Andrea said...

First of all I really don't care what you think of my blog. I don't even care about my blog. I haven't even gone on there in forever. I thought I was going to try and start one but decided not to. I'm glad that you're using the blog I wrote months ago..about 3 times to decide how much life experience I have. I'm glad you are making your friends laugh at me - That's just a waste of their time and they obviously have no lives in thats what they're spending their time doing.

Also for the record thats the little boy I took care of before I got that dreadful job. They would be completely fine with his picture being up on my "blog" He is not the one who was wallowing in dog crap.

And Bostonnanny you have been nothing but mean and unhelpful throughout this entire thread. What has happened to being kind and civilized even if you don't agree with other people?

Thanks anyways!

Kat said...

MonkeyShines what the heck is that supposed to mean? I'm WHITE and my house is CLEAN. I have dogs, but they get taken outside to use the potty. My children have never crawled in filth, and I do have a silverware drawer. Just because they might be white has absolutely nothing to do with it and makes you sound like a racist jerk.

OP: Call CPS, they will investigate and they do random unannounced inspections after a case has been assigned. So if they get caught the second time around with the house like that, the kids would be taken away. The first time they'd be given a set amount of time to get the house clean.

FrogBabyNanny said...

Ok, I don't understand why everyone is picking on OP here?? Sometimes I kinda get it, but here, she is just asking if she should call or not. Each person is entitled to their opinion, I just don't understand what is so wrong about her post?

Anyway, my advice to the OP would be to call CPS. You aren't an expert, you don't know if this is that bad or not. So call them, and they'll decide, that's their job. In my opinion, if I ever had any doubt over the care/possible neglect of children, I would call and let them do their job. You did what you could by calling, both for the kids and the dogs.

lucy said...

no silverware tray?
that's madness I say!

TC said...

katlee85 I'm not sure what you think you know about CPS but they will not take the kids away after 2 visits. If they see the house a mess they will tell them to clean it up, if they come back and it's still messy they will again tell them to clean it up they will not take the kids away after the 2nd visit if the house is still a mess.

OP if you think you need to call then do it, CPS will investigate and go from there.

Your problem was you mentioned some things that were just 'filler' things you personally were upset about but have no bearing on the kids well being. A silverware tray means nothing...it does not mean the people are sloppy or nice and neat. Same goes for a changing table and diaper pail. You do have a point with the animal feces on the floor and that's all you should have mentioned in your post.

Cut OP some slack said...

I'm with FrogBabyNanny - why is everyone so hard on the OP?

And Andrea, you said you had photos? Could you send them in so we could see the mess, please?

Kat said...

TC.

I don't know what you think YOU know about CPS, but if kids are crawling in FECES then they most certainly WILL take the children after two visits. Possibly even after the first.

jmo said...

I think people are picking on OP because she just sounds like a bitch and a drama queen.

TC said...

Katlee85 sweetheart did you read my other comment? The one further up?

CPS has been called on my cousin numerous times because of the state of her house. She has 4 children and it started when the baby was 6 months...that baby is now 12 and the oldest child has a 2 year old, CPS still comes out regularly. CPS has never taken the children away, they come and tell her to clean the place up. Sometimes she cleans it up the first time sometimes the 4th time. So again I do know now CPS works and they will not take the children away after the 2nd visit because of feces on the floor.

Kat said...

TC, sweetie I don't know where you live, but where I live CYS as we call it here, WILL take a child who is living in filth.

I live in the Pittsburgh area, and believe me when I tell you that they will. My neighbor had her kids taken away because she was a horder and her house was so disgusting and filthy that they took her kids. After the FIRST visit.

She eventually got her kids back, but had to go to counselling and still has unannounced visits at any time, so if the house goes back to being filthy they'll take the kids again.

TC said...

First of all sweetie that was your neighbor so I can promise you you don't know the whole story. It's hard enough to admit to our family why your kids are gone and it's even harder to admit it to neighbors.

Second of all swetheart you said your neighbor was a horder on top of everything else.......where did the op mention the family was a horder. If the only problem is feces on the floor CPS will not take the kids away after only one or two visits.

Kat said...

FIRST of all, stop talking so condescending to me. Second of all, I never once said that the OP said the family was a horder. And you know NOTHING about CYS in Pittsburgh. I never said I was an expert, but neither are you unless you work for CPS.

NanGal said...

actually cps does take children for living in dirty houses..as a former foster mom I am completely aware of the rules at least within my own state. If a family refuses to clean up the house and cps feels the children are not safe there they WILL take them. and OP you should definitely call if you are concerned. in my states it is illegal to observe this sort of abuse and not report it. you are an accessory to the abuse if you do not report the problem

TC said...

Awe katlee85's feelings are hurt....put some big girl panties on

I tried pointing out and will once again that I do know what CPS does, I've seen it first hand. I saw what my cousin's house looked like and I saw what CPS did.....not a darn thing. Heck they were just at her house 2 weeks ago after multiple visits over the last 12 years for the same reasons.....a filthy house. Not one of her kids nor her grandchild was taken away even after they were told there is multiple family members ready to take the kids in. They all still live in that filth.

Alex said...

wow, this is truly ridiculous that first the op is being attacked for asking something and then other posters are being attacked. Say what you think and then move on, not attack people for their opinion.

Also, anytime someone feels the need to post something they don't need to be attacked. There is a difference between giving your opinion and attacking.

I am currently (very odd that this is right now when I am writing this) watching Hoarders on AE and they ARE taking the children away. Now, we don't know if this house is hoarder quality but it is up to CPS to decide.

Kat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kat said...

Katlee85 said...
TC,

I am very much an adult and this is my last comment to you. As I'm the grown up that's leaving the conversation. You need to get your facts straight.They WILL take your child away for a filthy home.

Don't believe me? Read the article.

Kat said...

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/01/parents_arrested_children_and.html

Kat said...

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/01
/parents_arrested_children_
and.html

Copy and paste it together, it wouldn't post right.

Phoenix said...

OMG --- you don't even know. You can call CPS. We had neighbors that had 60 cats and a little one year old baby. Well they moved out. My landlord who also owned the house they were renting asked me and my husband to help clean it. So we trotted over there and realized yes they had 60 cats...and no litter boxes. There were feces piled 3 feet high along some of the walls. There was porn and cigarette butts everywhere. I couldn't believe it. If I knew this when they lived there I would have called CPS to have that baby taken away!!!

Horrible threat said...

I know this post is kind of old but it really bothers me. Calling CPS should be something you do when you think the kids are in danger or living in such horrible conditions that it's unsafe for them. I'm not saying the parents shouldn't do better, but they have a cleaning service, so the house can't be total filth. You don't get to decide what is OK for other people. There are PLENTY of people out there that are abusing or neglecting their children and those are the ones CPS should be using their time investigating. NOt someone with a nanny and cleaning service who is not using a cleaner after picking up feces. I admit, they should but it's not a CPS offense. You don't get to decide after you are out of a situation that you want to "force" someone to clean up their house by calling CPS on them. Don't mess with peoples children unless you have a dang good reason to.....and if it was that good of a reason you would have done it while you were still in the house.