Park in downtown Southern Pines, NC--young nanny, maybe early 20's...blonde. Kids were calling her Katie. She was driving a white mini van. Kids were playing on the playground and kept asking her to catch them down the slide and she would say no...while she stood by the van smoking a cigarette. I heard her call one of the little boys Riley. She eventually went over to the slide to help one of the boys--with her cigarette in hand. Hope this post gets seen by the right people!
33 comments:
Nothing can be worse than a Nanny who smokes on the job.
Not cool!!
I am also very bothered by the smoking. It's also sad she wasn't interacting with the kids.
I wouldn't be surprised if the parents knew of the smoking. I've met some interesting parents looking for jobs the last few months, more interested in saving a buck than finding a great caregiver.
I agree. I have a bad habit of smoking one or two cigs on the weekend but I would never ever EVER smoke while on duty or even before going in, as the smell would cling to my skin and it's not okay for the kids to be subjected to that. It's not a matter of parents knowing or not, it's a matter of a nanny who doesn't care anymore about her charges. This is disappointing. I love my charges, as most of you nannies seem too. Clearly she doesn't love hers enough.
Bre, I've also seen ads that say "Smoking is ok, as long as you do it outside." It is appalling.
I don't get it. if you don't want to interact with kids why be a nanny?
I'm not saying you need to be in their face 24/7, but you go to a playground I think it's natural to you know play with the kids!
That child could have been burnt!
If they are not aware of how pathetic their nanny is I hope the parents see this and find out and do something.
Im glad she finally started to help the kids play. But I bet you the parents know she smokes. She would not only smell like smoke but the kids would tell their parents. That is not something someone can hide for very long. I think this would be a bad sighting but she eventually did start helping.
And contrary to popular belief it is not a crime to smoke cigarettes. Just because you don't approve of it. She was not smoking in an enclosed area that could have hurt the kids. I don't think the kids were getting second hand smoke because I know that would be everyone's argument. Just because you can smell the smoke doesn't mean that you are breathing it in. Also it is not ok to judge someone who smokes. People will argue that it sets a bad example. Not really I know kids growing up in both non and smoker homes. Even kids who didn't have caregivers who smoked eventually started and the opposite is true for the smoking kids, they didn't. So I think you sighting is based on your personal views and opinions about what grown adults are allowed to do. Is she less of a person? No she's not. Would she be able to love a child? Yes she would. Smoking is a personal choice. Just because you don't like it and would never hire a nanny who smokes that doesn't mean other people would mind.
Stop passing judgment on people and mind your own damn business. I personally don't like gossipy women who jump to conclusions about shit that doesn't concern them
If a nanny smokes on the job, she is being very irresponsible and should be canned ASAP. Not only is she setting a bad example for her charges, she is also endangering their health.
On nanny posts, almost all of them want a non-smoker nanny.
Any parent who claimed smoking was okay on the job needs to have their heads examined.
Duh.
I personally HATE smoking and just don't understand why it is appealing to anyone. I would never smoke a cigarette, or anything else for that matter. That being said, I don't think it is THAT terrible to pass judgment on someone who does smoke. Call me a bad person all you want but I do judge someone who would make a choice to inhale toxins into their lungs and even worse, endanger others around them. A person doing that voluntarily just makes me question their judgement. I am not saying that a person is a bad person for smoking, I just don't get the appeal and the fact that they KNOW it is bad for them and others. In the same way, I am sure a health-conscious person seeing me eat a donut would make them cringe too haha.
It's setting a bad example for the kids. Bottom line. The hazards that come from smoking are no secret and as a potential role model to her charges, she should not be smoking in front of them.
It is not bad IF the parents know she's doing it, which they probably do. It is NOT a bad example, smoking pressure comes form peers not parents. I know more kids who decide not smoke because their parents are smokers. And it is no unhealthy as long as she isn't blowing the smoke in their face or is in enclosed area.
smoking is a personal choice and doesn't make anyone less of a person. It doesn't make them less responsible and it doesn't make them less caring. I don't know why people have such a bad perception of smoking. That would be like saying, people who drink shouldn't have kids.
I totally agree with you, Phoenix. Smoking is a personal choice and if a nanny wants to on her own time, she can. She's an adult (I hope!) and it is legal. Of course I'm also pro-weed but I'm not going to say she should do that as well because it is still unfortunately illegal. Anyway, I smoked for almost 10 years before finally quitting for good and I have no idea if the families at the time knew I smoked or not. They never mentioned smelling it on me. I never, ever smoked while on the clock or around other children I wasn't being paid to watch. I just think that's irresponsible. I finally quit because it was affecting my health so much and now I can't handle being around it at all, so yes I am a definite believer in the bad effects of second-hand smoke.
As a nanny AND a smoker, I'm a little disappointed in some of you commenters passing judgement. GOOD for her for smoking AWAY from the kids and telling them NO while she had a lit cigarette. Also BAD on her for going to help with cigarette still in hand and bad on her for smoking in front of the kids.
I've been a smoker for 10+ years, been with my current family for almost 7, and they didn't know I smoked until I went on vacation and asked if it would bother them if, at night, when I was on my own time, I smoked outdoors on their vacation property. Which they were 100% okay with. That was only a year ago. Despite being a daily smoker, I've NEVER gone to work smelling like a cigarette. They had no clue until I made mention of it. The few times if any I've EVER smoked on the job were outdoors while the kids napped, and cigarette butts were always bagged and disposed of off their property. There's absolutely no reason to think that a nanny that smokes is going to be any less involved/caring/etc.
Is it a shame that this girl smokes in front of the kids, absolutely, but it is what it is.
Phoenix --so, catching a small child at the bottom of a slide with a lit cigarette in hand is okay? Telling the kids "no" because she is "busy" smoke is NOT acceptable. If you smoke-so be it. I was not in any way passing judgement on her for being a smoker in general. I was appalled that she neglected her charges to smoke a cigarette and still held it lit in her hand when handling the children. Smoke if you want, but this was not an appropriate situation WHAT SO EVER, whether the parents know about it or not. If parents know their nanny smokes, they need to make rules about smoking while on duty because this was completely inappropriate.
I agree with you , OP. You made a valid post she was being negligent in more ways than one.
I hope that if the parent is not aware that somehow they become aware and take care of the situation.
But there is a very real possibility the parent is aware the nanny smokes on the job, doesn't interact with the children, and is careless( helping with cigarette in hand), the parent just may not care.
Is it right? No, but sadly that's how it it is with some parents, and if they don't care what can be done?
OOOhhh you are so touche Phoenix.
I bet you smoke.
Honestly, Smoking is NOT a big deal. I am so sick of holier than thou, high on their horses people basically condemning smokers to hell. I'm a nanny. I smoke. Not around the kids, not outside in front of the kids, the kids aren't aware I smoke, and the parents are 100% ok with it. Just because you don't agree with smoking doesn't make all smokers pure sinners and assholes. I don't drink alcohol, but I don't hate all drinkers. People drink in front of kids all the time. If your only argument is that it's a bad example, then drinking in front of kids will turn them into alcoholics later. You can't be hypocritical when it comes to this stuff. If one bad habit will stick with kids, then they all will. Get over yourselves. It's not the end of the world.
People who smoke should just dig their own graves right now and jump in them....this way it will save them the reality of a painful death. :(
Thanks for your opinion.
Oy. *shakes head*. Smoker, I would ask that you kindly reread my original post and then tell me where in it I said that smokers are sinners or bad people. I didn't. And I'm not even claiming that now--I know plenty of smokers and if you smoke that is your own personal choice and you have that freedom. I was simply reporting a negligent incident I witnessed. If you're a nanny and a smoker, you should not be neglecting your charges to smoke on the clock. Period.
OP
I think you brought forth an excellent post for discussion. I don't think anyone is ragging you or anything you've said, it's just the pro-smokers vs the non-smokers going at it! lol, but good job nonetheless on reporting this nanny. And I'm a smoker!
How do you know this woman is the nanny? She could be an older cousin or an aunt. I smoke, and i also babysit alot, and the only child I have EVER smoked in front of is my little cousin. And that is because my entire dad's side of the family smokes, including my cousins mom, the grandmother she lives with and my uncles that she also lives with.
People are very quick to judge young women with children. While walking with my cousin, I have gotten comments about how I must have given birth to her at 14. And I am sure that I have also alternately been judged as the world's worst nanny for having a cigarette in front of her, but in actuality, the situation is different.
Oh, so you are going to judge again because you think I smoke.
Are you fucking idiot? MissMannah was the only one who understood what I was talking about. And if you read my post I say that she isn't hurting them if she is outside not in enclosed area. And it is def ok for her to tell the kids to wait while she finished her cigarrette. I bet you that the nanny doesn't usually catch a child at the bottom of the slide with a lit cigarette but the nosy OP made her uncomfortable because she was staring at her.
OP you can't have it both ways. Fucking mind your own dam business. Smoking is not illegal.
Also I am pro-weed as well. My husband has been smoking weed since he was 12 and I have a medical card because I am so screwed up. But that doesn't mean I can smoke outside or in front of people.
I will tell you this, most smokers are VERY VERY carefull about where their smoke is blowing when they are around children and non-smokers. I was at work once and some fat lady was eating lunch outside at the smokers table. It had a sign "smoking area" I went sat down, opened my book and started smoking and she had the nerve to say something stupid to me. "I was eating here, the smoke hurts my heads, I can't tolerate it." Bitch you do know how to read, wait you don't even have to read, theres a drawing that shows someking is ok. Get the hell out of my area if you can't stand to be in it.
I swear, I don't know why people think they are the only damn thing on the planet. Lots of posters here have that same thought process. In my family, that's what's called a simple minded bitch. Don't do it!
Anyone who smokes and thinks that people can't smell it on them is delusional.
Smokers stink. Basic fact.
Wow. Go smoke another one Phoenix. I wouldn't want you within a ten mile radius of my kids.
Pheonix, you seem like the more ignorant person on this entire blogsite. You are so set on being entitled to your own opinion that you don't even realize that everyone who comments here is entitled to theirs as well. No one told you smoking was illegal. No where in the origial post did it say anything about smoking being illegal, bad for you, unhealthy...the poster was reporting a negligent nanny.
As for you, CalcuLATER, who the hell cares whether the girl was their nanny, sister, aunt, cousin, WHATEVER...her behavior was negligent and the person was reporting what they saw. How do we know that any nanny sighting on here was the nanny or a family member? THIS IS WHAT THIS SITE IS FOR. Jesus Christ, seems like the ones calling others 'simple minded' are pretty damn simple minded themselves.
Just passing through, put this in perspective for a minute.
This woman was smoking a cigarette, an activity that takes about 5-7 minutes. During that time, the children were in her line of sight. They were not screaming their throats raw while she ignored them, they were not asking for food/water while she ignored them, she wasn't hitting them or being rough with them in any way, they weren't strapped into strollers for 3 hours while she ignored them.
For 5-7 minutes, these children were playing together, while she was close enough to help if anything went wrong. If she is a relative, or someone else who is watching those kids as a favor to their parents, someone unpaid, who the parents know smoke, then I don't think it qualifies her as a terrible caregiver because she wasn't playing with them for a few minutes. Kids do not need to be engaged with and indulged every second of every day.
I just reread the posting and the only inappropriate thing I saw was the nanny helped the little boy at the slide with the lit cigarette in her hand. And I think even that one is iffy and probably doesn't warrant a sighting. The fact that this person was standing away from the children...with them in her sight...and refusing to go near them while she was smoking...is a GOOD thing. She was trying to avoid blowing smoke in their face...at first anyway. But she probably did get too many dirty looks from nosy mommies at the playground so that's why she finally gave up and helped the boy.
I am not saying this because I have to agree with my bestest buddy Phoenix or because I am so pro-smoking. I am saying this because I think this is an utterly ridiculous post and IF this is really a nanny (like Calculater said, it probably isn't) then the parents likely already know she smokes. It certainly was NOT a circumstance of neglect in any way.
Miss Mannah seems to know it all doesn't she?
Yes, MissMannah does know it all. Glad you started to realize that
I don't know if you noticed...I said the words "I think" in my post. Go look for them, they are there I promise you. I make my own opinions, just like everybody else here.
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