The Nanny was pushing a black Bugaboo with stripes on the top around Loehmann's at 2:45pm today. She was shopping, not looking at or speaking to the child. Finally after about 20min she gave the baby a bottle still not looking at her or engaging in any way. The baby girl looked like she was around 8 months and had big blue eyes. The Nanny was around 5' tall, slim, middle aged, wearing black jeans, a stripped blue and white top and had glittering ornaments on her shoes.
19 comments:
And...???
and....who takes an 8 mos old out on errands and doesn't acknowledge or speak to her? One of those nannies who stroller trains the kids she watches. These kids learn to sit like zombies in their stroller because they know that no amount of fussing will get the nanny to pay attention to them. But I think it's really the parent's fault because we all know that nannies like this are underpaid.
While I agree long periods in a stroller and shopping is questionable I am also a nanny who doesn't believe in constant entertainment for a child. It results in spoiled children who rely on adult entertainment. It is definitely something the parent should be aware of and talk to the nanny about personal shopping on the clock. However it could be she was shopping for her employer.
I see no red flag here. Had it been 2 hours you witnessed no interaction whatsoever then...yea that's a little weird..but 20 minutes?
Whether is was Mom or nanny that was with her, the child does not need to have constant entertainment as a PP pointed out. If the child was calm and content just strolling along, I don't see an issue?
This is what caught my attention in the post. ..." she gave the baby a bottle still not looking at her or engaging in any way. " Handing a bottle to a baby without talking, not even LOOKING at her, doesn't sound like a loving and engaged nanny to me.
There are things that give us information, such as body language, facial expression etc. without our even being conscious that we are interpreting them. I think what the poster saw was a nanny whose attitude toward the child she found disturbing
I agree with Manhattan Nanny. I didn't see anything wrong with this sighting until she gave the baby a bottle and still didn't interact with her. I also may have misinterpreted the post, but it seemed as if the woman didn't feed the baby the bottle herself, rather just stuck the bottle in her mouth and expected her to hold onto it. I know plenty of people who do this, but I still feel it is inappropriate and a choking hazard.
PS: I usually hate to be one of those "are you sure this was the nanny" kinds of people, but I'm willing to bet this was the mom, not the nanny here. Just a hunch.
Off topic for sure, but I was watching the show Intervention and there was a nanny that was featured for an extreme eating disorder. She would puke in bags and hide them in the families garage and also binge and purge. I was super shocked the family would allow her to be around their children and exhibit that kind of behavior. While she certainly needed help, she was just very preoccupied with her addiction which was very time consuming and nothing you would want a child to witness.
Some families are just so odd with the care and keeping of their children
IF I am with an 8 month old, there is NO WAY I would take my eyes off him for one minute, let alone 20. IF you choose to work with infants and toddlers, you need to realize that they need CONSTANT attention. You need to watch them every second, they are completely helpless. Especially if you are out in public, it is best to never take your eyes off them.
The 8 month old wasn't left alone , the nanny wasn't actively enaging her.
I'm torn on this one as to how bad she really was.
Yes an 8 month old can hold and drink from a bottle safely on her own. I'm not sure I would try it in a stroller, and whereas she wasn't paying attention to the baby to make sure she wasn't choking ...
I don't know about this one.
Ok Rocky Mountain Nanny, please re-read the post. The child was in a stroller, not left to wander around aimlessly for 20 minutes.
You're right, Manhattan Nanny. I guess that if she handed the bottle to the baby without even glancing in her direction is odd...that seems so weird to me, how do you hand a baby a bottle without so much as looking at them? I guess when I first read it, I just pictured a woman pushing a baby in a stroller in a department store and not talking to her for that 20 minutes she was observed. And that didn't seem like a red flag to me. But, body language tells a big story and maybe she was giving off a different vibe.
Whats wrong with this sighting??
The baby was not screaming or crying. Probably, checking out the surroundings.
I don't see anything wrong with this....
You do not have to entertain your kids 24/7. At eight months most babies can hold a bottle.
also too... maybe this baby is a bad sleeper and nanny was strolling around trying to make it go to sleep. I know many parents that do this. If that were the case she would want to do as little stimulation as possible
By around 6 months my charges were holding their own bottles and I would hand them bottles in their stroller. I don't see anything wrong with this sighting. The baby was content taking in all the sights and obviously didn't even have to cry for her bottle because her nanny prob has her on a schedule.
Hell, I take my charges for hour walks around the city and harbor with my earphones on. I can still hear them if they need anything but our walks are relaxing time. They get fresh air and enjoy all the sights. I get that, plus a mental break from all the tantrums. I guess I'm a horrible nanny.
Absolutely Phoenix, I do that with Baby C all the time. She's an awful sleeper and when I get at my wit's end we go for long stroller rides and it looks like I'm practically ignoring her. (at 3 months, oh no!) However, this nanny was in a store--not exactly a good place to take a baby if you want her to go to sleep.
Boston, you have to be very careful with that. If the baby is drinking out the bottle while you're not looking, she or he really could choke. I know you think that since they can hold their own bottle, they should be able to control the flow well but I've had a 10 month old gag on his bottle because I wasn't paying close enough attention while he was just sitting on the floor and holding it himself. I know you know your charges better than anyone, I'm just saying you never know what could happen.
@Boston Nanny: You are not a horrible Nanny, but I think you should keep the headphones off while you are walking your charge for safety reasons. ☺
@Phoenix: I have a charge that ONLY falls asleep in her stroller and when I am walking her around the block, I am instructed by her mother not to engage in any conversation w/her if I want her to fall asleep. A passer by may see me walking my charge and not even speaking to her and just assume I am a neglectful Nanny when in reality I just want my charge to fall asleep. ♫
I don't see the big problem with this, I'm a mom not a nanny but I have to say I don't always engage my kids when we're out and about if I'm trying to get them to sleep, or if they've been cranky and are just calmed down.
I know lots of people that let their kids fall asleep in the stroller. In Phoenix since it gets hot here some people will walk their kids in the mall or department stores if it is not too busy, That is the only reason I said that because I have seen people walk with strollers in the stores just because of the weather here. I don't think NY has that issue but it may be loud outside with the cars so maybe that was why she was indoors.
Oh please.. God forbid someone doesn't want to be rude and end a conversation because a baby was being ignored for 20 minutes. You make no mention of the baby crying so i'm going to assume she wasen't crying. The baby is fine. I'm willing to bet EVERY parent has done this atleast once.
Moms do this constantly...just saying.
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