CL-WTF?

Saturday, September 18, 2010

.... WHAT?!

Feature:
1) Merry Poppins (Pittsburgh)
Hi Mom and Dad,
Energetic and fun is what I am and.... I Love reading Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham!
Hop on Pop and Ten Apples on Top are 2 more.... give me an email and we can arrange for me to be knocking at your door.
Available Monday - Friday (let me know the times you need)
15+ years of exp. w/ infants and Babies.
Through the years, I have cared for several families children and I have References that I will share with you and Pics too!
I would love to be a part of your family 2 and helping Mom and Dad get back in the work force while someone lovingly sharing a bag of fun & cares for you, or the 2 maybe 3 ... (?)
Oh Boi.... how many can there be.... I guess I will have to wait and see???
I am happy to care for you precious infant/children at your home. Reasonable. Thank You.
URL: http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/kid/1955842120.html
__________________________________________________
Special thanks to Krupitzerb for our Feature Ad... it was too cute! Also, thank you to the following Contributors for a job well done: mbargielski, nc, MissDee and nannydebsays. Please send next weeks Ads HERE or use MEEBO. Don't forget to include the Links and the Body of the text, if possible!

TO READ THE REST OF THIS WEEKS SUBMISSIONS: PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Picture Pages

We want pictures of great nannies in action. At the park, making crafts or playing frisbee.

Or maybe you want to share one of your child's or charge's artwork?

Or one of your favorite kid friendly recipes, complete with a photo?

Send your photos to isawyournanny@aol.com.

I Don’t Need Ovaries to be Fertile

By Feature Writer Rebecca Nelson Lubin
On July 25th, 1978, Louise Brown, the world’s first “test tube” baby was born in England. I was eleven years old and had been infertile for three years, since the removal of my second ovary, and, I had thought then, the chance of ever experiencing pregnancy had been taken harshly from me. My doctor had shaken his head upon discovering that a second cyst had encapsulated a second ovary in 18 months. “I’ve never heard of anything like this happening to a child,” he had told my parents, and that admission, coming from a doctor, had left me feeling I if I were the only person to ever experience the isolation and loss and betrayal one’s own body can bring them.

But with the birth of Louise Brown, I realized that there was someone else – Lesley Brown – Louise’s mother, who knew exactly how I felt. She had tried for years to become pregnant, only to be thwarted by blocked fallopian tubes and failure. She agreed to IVF – at that time a purely experimental procedure that had never resulted in a baby, and made history. She was my very own personal Neil Armstrong. Four years later, she had a second daughter, Natalie, who was IVF baby number forty for the planet. Leslie Brown taught me something else when I was only eleven years old and trying to come to terms what it would mean for me never to have a biological child – that choices remain no matter what the situation. At eight I had bravely announced, “So what? I’ll just adopt then,” when my parents explained to me that the second ovary had not been saved, but truthfully, even then, I longed for the babies that would someday be mine. (My mother nicknamed me “Mother Earth” when I was only three.) They would have my blue eyes, and my cute nose and my freckles and have really good singing voices and there would be ten of them.

“Oh my little Mother Earth,” My Mom would laugh, “ten is too many.”

Her voice had a different tone on July 25th, 1978, that monumental day, one that was hoarse with emotion and longing for me to have everything I wished for as a woman. She held me close and promised me that I would grow up to have the choice to be pregnant someday, if that was what I desired, because if in England they could fetch an egg through a blocked fallopian tube and whip up a zygote in a Petri dish, science would evolve, and it would be done with a donor egg. On February 3rd, 1984, eight years to the month that I lost my second ovary, the 1st IVF donor egg baby was born. Choices grew.
_________________________________________________
Rebecca Nelson Lubin is a writer and Nanny who resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. You may read more of her articles at http://www.abandofwives.ning.com/

TO READ THE REST OF REBECCA'S STORY: PLEASE CLICK HERE

Chestnut Hill playground, Stamford, CT

Received Friday, September 17, 2010
 Chestnut Hill playground, Stamford, CT, about 11:30 am, 9-16-10

Children: 2 boys, oldest 4-5, dressed in khakis and pink polo/ rugby shirt; youngest a toddler about 13-15 mos, dressed in black/navy and white striped shirt.

Nanny: 30- plus hispanic woman, not entirely sure of age, straight dark hair slightly longer than shoulder length.

She sat about 25 yards away. Reading what looked like magazines, and not watching the kids. I thought the two boys were with another nearby mom/nanny. I was tending to my two and noticed the toddler had climbed to the top of a rope ladder on the big kids' play structure. To my horror, and before I could yell to the person whom I thought was his caretaker, he fell 5' from the platform. When he started to cry, the nanny ran over, then yelled at the oldest, "what did you do to him? Why did you throw wood chips in his face?" I yelled to her that the child had fallen and she picked him up and comforted him. I kept a close eye and within minutes he was walking around. He could easily have broken something or injured his head or neck, and i still feel sorry I didn't berate her and tell her he should be checked out. Forgetting the obvious neglect for a minute, it's troubling that she berated the brother before knowing what happened. Once the toddler stopped crying, she went back to reading, rarely looking up while the boys played. This woman should not be watching young children (or any children). She is not an engaged caregiver to say the least and not showing good judgement in where the toddler can safely play. She should have her eyes on him all the time. She drove away in a silver GM type suv.

Fathers are sleazy and mothers are lazy....

What Foreign Au Pairs REALLY Think of British Parents
By David Wilkes in The Daily Mail

When the au pair greets your demands with a shy smile, you may think it is a sign of deference to a respected working mother with a fantastically busy life.

If so, then think again, for behind that facade, she's probably pondering just what a slothful, selfish and bad parent you really are, according to a study.
Researchers claim that au pairs generally feel any family that chooses to have one 'must, by definition, be either lazy, or lack proper care and consideration for children and for people in general'.

And as for your husband - well, in her eyes he's more than likely a sleazy sexual predator who will try to get her into bed the minute your back is turned.

One au pair, called Petra, was told by the mother of the house where she worked that 'She knew what Slovak women were like, and what her husband was like'.  A few weeks later the father told Petra he would be waiting for her - in the Jacuzzi. The au pair quit soon after.

Other au pairs told the researchers they were asked to clear up sex toys and lingerie in their hosts' bedrooms.  'These people have no shame and behave as swines,' said one.

The far from flattering view foreign au pairs working in Britain have of their middle-class employers is revealed in the first in-depth academic study on the subject.

Authors Daniel Miller, professor of anthropology at University College London, and Zuzana Burikova, an ethnologist at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, have just published their book, Au Pair, after a year's intensive research.  Dr Burikova interviewed 50 au pairs working in London who, because some changed households, represented 86 host families.

All the au pairs were from Dr Burikova's native land of Slovakia, chosen for ease of her speaking to them and because Slovaks form one of the largest groups of the 90,000 au pairs thought to be working in Britain.

The employees - whose names have been changed to preserve their anonymity as have those of their employers - were found to have a generally dim view of women who think they can 'have it all' by juggling the demands of work and family.

Jarmila, employed by a mother who worked from home selling antiques on eBay, 'was particularly shocked when the mother just seemed to be playing games on the computer and failing to take an opportunity to be with her child'.

Meanwhile, Marika was 'horrified when she was regularly employed as a babysitter ... so that the couple could stay at home and watch TV together without interference.'

WHAT THE AU PAIR REALLY THINKS:
LAZY MOTHERS
'An English mother has three wonderful children ... she works only from home ... fortunately she has an au pair because to spread butter on toast for all three, to make their beds, defrost their ready-made food for dinner, to vacuum, iron, sweep the floor, this all would be really, really too much for an English mother'

BAD PARENTING
'I'm surprised that children and parents do not eat the same food, and that parents seem to buy healthy food like vegetables and fish for themselves, and not for their children. Meals should be freshly made, as my own mother used to make them'

'HAVE IT ALL' MUMS
'English mothers are constantly talking about quality time and feeling guilty if they were not actually reading to or directly playing with the children. Yet in most cases it was pretty clear they really did mean quality time rather than quantity time, given that it occupied such a short part of the day'

SLEAZY HUSBANDS
'I was on my own, reading a book. Suddenly the door opened and there was the man of the house, standing only in his underwear. I shouted and he only asked whether he had scared me'

HOUSEWORK
'The British like TV programmes by experts telling them how to keep their home, since they don't know how to do it themselves. This is why they need au pairs'

'SLOW' ENGLISH WOMEN
'Au pairs constantly refer to the slowness of English women. One said it took as much time for her host mother to prepare carrots as it does for her to clean the whole house'

Top 10 ideas for rejuvenation...

10. Informative articles related to childcare.
9.   Articles related to child psychology.
8.   Children's artwork. (Scan it in).
7.   Regular polls regarding pay, perks, activities, job duties.
6.   Day in the life of a Nanny/SAHM.
5.   Nanny's (and Manny's) Horror Stories
4.   Employer's Horror stories and warnings.
3.   Photos of Nannies and Mannies in action.  (The good ones).
2.   Nanny's recipes. With photos.
1.   Guest columns by experienced nannies, mannies employers and individuals raised by nannies.

That's what we have. Thank you for the ideas. Let's get it started....

Nanny Glut

Nanny Glut Means Lower Wages and Wacky Offers
as reprted in My Mission by Lauren Rosenfeld
Two dollars per hour or weekly wages of $200 plus trips to Las Vegas don’t sound like payments for quality childcare. But these are some of the proposals nannies are getting these days.

“[Nannies] are being offered the weirdest incentives,” said Melissa Castillo, director of community programs at the Women’s Building. “Spirits are down because of the impossible job market. People know that and are offering incentives instead of payment.”

Not only are fewer families hiring nannies, unemployed teachers and office workers are entering the field offering new competition, according to placement agencies. The nanny glut has meant lower wages and strange offers.

One woman, who asked that her name not be used, came to the United States from Peru nine years ago and quickly found work for $17 an hour in 2001. She kept that job until 2009 when the child she cared for turned 10-years-old, and the family decided they didn’t need a full-time nanny.

She’s been looking for work since last November and even having a U.S. passport hasn’t helped in her job hunt.

“What’s happening is really horrible,” she said. “I thought it was just me but many people have told me they are having problems.”

Jens Hillen, who owns Town and Country Resources, a Bay Area nanny placement agency, with his wife, said the 2008 recession impacted both clients and nannies. Hiring slowed and the number of nanny candidates increased.

Leslie Kline, a placement consultant at Aunt Ann’s In-House Staffing, agreed that more highly educated people are registering for nanny positions. Many are out-of-work teachers looking for alternatives as unemployment remains close to ten percent in San Francisco County.

Nannies hired through agencies generally earn more than those sought through ads on sites like Craigslist. Kline said she has finally started to see the minimum rates creep above $20 an hour, but after the recession hit, $20 was on the high end for almost two years. Employment advocates at the Women’s Center say they still see a difficult nanny market.

The unemployed Peruvian woman said she has been on numerous interviews at luxurious homes around the Bay Area. The parents are lawyers, doctors, and architects who advertise $16 to $20 an hour, but when she arrives for the interview or training, they offer her $8 or $10.

“They tell me the economy is bad,” she said. “And that they’ve found undocumented women that will work for $8 an hour.”

On one interview, she entered an unfurnished house with a mattress and sheet on the floor. The mother of a three-year-old told her she’d be sleeping there and paid $200 per week.

“I was really shocked because the ad said $15 an hour,” she said. “Then the mother offered to take me to Las Vegas every weekend. She told me I’d have lots of friends, lots of boyfriends. I told her that I don’t need a boyfriend or a husband. I’m here to work with children.”

The Peruvian nanny recently asked Castillo at the Women’s Building to make a flyer that advertises her services. “She didn’t want me to put her university education on the flyer,” said Melissa Castillo, referring to the woman’s obstetrics training, “because she was afraid people would think she’s too expensive, and that it would turn them away.”

Castillo said it was a common problem and sees immigrant lawyers and psychologists, ready to work as domestic workers, line cooks, truckers, and nannies because their degrees mean little here.

“Last week, I applied to various families,” the Peruvian woman said. “But I don’t know if anyone has responded. I’m going into the resource room to check my email. Often, I wait many days and no one responds – not even to say ‘thank you.’”

Michigan Child Care Workers Sue to Break From Union

As reported in The State

Peggy Mashke tends to 12 children for 12 hours a day at her home, so she was surprised to get a letter welcoming her to the United Auto Workers union.

"I thought it was a joke," said Mashke, 50, of northern Michigan's Ogemaw County. "I work out of my home. I'm not an auto worker. How can I become a member of the UAW? I didn't get it."

Willing or not, Mashke and 40,000 other at-home providers are members of a labor partnership that represents people across Michigan who watch children from low-income families. Two unions receive 1.15 percent of the state subsidies granted to those providers, or more than $1 million a year.

Mashke has given up about $100 this year, and while she says it's not a huge amount of money, she's among a small group of home-based providers suing in federal court to break free from organized labor.

"It's the principle. It's my constitutional rights," she said.

The plaintiffs claim they were driven into the union and forced to support it financially even though they work at home, are hired by families and are not state employees. In some cases, they are even related to the children in their care.

In 2006, the UAW and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, were formally approved as partners in a union called Child Care Providers Together Michigan. Only 15 percent of the providers cast ballots, but 92 percent were in favor.

The lawsuit, filed by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, claims that Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, and her administration cleared the way for the union in exchange for valuable political support from the UAW and AFSCME.

Michigan is one of at least 16 states where unions are mandatory representatives of personal-care workers, according to National Right to Work.

The state and the unions have defended the arrangement as the legal result of a process that was blessed by the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. They say there is no role for a federal judge to second-guess what has occurred.

Union attorney John West acknowledged it's a "novel approach" to bring home-based workers under the labor umbrella.

"This is really a pretty important issue," West said at a July 13 court hearing. "We have a problem that's been festering for a long time in a lot of states where you have a large group of generally poorly paid, often not-very-well-trained employees.

"To try and resolve this issue and improve the situation, unions in a number of states have put a lot of effort into trying to organize these people, successfully in many instances," he said.

On its website, The UAW says the partnership "gives a much-needed voice and power" to child care providers who have problems dealing with the state's bureaucracy.

"They might not get their check from the state. You wouldn't believe how much that happens," a UAW vice president, Cindy Estrada, told The Associated Press. "Or they don't know they can get an increase in their subsidy if they get more training. ... You wouldn't believe how much an extra 10 dollars a day can help."

And there are providers who say the union has been helpful. Elizabeth Hall, 61, who looks after three children at her home in suburban Detroit, said she was having trouble getting paid by the state but the UAW "cut a lot of corners and got right to the source. I was very elated."

"The UAW is very resourceful," Hall said. "If there's anything you're not aware of, they bring the information to us."

Robert Jonker, a federal judge in Grand Rapids, Mich., has ruled that the seven-month-old lawsuit can proceed, at least in the early stages. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a Midland-based think tank that promotes free market capitalism, is suing in state court to stop the union on other grounds.

Mackinac Center lawyer Patrick Wright called it an "underhanded scheme."

"It's an interesting issue," said Gary Chaison, professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass.

"The idea is for unions like the UAW and AFSCME to have a fertile and expanding area to organize to offset the membership losses because of plant closings — in the case of the UAW — or state and city downsizing in the case of AFSCME," he said.

Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, NY

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

I just thought the parents of this little girl would find this interesting. This was today at the Smith Haven Mall. The little girl is under two and was wearing white tights and a dark floral dress with black dress shoes. She was sitting in an umbrella stroller that had a black handles, extra large black wheels and green fabric.

The nanny involved is about 20 year old, wearing her blonde/brown hair in a short pony, wearing jeans, a gingham shirt open over a red tank top and birkenstock style sandals. She speaks with a thick European accent, possibly German.

The nanny arrived at the mall and was strolling in front of me. Soon, two gangster looking guys arrived and joined her. She was at first uncomfortable and told them, "I'm just here with you". Then they convinced her to walk with them for lunch. Her body language stated she was uncomfortable. The shorter guy told her to "grow up and come have a bite". Then both of them laughed hysterically. The shorter guy then handed her what appeared to be a thick wad of cash. Her shoulders caved in and she looked resigned then. She put the money in the front pocket of her pants and they all walked towards the cheesecake factory.

I don't know what this was, but it wasn't right. The guys were seriously early 2000 gangster looking. One was even sucking on a toothbrush. I wouldn't want those sort of people around my little girl!

Is Your Caregiver a Positive Caregiver?

The NICHD did a Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development and identified the following key features of quality childcare.

Positive caregiving is a measure of care quality that is based on direct observations of caregiver behavior. Read through the following list and see which skills your childcare provider, (or you) have.

Positive caregiving behaviors include:
 Showing a positive attitude—is the caregiver generally in good spirits and encouraging when interacting with the child? is he or she helpful? Does the caregiver smile often at the child?
 Having positive physical contact—Does the caregiver hug the child, pat the child on the back, or hold the child’s hand? Does the caregiver comfort the child?
 Responding to vocalizations—Does the caregiver repeat the child’s words, comment on what the child says or tries to say, and answer the child’s questions?
 Asking questions—Does the caregiver encourage the child to talk/communicate by asking questions that the child can answer easily, such as “yes” or “no” questions, or asking about a family member or toy?

Talking in other ways—such as:
 Praising or encouraging—Does the caregiver respond to the child’s positive actions with positive words, such as “You did it!” or “Well done!”?

 Teaching—Does the caregiver encourage the child to learn or have the child repeat learning phrases or items, such as saying the alphabet out loud, counting to 10, and naming shapes or objects? for older children, does the caregiver explain what words or names mean?
 Telling and singing—Does the caregiver tell stories, describe objects or events, or sing songs?
 Encouraging development—Does the caregiver help the child to stand up and walk? for infants, does the caregiver encourage “tummy time”—activities the child does when placed on his or her stomach while awake—to help neck and shoulder muscles get stronger and to encourage crawling? for older children, does the caregiver help finish puzzles, stack blocks, or zip zippers?
 Advancing behavior—Does the caregiver encourage the child to smile, laugh, and play with other children? Does the caregiver support sharing between the child and other children? Does the caregiver give examples of good behaviors?
 Reading—Does the caregiver read books and stories to the child? Does the caregiver let the child touch the book and turn the page? for older children, does the caregiver point to pictures and words on the page?
 Eliminating negative interactions—Does the caregiver make sure to be positive, not negative, in the interactions with the child? Does the caregiver take a positive approach to interacting with the child, even in times of trouble? Does the caregiver make it a point to interact with the child and not ignore him or her?

Monday, September 13, 2010

You may have noticed the blog is under construction. We will be tinkering with the design until we find one that fits and setting up some features to roll. In the mean time, send in your nanny sightings and questions.

CL-WTF?

.... WHAT?!

1) Babysitter wanted (California)
We are looking for someone who has some spare time on there hands to spend some time with our 5 year old daughter . She is currently in kindergarten, she is really smart and she really does not require alot of supervision. She keeps herself busy, she likes doing crafts, playing with her dolls, drawing, or watching television. If your someone who is looking to earn a little bit of spending money without really having to do alot of work email me. Our daughter is really precious and she is the most important part of our lives, due to our financial situation we really cannot afford to spend alot of money on daycare and babysitters. We are looking for a female babysitter who doesn't smoke or do drugs and has experience with children, preferrably 18 years and up. We need someone who is available Saturday and Sunday and weekdays. Weekdays at the most will be 5 hours and at the least is 2 hours. With our work schedule we need someone who is available from 3 to 8 p.m., weekends are usually 8 hours. Our daycare provider charges us $15 a day, but she closes at 5 p.m. and she spends time with her family on the weekends. So if your seriously intersted email me. Like I mentioned above my daughter is really independent she just needs a little supervision.
URL: http://sacramento.craigslist.org/kid/1935889626.html
_________________________________________________________________
Special thanks to the following Readers for their Contribution this week: tashaclara, Cinder38, anjul.of.grace, mbargielski, slb3334, ATL Nanny and LadyBugBlessingsCrafts... all of you did a great job! Please send next weeks Ads HERE or use MEEBO. Don't forget to include the Links and the Body of the text, if possible!

TO READ THE REST OF THIS WEEKS SUBMISSIONS: PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Blog Rejuvenation- it's time!

Thursday, September 9, 2010
We hear you loud and clear! It's time to make some changes to this blog. We want a blog that is welcoming to authors of sightings and yet encourages comments. We want to continue attracting the interest of mothers, parents and nannies. We want to start some new feautures to captivate our readers during the lulls of postings. If you have ideas or suggestions, please feel free to leave them as comments to this post. We appreciate your continued interest in and support of ISYN.

Pacific Palisades, CA park

Received Monday, September 6, 2010
On Sunday September 5, 2010, I went to the park in Pacific Palisades, CA -- located next to the library. There were 2 boys, named Michael (age 4) and Johnny (age 5) with their nanny Irma. Irma was sitting at the picnic table while the boys played with my son Alex.

Michael climbed onto one of the jungle gyms and was not able to get down by himself. He yelled to his nanny, "Irma, I cannot get down. Help me! Help me get down!" Michael repeated these cries of help at least 5 times. I was watching Irma to see what she would do. I expected her to get up and help him get down from the jungle gym structure (which he was on the 2nd story). She looked at him and then waved her arm with disgust and acted really annoyed and ignored his cries for help.

Again, Michael repeatedly asked for help. Finally, my son asked Johnny, "Why don't you get your mother to help your brother." My son didn't realize that it was the nanny Irma who was watching the kids.

Finally, after giving Irma many chances to do the right thing, I stand up and say, "The boy needs help. Will you help him?"

Irma comes to help Michael down from the jungle gym. But, as she passes me, she looks very annoyed and says to me, "He always does this and this will be the last time I help him. ".

Then she tells Michael, " This is the last time I will help you down.".

I was shocked that she had a hands-off approach to their care at the park and when Michael needed help, then she berated him.

When we were leaving the park, my son wanted to have a play date with the 2 boys later. I asked Johnny for his mother phone number. Johnny did not know the phone number.

Irma said that the family did not live in pacific palisades. I asked where the family lived. Irma stated Las Flores and PCH. I told her that I live in Malibu too. Irma seemed shocked. I asked Irma for the mother's number and she stated that she can arrange the playdate with me. I told her that I want to arrange the playdate with the mom and not through her. She did not want to provide me with the mother's number.

I asked to speak to Johnny . I told Johnny that I was not pleased with how Irma had ignored Michael's cries for help as he was stuck on the 2nd floor of the fire engine jungle structure. I told Johnny that I wanted to let his mother know what happened at the park. Johnny stated he did not know the number to his mother. I gave Johnny a piece of paper with my name, and phone number, and it also read, " please call me so I can tell you about your nanny.".

I told Johnny who was standing next to Irma that I wanted him to give the note to his mother. I said, "I am sure that Irma will try to take the piece of paper from you, but please try not to give it to her as the paper is for your mother."

Of note, there was another nanny there who was caring for Michael and Johnny's twin siblings who were 16 months. The other nanny for the twins did not take out either of the twins from the stroller for the entire 90 minutes that we were at the park. The 2nd nanny stated that it was Irma's first day of work, but there is no way that it was Irma first day at work based on the manner that Irma was talking to Michael.

I really wanted to let the mother know that Irma was not watching her boy's safety at the park and then blatantly ignored him when he was not able to get down safely on his own.

I did not get the name of the nanny taking care of the twins. The only reason why I know the name of the nanny Irma is that Michael was yelling her name and asking for her help and she ignored him.

Corlears Hook Park in NYC

Received Monday, September 6, 2010
Bad, bad, bitterly bad nanny sighting. This woman should not be NEAR kids. Here,find the details:
The nanny was walking with the child, pushing the stroller and talking on the cell phone. Then all of a sudden, she goes, "Fuck, what the fuck do you mean". That is what I heard first. After that I heard a whole bunch of fuck words and variations on the word fuck. She pulled over to the side and was standing with one hand on the stroller shouting in the phone. Just then, the kid starts to cry. Maybe because his nanny is screaming like a banshee. So then with her one hand on the handlebar, she starts shaking the stroller like crazy! Like it was rocking on two wheels, even one wheel. So what do I do? I approach her.
I say, "that's not good for his neck"
She says, "What you know about his neck"
I say, "that's just like shaking a baby, you can't do that"
She says in to the phone, "Im gonna have to call you back now, some bitch wants to tell me how to push my baby carriage".
I say, "I'm not hear to argue with you, if you want, I can call the police and they can explain it to you"
She says, "Oh yeah, how you gonna call the police"
I say, "nevermind" and whip out my phone and turn around to walk away. She says, "what bitch: and spins me back around, then she punches me in the wrist of the hand that has the phone. The phone goes flying but I catch it with my other hand. Now I know this is a problem. So I go, "Never mind"
She says, "You're damn right never mind"
I walked as fast as I could in one direction. When I did dare to look back, she was scampering away in the opposite direction (despite her tough talk).
This is at the Corlears Hook Park on the walking path by the FDR.
This is today about 10:45 AM.
This is the nanny:
Black with no accent, tall, with very short hair, wearing dark reddish/purple lipstick, a plain white t-shirt and khaki colored capris with ties hanging off of them.
This is the baby:
A boy, under 10 months, smattering of dark hair. Veins on his forehead. Wearing a blue windbreaker, the nylon scratchy material.
Stroller was grey with black hnadles and a yellow M on it. Also the buckles holding the child in were also yellow.

CL-WTF?

Saturday, September 4, 2010

.... WHAT?!

Feature:
1) Babysitter needed ASAP (Phoenix)
PAY IS 20$ PER DAY.... THAT'S IT. IF YOUR NOT OKAY WITH THAT THEN DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS ADD. $20.00 dollars per day is better then $0.00 per day and your basically getting paid to sit around watch tv and keep a kid company. Not exactly rocket science.
Kid is cute, happy, almost never cries - she just needs someone who can give her a little attention and while Im at work I cant.
Lounge has big comfy couches & a big flat screen. Ill bring movies and a computer so your not bored and if you need me to ill provide lunch.
Must be reliable = there on time everyday (if you cant make it call the day before so I have time to find another sitter)
Hours are 9am - 5pm Monday through Friday.
Ill feed her, Ill change her Ill take her if she starts crying aka you basically dont have to do anything but sit near her and play peek-a-boo with her if she gets loud.
She will be asleep for 4 of the 8 hours that I work....

Seriously this literally could not be easier... get paid 20 bucks to sit around for 8 hrs....
I will pay 20$ for everyday that you come............ Pay is in CASH every FRIDAY.
If I schedule you to come in and then I dont make it in, I will still pay you for that day.

After the second time you pull a no call no show or call the day of. I will terminate and find someone new.. This job is as easy as it gets but you have to be reliable.
URL: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/kid/1935287428.html

* Response from angry CL readers:

2) RE: $20.oo per day is better than $0.00 per day (Phoenix)
Daycare providers DONT just sit around and do nothing---how dare you act like this.
What do you do? Sit at an office and JUST talk on the phone?

RUDE! Person! You will NOT find a person this way!!!!!!!!
URL: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/kid/1935468699.html

3) RE: Babysitter needed ASAP (Phoenix)
I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M READING.....IT'S DOUBTFUL YOU WILL FIND SOMEONE TO WATCH YOUR CHILD.... AND HOW VERY SAD FOR YOUR CHILD. REALLY YOU SHOULD RE-READ YOUR AD AND PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF A PERSON READING IT. WOULD YOU ANSWER AN AD LIKE THAT? SCARY
URL: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/kid/1935641481.html
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Special thanks this week to LadyBugBlessingsCrafts for our Feature Ad... she submitted several of the really good ones up there! Also, thank you to afnt81, hijabiniqaabi, MissMannah, JerseyxJacqui, noenanny, Betty Spaghetti, NC, Cinder38, Krupitzerb and mbargielski... you ladies rocked it out and did an amazing job this week! Please send next weeks Ads HERE or use MEEBO. Don't forget to include the Links and the Body of the text, if possible!

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Hurricane Earl

Thursday, September 2, 2010

I just wanted to let the Readers know that I am in the projected path of Hurricane Earl. I live 2 blocks from the Ocean near the VA/NC border. I will do my best to keep you updated on our situation. - MPP

2 weeks of Housesitting for Employer - 12 ounces of Chocolate?

Received Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I've been working with a family with one child for about a year now, although I guess I'm technically not a "nanny" since I'm not under a contract, but I do work about 20 hours a week for them and we have a really great relationship. The family recently went on a 2 week trip to Israel and asked me if I would like to house sit for them, including going over everyday to feed the cat and clean her little box (responsibilities do not normally have when they are in town). The mother never mentioned that she would compensate me for house sitting, but I assumed they would give me something, especially since she knows working for her is my sole source of income and my wallet takes a hit when they take a 2 week vacation. I assumed because she asked me to sleep there every night and take care of the cat that I would be paid some sort of sum for this, especially when I know that most house sitters get paid a ridiculous amount. When they got home from vacation she gave me some chocolate bars from Israel as a thank you gift but never once mentioned monetary compensation. I admit that I was just assuming I would get paid when they got back so I wasn't so concerned that my bank account had slowly dwindled over the two weeks, just figuring I'd have something to deposit when they got back. My question is, should I mention anything to her? She really is a wonderful mom and the family is amazing for me to work with and I'm sure she'd appreciate my honesty but I really don't want to make things awkward and I guess I should just swallow the fact that since we didn't discuss anything beforehand I shouldn't have expected anything...any insight? Thanks!

All Those Annoying Craig's List Employers

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
This one goes out to you....

Starbuck's at Clybourn & Webster - Chicago, Illinois

Received Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Starbuck's Clybourn & Webster 8/30/10 10:15 a.m. Nanny is an older hispanic woman with either her own son/grandson (7 years?) little boy is 3ish, Superman shirt w/red shorts light brown longish hair, darkish sneakers. First, she spilled her hot coffee all over the boy's shorts bc she wasn't watching what she was doing, then she scolded HIM for it, was very impatient with him in general and would "text" without paying any attention to the boy whatsoever. But, she seemed to enjoy her breakfast. I am a mom. I wouldn't pay her to do the lousy job she is doing.