Received Tuesday, September 18, 2007
This happened today, (9/18) between 11 AM- 12 PM.
I am not sure if this serious enough to post, but what happened made me upset. I told the mother what happened at the park when we got home and she wasn't mad at all, yet we agreed that what happened wasn't very nice. I arrived with my charge around 11 or so. At the time of arrival, there were two other nannies w their charges. At the same time I arrived another caregiver, I believe, or a parent arrived w a child about 3-5 years of age. I took my charge, a 10 month old, out of the stroller and placed him in the baby swing. The other two nannies, a Chinese, I believe, caregiver, and her charge, a girl of about 2-3 years of age with 2 french braids, pink tank top and light blue shorts and the other nanny, a blonde girl with stringy hair and a boy about 3-5 years of age knew the other nanny, a foreign lady with a white shirt grey pants and short red hair. Her charge was a boy about 3-5 years of age wearing a striped shirt and khaki shorts. The nanny with red hair sat on a bench reading some sort of papers, while the other nannies watched her charge. As I pushed my charge in the swing, I struck up a conversation with a grandmother who was pushing her sweet, autistic granddaughter in the next swing. I observed the redhead sitting on a bench STILL READING, when out of nowhere, her charge pushes my charge, a baby, in the swing almost as if he wanted the swing. He went to the autistic girl and pushed her and that point was whining over the swing. I checked my charge for any red marks-he hit the front of the swing and didn't see any. AFTER this happened, the redhead nanny came over to check on my charge and apologize. I didn't see or hear her reprimand her charge for what happened.
After the incident occurred, I put my charge in his stroller. As we were leaving the park, I looked back and saw the redhead pushing her charge in a swing.
Two questions:
1. If the redhead was a nanny, Why wasn't she watching her charge? Why were the other nannies watching him?
2. Am I making this a bigger deal out of this than what it needs to be? Am I an over dramatic nanny, or am I overreacting? I love my charge and was upset by what happened. Last question: do I have a reason to be upset? I didn't say anything to the redhead, was I supposed to?
16 comments:
Yeah, the nanny should have been watching the child more carefully
Second, this isn't that big of a deal. I mean its great that you are protective of your charge. But this happens all the time at parks. I had a child around the same age as my son throw dirt in his face. Of course, I wasn't happy about it. And guess what now my son is doing it too. But then I intervene, and try to tell him no, thats not nice, we don't throw dirt, etc. They are still young so a caregiver has to watch and discipline. Kids are kids and they have to be taught. It takes time and consistency.
Thanks
I would have been upset, as a nanny I am there to watch my charges, not read paperwork. Wisconsin families, especially on the North Shore, still really don't get what a nanny is and hire almost anyone. Are you the one that posted the WFB interview?
You sound annoying.
you are over dramatic its nothing, chill out
This doesn't sound like a big deal to me, but frankly, OP, your description of the incident and the people involved is all over the place and really makes no sense.
maybe it's a big deal at your park but EVERY time i go to the swings with my charges, other kids try to push them, walk/run in front of the swings, or ask me to put them in/push them. i rarely see anyone watching these kids. it's pretty sad and happens a lot. i usually say loudly "go ask your mom/nanny to put you in" or "watch out! you could get hit by the swing." sometimes that gets a response from the other caregiver
Yes, your making a big deal out of nothing. This isn't anything. I am always at the park with my son at least twice a day when the weathers nice. Park is right outside of the co-op where I live. Today one of my sons little friend started to hit him with one of those hard metal cars. Of course you step in. But if I got upset over everything little thing, I would never leave the house.
OP, you are NOT making a big deal out of nothing. A three year old is strong enough to hurt a ten month old by not gently pushing the swing. A playground accident carries more weight when it happens with a nanny, and there is always a shadow of doubt about what really happened. It is good that you told your employer about what happened.
Next time you see an older child approach the swing that your charge is in, act fast. Stop the swing and say out loud (but gently) 'careful sweetie', and 'wait your turn'. You have to say it loud enough for everyone to hear, and the nanny or parent will be embarrassed enough to get up and collect her charge. Another reason why you have to say it loud enough is so that you are not accused of saying any mean things to the older kid.
Your charge will at some point experience the playground push-over blues, but that does not mean that you have to tolerate older kids being rough with him/her.
I would be livid too. Nothing ticks me off more than people who don't watch their kids. I am constantly watching everything my child does to ensure his safety and the safety of others. So yes, you have the right to be ticked, I would have been too.
OP you have every right to be upset about what happened. My one year old charge broke a tooth when an unsupervised older child (about three years old) ran right into him at high speed and knocked him over. My employer and I were never able to trace the child's parent/caregiver because he was completely unsupervised and running wild. None of the people nearby seemed to know who was in charge of the boy. I was lucky that my boss was there because I was in shock and tears.
12:55...I see your point and agree with you, but if you could not handle such a situation w/out your employer present then you should not be a nanny.
Thats just a freaky thing breaking a tooth from a collision. My son and another baby his age bumped heads. What can you do, never go to the park
O.P. I think you need Prozac
Hi everyone!
OP here and I wanted to thank everyone for their comment, either good or bad.
Kelly: Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it and you are the best!
So let me ask this question: because I am concerned for my charge, that makes me a headcase nanny? I didn't think so.
8:59a- yep. that was me that posted about the WFB family. Do you live in Milwaukee?
As a nanny I'd be annoyed... as I'm always annoyed when children aren't being watched by whoever is in charge of them. Those people are just asking for it! But I do agree that your post was all over the place and I couldn't stay with the descriptions and who was who. Very confusing.
Well, the other nannies were watching the kid while she was taking care of the paperwork, so it's not like she left the kid unsupervised. Who knows, maybe it was something urgent like immigration papers or something? That said, one of them should have stepped in sooner. But she did come over to apologize & check on your charge which was the right thing to do. As for reprimand, were you in earshot the whole time you were leaving the park & before she started pushing her charge on the swing? If so, then I agree she should have at least verbally reprimanded the kid. If not, how do you know she didn't reprimand the kid?
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