Leif Ericson Park in Brooklyn, NY

    This is part rant, part bad nanny sighting. I was at the playground on Monday afternoon at around 5:20 and a nanny was there with her charge. The charge was a white girl, about 3-4, very petite, blonde long hair, pink bow, wearing blue track pants and a white shirt with an American flag design on it. The nanny was biracial, light skinned black, no accent, very tall, with a solid, not fat build and blonde hair. She was wearing brown Capri pants and a white flouncy shirt with brown sandals with lots of buckles and her toenails were painted very purple.

     The nanny was sitting there reading a People Magazine while the girl played. When the girl called out to her, whatever she said, the nanny said "uhhum" and never looked up. Finally the girl came over and said she was thirsty. The nanny pulled out a squirting water bottle and gave it to her. the kid kind of spun around and took awhile with the water. You could tell right away the nanny was annoyed, she didn't get back to her book. Then the kid squirted the water towards the nanny, barely getting her magazine wet. The nanny grabbed the water bottle and squirted the rest of it at the girl's face. The girl immediately was shocked and started crying. Another nanny sitting about ten feet from her said, "Hey, was that necessary?" The nanny with the People Magazine said, "Natural consequences." and then the nanny with the People Magazine patted the girl and tried to calm her down. 5 minutes later the girl went back to play on the playground. The nanny who had said something to her walked over and said, "I'm not trying to tell you how to your business, but.." and the other nanny said, "Don't" and then she went back to her magazine. The other nanny started to say, "there's a better way" and the People magazine nanny said, "Fuck you bitch, you don't know shit and you better get the fuck out of my face". Mind you, this is fifteen feet from where the kids are playing and I heard it as clear as day. So the nanny who was seemingly trying to do the right thing totally changed her attitude and said, "Who the fuck you calling a bitch, bitch?"

     Now, seriously, other people around are looking at what is going on. The mom nearest them put her daughter in a stroller and left the park. But it didn't end there. The People magazine nanny said, "Fuck you damn bitch, do I need to stand up" and the other nanny said, "No you need to be a little better at your job". The people magazine nanny said, "Bitch, if I stand up, you're going down". It was totally tense right there, even the girl with the People Magazine nanny was looking over. The other nanny said, "Bitch, I'll fuck you the fuck up, but not hear, so stay on your fat ass". Now the three year old girl is running over to her nanny, probably not hearing everything and maybe not even related, but thank God, because she STOPPED from getting up and the kid jumped in her arms. The girl then asks the nanny, "Please can we go home now".

     So, as a nanny myself, this was way too much. I didn't want to get involved because it was wholly inappropriate on a playground. I also feared they would both turn on me. I feel really bad for the 3 year old girl, because I don't know what she understood, but it seemed to me she felt RESPONSIBLE. I initially admired the nanny who said something to the other nanny but she didn't maintain her composure during the interaction which in my opinion made it worse for the little girl, or maybe not worse, but just as bad as the water on her face.  But at the same time, I didn't have the courage to say something and I thought it was really wrong when she squirted the water in the girl's face, like clearly her magazine was too important to her. But what happens if you say something to a nanny or parent who is mistreating the child and they get aggressive? I think the only thing at that point you can do is say, "have a good day" and walk away.