Does Your Nanny Spend All Day at the Park?

[Anonymous]

It seems like a lot of nanny spend all day at the park. Maybe they go back to the house for nap time or preschool pickup, but morning and afternoons they are at the park. Is this typical?

[Anonymous]

All day? No.
Most Nanny’s like to be out of the house in the morning especially if there is a parent at home. Parks are free and it’s great for the kids.
On a nice day I might go in the morning and then again in the afternoon, who doesn’t love being outside when it’s 70 with no humidity. But every day nope.

[Anonymous]

Not normal- she’s going all day to get away from you. Most are sitting socializing/scrolling their phones. Some are going to their homes /running personal errands Will return home for nap as soon as child wakes they go back outside until roughly 30 min before getting off for the day.

[Anonymous]

We had a nanny who did this. She was hanging out with friends and not paying much attention to our baby. They would hang out in a group with kids from 4 months to 5 years and chat and look at their phones while the baby played in the mulch. Gross.

[Anonymous]

All day is excessive, but most nannies do spend a chunk of time at the park each day. It's best for everyone, particularly once the morning nap is gone. Kids play, get exercise, fresh air, sunshine, social time with other kids. The nannies can talk to the other nannies.

Our previous nanny had the kids at the park from 10-12 every day. Our current nanny also prefers to do a picnic lunch at the park, so they're out from 10-12:30 or 1 each day.

There's a whole nanny social circle at the park. It's nice. When our nanny was sick and I would take the day off and take the kids to the park, all the other nannies and kids knew my kids. They spread out blankets, bring toys for the littler ones, and generally have a wonderful time.

For what it's worth, unless we have some other specific plan, we also take our kids to the park on weekends from 10-12. Who wants to sit all day in the house with toddlers?! And the kids play while I watch and play and chat with the other parents. Which is basically the same thing the nannies are doing.

[Anonymous]

I was actually wondering the same thing. Our baby/toddler just dropped their morning nap and now the nanny is asking if we mind if they go to the park in the morning until nap time and then after nap as well. Our kid just likes to play in the mulch or with toys we bring from home-not much play equipment at the park for them at this young age. I get it, the park is easy. There is also the adult social aspect. But it seems like some structured play is needed too and that I pay too much for something a 16 year old could do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was actually wondering the same thing. Our baby/toddler just dropped their morning nap and now the nanny is asking if we mind if they go to the park in the morning until nap time and then after nap as well. Our kid just likes to play in the mulch or with toys we bring from home-not much play equipment at the park for them at this young age. I get it, the park is easy. There is also the adult social aspect. But it seems like some structured play is needed too and that I pay too much for something a 16 year old could do.

What sort of structured play for a baby/toddler?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not normal- she’s going all day to get away from you. Most are sitting socializing/scrolling their phones. Some are going to their homes /running personal errands Will return home for nap as soon as child wakes they go back outside until roughly 30 min before getting off for the day.

Yep this is what I saw at chestnut hills park when I had small kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was actually wondering the same thing. Our baby/toddler just dropped their morning nap and now the nanny is asking if we mind if they go to the park in the morning until nap time and then after nap as well. Our kid just likes to play in the mulch or with toys we bring from home-not much play equipment at the park for them at this young age. I get it, the park is easy. There is also the adult social aspect. But it seems like some structured play is needed too and that I pay too much for something a 16 year old could do.

What sort of structured play for a baby/toddler?

The adult should be interacting with the child. Reading books, singing songs together, learning sign language, taking a class together, doing art projects even if just play doh or finger paints.

[Anonymous]

Ours goes for about 2 hours in the morning, about 3 days a week.

[Anonymous]

No. I give my nanny a schedule. I have never had a nanny that was enough of a self-starter that I didn't have to list out things I needed done. I have a daily checklist for her.

[Anonymous]

The nannies like to hang out together. When I had my first I was in my 20s and super friendly women my age used to come up and start chatting. They'd take off when they found out I was a mom and not a nanny! I was so lonely back then and it was really disappointing. I'm sure the nanny life is lonely as well so I don't blame them for wanting to talk to another adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was actually wondering the same thing. Our baby/toddler just dropped their morning nap and now the nanny is asking if we mind if they go to the park in the morning until nap time and then after nap as well. Our kid just likes to play in the mulch or with toys we bring from home-not much play equipment at the park for them at this young age. I get it, the park is easy. There is also the adult social aspect. But it seems like some structured play is needed too and that I pay too much for something a 16 year old could do.

What sort of structured play for a baby/toddler?

The adult should be interacting with the child. Reading books, singing songs together, learning sign language, taking a class together, doing art projects even if just play doh or finger paints.

If you want a nanny to do all of those things, you need to send your child to daycare.

As a SAHM, I find many parents who employ a nanny to have wildly unrealistic expectations about what a nanny will be doing from day to day with children that are younger than preschool age. The nanny shouldn’t be responsible for teaching your child sign language.

If you want the nanny to take your child to classes, you set that up. It’s not on the nanny to come up with the enrichment activities that you think your child should have. You as the parent come up with that stuff; register for it and give the nanny the schedule.

[Anonymous]

When our kids were babies they went to one of several parks in the morning (they rotates so as not to get bored) and libraries for story time and then a different park in the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like a lot of nanny spend all day at the park. Maybe they go back to the house for nap time or preschool pickup, but morning and afternoons they are at the park. Is this typical?

Not a nanny but I have worked a few daycares and if the weather permitted we spent a big chunk of the day outdoors, morning and afternoon.

If you pay A LOT for your nanny, she should be doing more than taking your baby/toddler out to the park. If you don't compensate her well enough, then be happy your kid is happy!