Does Your Nanny Spend All Day at the Park?

[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.

Im a different poster (I posted at 11:24) and I strongly disagree with this. Yes, of course they should be reading books and singing songs. Out nanny reads to them in the morning, before nap, and after nap, and they sing songs together when she preps lunch and cleans up. But what kids ages 1-3 (and in DC, that’s what you’re talking about because of free PK3) need most during the day is to MOVE. Sitting and listening and talking, or even doing crafts for hours is not age appropriate.

They need to walk, run, climb, and explore. That’s what they need to build the core strength to allow them to sit in a chair and learn to read as they get older.

If my nanny had my toddler sitting for the bulk of the day, I’d fire her.

[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.

Has OP (you?) spoken with the nanny about these activities? Signed nanny and child up for these classes? Provided the nanny with art materials, etc.?

[Anonymous]

I’m a SAHM, not a nanny.

1) it’s essential to everyone’s health and happiness to be out of the house and outside of possible for a big part of the day I would say starting at least at 1 year. Being at home too much will make everyone cranky. Being at the park is terrific.

2) Even if you have a class or something every day you still have a ton of unstructured time, which is exactly what kids need. A child playing in the dirt with a stick is going exactly what they’re supposed to do to learn and grow.

3) kids need time to process and replay the exciting things that do happen, and they do it on their own time in their own way. So for everyone one hour music class figure you need 90 minutes or so of the kid doing something you don’t understand is related that could involve the stick and dirt or swinging and staring at the clouds.

My two year old and I recently went to the park and she ran up and across the same little foot bridge 50 times. It was really boring for me. I trust it was just what she needed for whatever reason. They really can direct their own learning and they do it best outside.

[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.

You forgot learning a second language, besides sign language. French, maybe Chinese or Japanese. You're letting your kid down!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a SAHM, not a nanny.

1) it’s essential to everyone’s health and happiness to be out of the house and outside of possible for a big part of the day I would say starting at least at 1 year. Being at home too much will make everyone cranky. Being at the park is terrific.

2) Even if you have a class or something every day you still have a ton of unstructured time, which is exactly what kids need. A child playing in the dirt with a stick is going exactly what they’re supposed to do to learn and grow.

3) kids need time to process and replay the exciting things that do happen, and they do it on their own time in their own way. So for everyone one hour music class figure you need 90 minutes or so of the kid doing something you don’t understand is related that could involve the stick and dirt or swinging and staring at the clouds.

My two year old and I recently went to the park and she ran up and across the same little foot bridge 50 times. It was really boring for me. I trust it was just what she needed for whatever reason. They really can direct their own learning and they do it best outside.

+100000 so well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Agree with this, all day is a lot but being out for the a.m. is totally normal. That's what I did when I was a SAHM. We had a round of activities so it wasn't always the park but at least a couple days a week. Then home for lunch (unless we packed a picnic) and nap.

[Anonymous]

Our nanny spends a lot of the day at the park. She has a big circle of nanny friends, and my daughter is friends with all those other nannies charges! They have parties, and all seem to have a ton of fun together. My daughter has lots of fun. It doesn't bother me at all...I work from home so I'm honestly grateful that they are out a lot! I honestly give my nanny almost complete autonomy to plan out their days....I trust her and want both her and my child to be happy.

[Anonymous]

They often do this to hang out with their nanny friends. Our nanny would do this (although she was very observant of our kid; some of them hang out and ignore the children)

[Anonymous]

There are a couple of nannies who frequent a park (think near OGR) who basically sit in their chairs all day while their toddler charges play at the park. There is very little interaction between the nannies and their charges other than the nannies yelling at the kids to not leave their line of eyesight while they are sitting. One actually brings her own chair to the park. They basically play with their phones, eat and sit. One of them is actually verbally abusive to her own charges as well as other children and adults. Parents have been made aware of this but do nothing. Very sad situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You forgot learning a second language, besides sign language. French, maybe Chinese or Japanese. You're letting your kid down!

I hope you are enjoying life in the bucket, crab.

[Anonymous]

I jog by park and see some women, apparently nannies, sitting in the picnic area, and kids ages 2-4 running at the playground and obviously being supervised from distance but no direct supervising, that is, the 2 yr old can easily fall off the equipment since no grown up is near her. I sometimes see the women giving kids snacks, and we are talking really dirty hands, I never see that they wash kids' hands. After snack, kids go back to their running by themselves, and nannies keep snacking/chatting with occasional glancing at the kids, LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I jog by park and see some women, apparently nannies, sitting in the picnic area, and kids ages 2-4 running at the playground and obviously being supervised from distance but no direct supervising, that is, the 2 yr old can easily fall off the equipment since no grown up is near her. I sometimes see the women giving kids snacks, and we are talking really dirty hands, I never see that they wash kids' hands. After snack, kids go back to their running by themselves, and nannies keep snacking/chatting with occasional glancing at the kids, LOL

NY nannies. No need to drive no need to be paid above board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I jog by park and see some women, apparently nannies, sitting in the picnic area, and kids ages 2-4 running at the playground and obviously being supervised from distance but no direct supervising, that is, the 2 yr old can easily fall off the equipment since no grown up is near her. I sometimes see the women giving kids snacks, and we are talking really dirty hands, I never see that they wash kids' hands. After snack, kids go back to their running by themselves, and nannies keep snacking/chatting with occasional glancing at the kids, LOL

This all sounds perfectly healthy and developmentally appropriate. There are worse things in life for a kid than spending the day playing outside. Some of you need to loosen the reins.

[Anonymous]

I was a sahm and used to chat with nannys at the park. They would all meet up to socialize at the park and spend hours there, giving the kids lunch and then going back home for naps.

It is probably “easier” and more entertaining as they get to talk with friends and the kids can all play together but they always seemed on top of things and attentive to the kids. I wouldn’t want this for my infant but the toddlers all seemed to enjoy themselves and the nannys would say the longer they stayed out, the better the kids would nap.

[Anonymous]

I’d love for my kid to spend more time outside playing. Who is actually complaining about this?