Am I expecting too much of nanny?

[Anonymous]

OP, you are crazy, seriously.

[Anonymous]

Wow! Are you just advertising for her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

I was a SAHM until my youngest was in 2nd grade. They had play dough and I made each an "activity" pillow that they could button and unbottom, zipper, snaps, hooks and eye, Velcro. They played with these for hours. Their fine motor skills were well developed. All three were honor roll students. Children do not need to play all day not do they need to be engaged every moment of every minute. Give them time to explore and entertain themselves. Some of you are just plain nuts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

Smashing playdough isn't crafting, and no 20 month old is actually making hand puppets themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

Smashing playdough isn't crafting, and no 20 month old is actually making hand puppets themselves.

It falls under preschool arts and crafts. I really hope you don’t work with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

Smashing playdough isn't crafting, and no 20 month old is actually making hand puppets themselves.

It falls under preschool arts and crafts. I really hope you don’t work with kids.

Preschool teacher here. 20 month olds are not in preschool! Everything at that age should be exploration and sensory activities with all craft-like supplies.

[Anonymous]

I’m a nanny in LA. Currently laminating a preschool book I made for one of my families. They pay $45/hr. Other families pay $30 and we do sensory activities etc. Families $25 and under we play outside and do activities, but I’m not spending my free time making educational tools. Do you up naptime with household chores? I only ask because unless it’s the $45 family, I don’t spend any of my free time outside of working paid hours planning or researching activities. You get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

Smashing playdough isn't crafting, and no 20 month old is actually making hand puppets themselves.

It falls under preschool arts and crafts. I really hope you don’t work with kids.

Preschool teacher here. 20 month olds are not in preschool! Everything at that age should be exploration and sensory activities with all craft-like supplies.

Yep. Masters is ECE here and crafting for 20 month olds? GMAFB!!!

[Anonymous]

You are expecting the wrong things of her. She is already providing what is developmentally best for him.

You are seeking developmentally inappropriate parent pleaser activities that daycares detest providing to the younger children, but do so to make parents happy and bring in the $$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 20 month old crafting lmao

I wouldn’t laugh. Play dough, finger painting, dot markers, gluing Pom poms on paper, stamps, making hand puppets would all be developmentally appropriate arts and crafts. These things develop fine motor skills that will be used for cutting and coloring which eventually leads to writing.

I was a SAHM until my youngest was in 2nd grade. They had play dough and I made each an "activity" pillow that they could button and unbottom, zipper, snaps, hooks and eye, Velcro. They played with these for hours. Their fine motor skills were well developed. All three were honor roll students. Children do not need to play all day not do they need to be engaged every moment of every minute. Give them time to explore and entertain themselves. Some of you are just plain nuts!

Totally off topic but I love the activity pillow idea and I think I’m going to make one for my 2yo! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are expecting the wrong things of her. She is already providing what is developmentally best for him.

You are seeking developmentally inappropriate parent pleaser activities that daycares detest providing to the younger children, but do so to make parents happy and bring in the $$.

This, and as a parent, I used to hate it when they did it. My kid was in PT daycare at this age and when I'd pick her up they'd hand me her "craft" for the day. It would be like a hand print with some leaves glued on to make it look like a tree, and her name written on it by the teacher. And I'd immediately envision the daycare teachers lining up the kids and one by one, taking their hands, dipping it in the paint, and applying it to the paper (you KNOW the kids didn't do this activity in a free and independent way because they'd come home covered in paint with a piece of paper smeared in paint and no discernible hand print). I didn't even believe my kid glued the leaves on. I wouldn't care if she did!

Now, I actually did have a kid who was extremely interested in arts and crafts and loved to color and play with sensory toys. But I'd just give her some crayons and paper, or a big bin of beads and blocks, and let her have at it. These were things she gravitated to and therefore we encouraged. Other kids don't care for this stuff and want to run around and be physical. Other kids are really into imaginative play. If you let the kids choose what they want and follow their lead, they will get what they need. Which is what it sounds like this nanny is doing.

OP, you can always buy more art supplies (age appropriate and easily accessible to your kid, not elaborate supplies that require intense supervision and involvement) and sensory toys and put them in his play space. If he is interested in them, he will get them out. You can even point them out to the nanny and she can offer them to your son. But he may not be interested, which is fine. Don't ask your nanny to do things to please you when she is already providing everything she needs to for your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are expecting the wrong things of her. She is already providing what is developmentally best for him.

You are seeking developmentally inappropriate parent pleaser activities that daycares detest providing to the younger children, but do so to make parents happy and bring in the $$.

This, and as a parent, I used to hate it when they did it. My kid was in PT daycare at this age and when I'd pick her up they'd hand me her "craft" for the day. It would be like a hand print with some leaves glued on to make it look like a tree, and her name written on it by the teacher. And I'd immediately envision the daycare teachers lining up the kids and one by one, taking their hands, dipping it in the paint, and applying it to the paper (you KNOW the kids didn't do this activity in a free and independent way because they'd come home covered in paint with a piece of paper smeared in paint and no discernible hand print). I didn't even believe my kid glued the leaves on. I wouldn't care if she did!

Now, I actually did have a kid who was extremely interested in arts and crafts and loved to color and play with sensory toys. But I'd just give her some crayons and paper, or a big bin of beads and blocks, and let her have at it. These were things she gravitated to and therefore we encouraged. Other kids don't care for this stuff and want to run around and be physical. Other kids are really into imaginative play. If you let the kids choose what they want and follow their lead, they will get what they need. Which is what it sounds like this nanny is doing.

OP, you can always buy more art supplies (age appropriate and easily accessible to your kid, not elaborate supplies that require intense supervision and involvement) and sensory toys and put them in his play space. If he is interested in them, he will get them out. You can even point them out to the nanny and she can offer them to your son. But he may not be interested, which is fine. Don't ask your nanny to do things to please you when she is already providing everything she needs to for your son.

Yep-at that age all those crafts are actually made by the teachers, and for the most part the children are unhappy while doing them because they are either forced to do them (gently, of course) or not allowed to do them the way they want to do them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are crazy, seriously.

How about OP is seriously crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We hired a nanny with excellent references, a degree in early childhood education and who we loved during the interview. She has been with us two months now and while she is obviously extremely hardworking, dedicated and engaged, the quality of her engagement isn’t what I expected it to be. Given her ECE degree, I thought she would be planning crafts and activities, sensory play and all kinds of other enriching play for him, almost like a preschool teacher would (kid is 20 months). Those are the things I did with him during my 18 month sabbatical from work when I was with him full time.

She does get on the floor and play with him, but it mostly consists of just observing and commenting on what he does. She also takes him on long walks in the stroller where he’s just sitting there looking (as opposed to being active outside, although they do that too, just less- it’s probably just easier to have him in the stroller vs chasing after him in a playground)

To her credit, she is almost never on her phone while he is awake, cooks amazing meals for him and cleans up after, is outside with him a lot and is very fond of him and loving. She sings and reads to him although not as often as I did.

Am I just expecting too much of a nanny? I read so often here about these incredible teacher Nannies and wanted the same for my kid. Can I do better or is this as good as it gets?

I think you are judging her to your standards which is unfair. Of course moms are expected and wish to do more for their kids! Nanny sounds great to me1