Dead bird and babbysitter, am I over reacting?

[Anonymous]

We are super lucky that when kids are out of school, our workplace will send a nanny from a service to watch the kids. I was working from home, and she took my 5 and 7 out for a walk. I met them in the kitchen, where she told me he carried a bleeding, dead bird home in his palm, and left him in the carport. I looked at her bewildered. She said, "I asked him three times to put it down, and he wouldn't." Of course he got an earful from me for not listening, but come on. Shouldn't she have been more insistent?

I am thinking about telling the agency, but wonder if this is an over reaction. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I would have. I'm no germaphobe but that sounds kind of diseasy. She should have been firmer.

[Anonymous]

Is this post for real? If so, yes you are way over reaching. What kind of disease are you afraid your child with catch? Tell your child to wash his hands, well, with warm water and soap and that when a babysitter is in charge he/she is IN CHARGE and that if it is true that the babysitter told your kid not once, not twice, but three times to put down the dead bird, then your child is not respecting the authority of the babysitter. Now if your child was playing in traffic or with a gun or running with scissors and your babysitter didn't get more insistent, then I agree you should be upset. But in this situation I think you are over reacting. Yes, a dead bird is gross, but what is telling the agency going to do? Hello, I would like to report the nanny your agency sent me allowed my child to carry a dead bird in his hands, even after she asked him three times to put it down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this post for real? If so, yes you are way over reaching. What kind of disease are you afraid your child with catch? Tell your child to wash his hands, well, with warm water and soap and that when a babysitter is in charge he/she is IN CHARGE and that if it is true that the babysitter told your kid not once, not twice, but three times to put down the dead bird, then your child is not respecting the authority of the babysitter. Now if your child was playing in traffic or with a gun or running with scissors and your babysitter didn't get more insistent, then I agree you should be upset. But in this situation I think you are over reacting. Yes, a dead bird is gross, but what is telling the agency going to do? Hello, I would like to report the nanny your agency sent me allowed my child to carry a dead bird in his hands, even after she asked him three times to put it down.

The child is five. Shouldn't she have just taken his hand and walked him away from it? Not allowed him to do it? She is the grown-up.

[Anonymous]

I think it's understandable that you are not impressed with the level of decision making this nanny provided; however, if she is not a regular for your household then she may be forgiven for taking a middle road on enforcement. It's not that she didn't try to get him to leave it alone it's just that she didn't force him. Your son is not injured and most likely not infected. You should take this opportunity to address several issues with both your son and the nanny. Bypassing the nanny to report her to the agency is excessive unless it's a repeat offense or put your child in imminent danger. BTW the other poster is not relaying a logical nor helpful message. It is not your reading that is at fault but the incoherence of the post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's understandable that you are not impressed with the level of decision making this nanny provided; however, if she is not a regular for your household then she may be forgiven for taking a middle road on enforcement. It's not that she didn't try to get him to leave it alone it's just that she didn't force him. Your son is not injured and most likely not infected. You should take this opportunity to address several issues with both your son and the nanny. Bypassing the nanny to report her to the agency is excessive unless it's a repeat offense or put your child in imminent danger. BTW the other poster is not relaying a logical nor helpful message. It is not your reading that is at fault but the incoherence of the post.

+1

[Anonymous]

Overreacting.

[Anonymous]

Op, sorry about the out of line posts. I reported them.

I'd let it slide and wouldn't report it. The temp nanny was probably nervous about being too aggressive. Your kids are 5 and 7. Was she supposed to forcibly remove the bird? You said she asked three times? What eoukd would have said if your child said 'nanny grabbed my arms, forced my hands open and hurt me?' Because that's pretty much what you'd have to do to get a 5 or seven year old to drop something.

Given the circumstances, your kid was wrong and the temp was probably trying her best to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Did you ask why she permitted him to pick it up in the first place? She should have body blocked that.

BTW-The super bitchy pp thinks it makes you pathetic if you have a problem with how it was handled, and thinks not that you are abusive but it would apparently be abusive to have
insisted your child not touch road kill and carry it home.

That pp is not just super bitchy. H/she is insane.

Sounds like it is too late to say anything to the sitter. Is she coming all week? If not then hell yes I'd call the agency. The fact that she wasn't concerned about hand washing after touching road kill is telling of her inexperience. The agency should know so someone can impart some common sense.

[Anonymous]

I would be grossed out but, in the event that this happens again, what would you have her do?
I am not sure why OP is being attacked, BTW... There is a big difference between physically assaulting
a child and, maybe speaking to him at eye level in an even but serious tone. I am not criticizing the nanny's
reaction but she had more than two options.

[Anonymous]

WTH?? I would have lost my mind. What in god's name is wrong with most of you people? "Most likely your kid isn't infected??" Uh, no, not good enough. You don't stand by while a kid picks up bloody road kill and call yourself a nanny.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks everyone. My husband believes that we shouldn't report it, and instead have a SERIOUS talk with my son about not listening. He has just started pushing boundaries, and he didn't know this nanny.

BUT, I wish I had reinforced with her that kids should be asked to wash hands after playing outside. Especially if they picked up road kill. She didn't seem concerned with this.

[Anonymous]

Maybe your kid isn't a good listener. An adult watching him tells him to something 3 times and he didn't? Sounds like the entitled brats I work with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTH?? I would have lost my mind. What in god's name is wrong with most of you people? "Most likely your kid isn't infected??" Uh, no, not good enough. You don't stand by while a kid picks up bloody road kill and call yourself a nanny.

YEP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are super lucky that when kids are out of school, our workplace will send a nanny from a service to watch the kids. I was working from home, and she took my 5 and 7 out for a walk. I met them in the kitchen, where she told me he carried a bleeding, dead bird home in his palm, and left him in the carport. I looked at her bewildered. She said, "I asked him three times to put it down, and he wouldn't." Of course he got an earful from me for not listening, but come on. Shouldn't she have been more insistent?

I am thinking about telling the agency, but wonder if this is an over reaction. Thoughts?

No, you are not overreacting. She needs to control the child and you need to teach the child to stop touching dead animals - dead birds have salmonella, avian flu.