How do nannies care for a baby and older kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, how do YOU take care of them both?

You do...right?

Haha! Hysterical. Just what I was thinking. How have mothers for centuries taken care of more than one child??

We have friends with two kids who are never alone with both their children at once. It's always mom + dad, or parent + nanny, or parent + grandparent. Apparently some people really can't manage more than one child at a time.

I am 100% this person. In fact, I wonder if you are taking about me 😂

It’s not that I can’t. It’s just, why would I when I have the option of support?

Because you enjoy spending time with your kids? How can some of you hold down these executive level jobs but can’t figure out how to spend time with your kids without help?

I do enjoy it very much!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp, it does not sound so good to me, the baby in your scenario seems to be either strapped in the car seat, or carried in the carrier, or sitting in the stroller most of their day. Of course, if it is the matter of survival as a nanny it is OK, but definitely not the best thing for the baby. Babies have to be on the floor most of their awake time, and be able to move freely. Also, are you saying your 2 yr olds napped in the morning AND afternoon?

Not sure where you are getting that the toddlers had a morning nap? No. The baby had a morning nap in a stroller or car seat or baby carrier, depending on the outing. The toddlers and baby had a big nap in cribs in the afternoon and the baby had a power nap in the carrier or bassinet shortly before dinner. This is during the newborn stage, since OP mentioned an 8 week old. During the newborn stage I think daily floor time on the afternoons is plenty since they mostly want to be held anyway.

As the baby grew, they would play on the floor near me as I did food prep in the mornings, they would crawl around a bit after lunch , and they would have a longer playtime in the afternoons since they dropped the end of the day cat-nap. Once baby was walking, they played with siblings at the park but by that time the twins were 3 and needed less help/supervision to play safely at a park.

[Anonymous]

babies do not "play with siblings", haha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:babies do not "play with siblings", haha

My 16 month old absolutely plays with his 4 yo brother. She said when the baby could walk, ergo, a young toddler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this will sound like a dumb question but please be kind. How can a nanny provide good care to both a baby (4 months) and an older child (age 2)?

I’m going back to work soon and don’t understand how our nanny can care for both kids without putting one in a bad situation at times.

Examples:
-If they’re at the playground, she can’t prevent DD from falling off equipment while sitting next to DS’s stroller. DS dislikes baby carriers, but even if she did wear him, she wouldn’t have full mobility. DD had a bad fall recently (on my watch), so I’m feeling anxious about this.
-DS’s wake windows are short, so he often needs to be put down for a nap at inconvenient times, like during DD’s meals or while she’s making messy art in the basement. DD is a slow eater and underweight. If DS gets tired during DD’s meal, it seems like nanny’s options are 1) leave DD alone while she takes DS upstairs for a nap; or 2) bring DD upstairs mid-meal and try to convince her to play quietly alone while nanny rocks baby to sleep. Option 1 clearly puts DD at risk of choking. My concern with option 2 is that DD won’t finish meals after they’ve been interrupted, and she’s already so thin. Putting DS in a swing for a mid-meal nap isn’t an option.

What am I missing? How do people do this safely?

Oh my. People take of multiple kids all day long and have for centuries.

Nanny will figure it out as do all mothers. Regardless of excellent care, accidents happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t handle the DD, DS omg. Please just say son or daughter or child.

First day on the internet?

Ofc not. I’ve hated it since day1. Like, wtf do you need all the extra Ds for? Stop it already

This is the internet

D larla

I have a ds and dd and a dh

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids and I’m solo with them a lot.

That said…. my first 2, 2 under 2, it was a real learning curve. I remember being anxious about managing outings with them. I definitely had a hard time imagining anyone else trying to manage it. I definitely had some postpartum anxiety. OP, if this is a nanny you already employ and trust, I think you need to do your best to lean into that trust. Consider therapy for the anxiety because it can be really hard during this phase of life. You will all figure this out though and it will get easier.