Nannies - PLEASE READ

[Anonymous]

And that's it folks. Elvis has left the building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Professional nannies know that OP is absolutely correct-not only is it inappropriate to have your phone glued to your ear when working, but it DOES make other nannies look bad, like it or not. And I think the PPs who responded know full well the OP was not talking about conversations with parents or researching kid activites. I'm a nanny and I know when I go to any park or even walking on the street I see one if not more nannies talking on the phone while ignoring their charges. We all know it's true. If you aren't one of these nannies, that's great. If you are, stop with the bullshit excuses.

1) How do you know they're nannies if you just see them walking down a street?

2) Are you really suggesting we need to be entertaining our charges while we're walking down a street? Every time? Really?

Thank you! Jeez really, you would think these precious children need adult interaction every waking minute of the day. Nannies take their charges on walks, sometimes kids fall asleep/are content looking around/are interacting with each other/also need some quiet time and guess what, those are the times some of us choose to use our phones. My, and many MB's have no problem with their children not being treated like the center of the universe...and before the "you are on the clock" bs hits the fan...many of us are capable of watching our charges, walking down the street and talking at the same time, miraculous I know.

[Anonymous]

"Nannies take their charges on walks, sometimes kids fall asleep/are content looking around/are interacting with each other/also need some quiet time and guess what, those are the times some of us choose to use our phones. "

because I also take my kids on walks and think that it's more worthwhile for them to have spoken to than for them to take a nap in the stroller (which I would be pissed at - that's what the crib is for).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Nannies take their charges on walks, sometimes kids fall asleep/are content looking around/are interacting with each other/also need some quiet time and guess what, those are the times some of us choose to use our phones. "

because I also take my kids on walks and think that it's more worthwhile for them to have spoken to than for them to take a nap in the stroller (which I would be pissed at - that's what the crib is for).

Are you serious? My charge and I spend 2-3 hours outside each day. About 30 minutes to an hour he will spend sleeping. I'm sorry, you can't keep a child from sleeping even if you are talking to them on the walk, a stroller is soothing, get over yourself. I like him to get the fresh air, so even if he is sleeping I keep walking around the park or sit on a bench. I use my phone while he sleeps in the stroller facing me. Oh dear God. I have never had a MB tell me there was something wrong with the child sleeping on walks, nor if checked my email during that time I was a horrible nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Nannies take their charges on walks, sometimes kids fall asleep/are content looking around/are interacting with each other/also need some quiet time and guess what, those are the times some of us choose to use our phones. "

because I also take my kids on walks and think that it's more worthwhile for them to have spoken to than for them to take a nap in the stroller (which I would be pissed at - that's what the crib is for).

PP, the key word was "sometimes."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Professional nannies know that OP is absolutely correct-not only is it inappropriate to have your phone glued to your ear when working, but it DOES make other nannies look bad, like it or not. And I think the PPs who responded know full well the OP was not talking about conversations with parents or researching kid activites. I'm a nanny and I know when I go to any park or even walking on the street I see one if not more nannies talking on the phone while ignoring their charges. We all know it's true. If you aren't one of these nannies, that's great. If you are, stop with the bullshit excuses.

OP here.. thank you. Your right, I'm not referring to siblings or family members. 90% of the time it's obvious when a nanny is caring for a child. I'm not on here to chastise anyone as mentioned above. I'm trying to make those nannies that are guilty of their phone/text use while on the job realize how it makes nannies in general look bad, not to mention it's dangerous. I'm asking those guilty to STOP using their phones and take care of the children. or find another job that allows you to talk and text freely during the day.

[Anonymous]

OP wtf is up with your thread title? I thought it was going to be about breaking news or some "beware of..." piece of information.
Dramatic much.

[Anonymous]

Therebisnk reason any child older than infant should fall asleep in the stroller. Time your walk so my kid can sleep in his bed.

[Anonymous]

Well since he is an infant, what else you got?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Therebisnk reason any child older than infant should fall asleep in the stroller. Time your walk so my kid can sleep in his bed.

Read the whole response. I wasn't just talking about the times kids fall asleep in the stroller (I prefer when they sleep in their own bed too...and am usually better at making sure that happens than most parents). The real issue I was addressing is parent's misconception that their child should be interacted with 100% of their day. Read a book, google, talk to anyone who is not in your mommie group, children need independent time just as much as adults do, SOMETIMES that is when we are on a walk.

[Anonymous]

I agree children need independence and prefer them NOT to have constant interaction with adults/parents/nannnies etc. However, there is a big difference between encouraging independent behavior and simply ignoring the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Professional nannies know that OP is absolutely correct-not only is it inappropriate to have your phone glued to your ear when working, but it DOES make other nannies look bad, like it or not. And I think the PPs who responded know full well the OP was not talking about conversations with parents or researching kid activites. I'm a nanny and I know when I go to any park or even walking on the street I see one if not more nannies talking on the phone while ignoring their charges. We all know it's true. If you aren't one of these nannies, that's great. If you are, stop with the bullshit excuses.

OP here.. thank you. Your right, I'm not referring to siblings or family members. 90% of the time it's obvious when a nanny is caring for a child. I'm not on here to chastise anyone as mentioned above. I'm trying to make those nannies that are guilty of their phone/text use while on the job realize how it makes nannies in general look bad, not to mention it's dangerous. I'm asking those guilty to STOP using their phones and take care of the children. or find another job that allows you to talk and text freely during the day.

OP why don't you handle your nanny and we will handle ours/ourselves. Sounds like there is one nanny in particular who needs to hear your message and you're not doing anything to ensure she gets it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Therebisnk reason any child older than infant should fall asleep in the stroller. Time your walk so my kid can sleep in his bed.

There isn't any other reason?

Not a special trip to the beach or the children's museum, not a tired toddler who falls asleep 40 minutes before naptime because being in motion conks him out, not a sick child who's having trouble sleeping lying down but falls asleep as soon as she goes into the stroller?

No, I guess you're right, there's no other reason besides nanny laziness that a child might sleep in a stroller.

The judgment I see being flung around on this thread is horrifying. I understand we are nannies but would you say these things to a mother? "There is NO reason for your child to be asleep in a stroller!" "If you talk on your phone while your child is awake you're essentially ignoring him and saying you don't care at all about his verbal development!" ?? NO. You wouldn't. Because you recognize how inappropriate that would be. Those of us who are great and attentive nannies only get annoyed by these claims that every single walk should be a journey of narrated discovery or we aren't doing our jobs properly. That's nonsense and you all know it. It doesn't hurt anyone for you to take the rational and logical stance that "usually" is good enough and "sometimes" it's okay if we are not giving the kids 100% of our attention. Because it is.

[Anonymous]

The argument of children sleeping in a stroller is completely child raising philosophy based and there is no one fit answer. As a nanny, I follow the parents requests as well as my own philosophies. The toddler I care for often naps in the stroller. Parents believe in naps being taken in the fresh air. LO sleeps in her bed for the night obviously but when she is sleepy during the day, we often take a nice stroll in the shade at a local part and she snoozes in the fresh air. T each their own. There is no one RIGHT was to raise a child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Therebisnk reason any child older than infant should fall asleep in the stroller. Time your walk so my kid can sleep in his bed.

What?? This is crazy to me! You sound like the nanny is taking a walk only for her own benefits. Most parents are thrilled their children are out enjoying the fresh air with the nanny! If the child gets sleepy from the motion of the stroller, is it really the end of the world if he/she takes a rest and naps??