A nanny who will get down on the floor and play

[Anonymous]

There have been a lot of posts where nannies stress independent play and in general seem more "type A," like to be organized and get things done. I've noticed that the more experienced nannies are like this, where the less experienced....dare I say...cheaper nannies are more willing to just play with the toddler and be her buddy. Just an observation, anyone else notice this?

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately my child has ame opportunity for independent play while I make dinner or help his sister - I expect nanny to play with him and interact most of the day not ignore him to do chores.

[Anonymous]

Actually I have observed the opposite. The more experienced nannies with loads of credentials that put them in a different pay bracket are more likely to be engaging the children at home and on the playground as well. It's the lower paid ones who seem to be spending their time on the phone and chit chatting with others. Age doesn't seem to be as much of a factor and of course there are exceptions to every rule.

[Anonymous]

I haven't observed a coorelation between hourly rate at all. It seems to be the nannies and au pairs who are creative and mature who can set aside their social lives and who simply enjoy having fun and thinking the way a child does. You have to be able and wiling to use your imagination.

[Anonymous]

Oh goody, another argument...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately my child has ame opportunity for independent play while I make dinner or help his sister - I expect nanny to play with him and interact most of the day not ignore him to do chores.

Why is is unfortunate that your child has to learn to play on his own in order for you to accomplish daily tasks? Conversely, is it not possible to do your chores AND interact with your child in some way? Many nannies and parents manage to do it all day long...

[Anonymous]

I've only had one nanny so I can't really compare. But he came to us with no former nanny experience and he absolutely sits down to play blocks with her or makes up fun games with water rather than just plopping her in her baby pool outside and then sitting nearby.

He does most of the straightening up and laundry stuff during naptime, but he also has folded her laundry on the couch while she's playing on the floor in front of him. He'll leave her playing to go prep lunch. So he's engaged but not down in the trenches all the time. Seems like a good mix to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately my child has ame opportunity for independent play while I make dinner or help his sister - I expect nanny to play with him and interact most of the day not ignore him to do chores.

Why is is unfortunate that your child has to learn to play on his own in order for you to accomplish daily tasks? Conversely, is it not possible to do your chores AND interact with your child in some way? Many nannies and parents manage to do it all day long...

It would be unhealthy to intereact with young children 24.7.. They need some time to themselves and making dinner is a great opportunity to learn independant play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately my child has ame opportunity for independent play while I make dinner or help his sister - I expect nanny to play with him and interact most of the day not ignore him to do chores.

Why is is unfortunate that your child has to learn to play on his own in order for you to accomplish daily tasks? Conversely, is it not possible to do your chores AND interact with your child in some way? Many nannies and parents manage to do it all day long...

It would be unhealthy to intereact with young children 24.7.. They need some time to themselves and making dinner is a great opportunity to learn independant play.

I fully agree, I was commenting on the fact that PP said itt was "unfortunate" that her child had to play on his own while she was cooking.

[Anonymous]

No OP, I haven't noticed the same correlation. In my experience the veteran nannies are very eager to play on the floor and get dirty in the sandbox and messy at art time, but they're also able to set aside 10-20 minute chunks during the day for independent play while they prepare lunch, tend to a younger sibling, or otherwise get the household in order. Novice nannies tend to have more difficulty managing their time and feeling confident in enforcing the boundaries they set and so end the day with toys everywhere, a task or two incomplete, or a whining child pulling on their legs as they try to chop vegetables.

Of course neither of these points is universally applicable to novice or veteran nannies, but since you made such sweeping generalizations it seems only fair to counter with another, equally anecdotal, experience.

[Anonymous]

It is not unfortunate that my kid needs SOME solo play time but rather that in the limited time I have with him I would obviously rather focus on playing than on other stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually I have observed the opposite. The more experienced nannies with loads of credentials that put them in a different pay bracket are more likely to be engaging the children at home and on the playground as well. It's the lower paid ones who seem to be spending their time on the phone and chit chatting with others. Age doesn't seem to be as much of a factor and of course there are exceptions to every rule.

I agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh goody, another argument...

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually I have observed the opposite. The more experienced nannies with loads of credentials that put them in a different pay bracket are more likely to be engaging the children at home and on the playground as well. It's the lower paid ones who seem to be spending their time on the phone and chit chatting with others. Age doesn't seem to be as much of a factor and of course there are exceptions to every rule.

I agree 100%

+2

[Anonymous]

Why would anyone pay an adult to be your child's "buddy"? Hire an au pair "big sis" type if you want that kind of sitter.