Worried that nanny isn't talking enough to charge

[Anonymous]

I'm a MB with a 6.5 month old baby. We have a nanny cam in the baby's room, which the nanny knows about. When they're in the room together, the nanny sits on the floor with the baby and isn't using her phone or anything, but doesn't talk to the baby or interact much. Maybe one sentence and one dangling of a toy every 5 minutes. The nanny is fluent in English (though it is her second language), and is very experienced. Should I say something to her about this, or will she most likely start talking more in the next month or two as the baby gets older and more interactive? This is my first nanny so I'm not sure how much to expect in terms of talking and interaction. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Some people are natural talkers and some aren't. It's hard to say what she will or won't do in the future but my guess is probably more of the same. It's possible she talks more at other times and is talked out or trying to create calm quiet time before naps.

[Anonymous]

Your cam has sound?

[Anonymous]

Tell her what you want. For the baby to hear a foreign language is GREAT.

[Anonymous]

OP here - yes, the camera has sound. I can hear the baby squealing/cooing but the nanny is mostly silent.

[Anonymous]

Yes, tell her that you want her to talk to him and demonstrate how to narrate "I am going to pick you up Larlo - such a big boy. Lets go over to the changing table. I am going to put you down... :We're in the living room - what do we see? The table, the chair..."

It is exhausting but so important for language development and creating synapses in the brain. Teach her, OP. She can also sing to your baby in English or her native language and read to him. This is a perfect age to get him into sitting for books.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. Is she silent when she is actively engaging him or just when he is playing? I tend not to narrate constantly when my charges are playing because I think it sometimes detracts from their own thoughts and experiences, but if I am interacting with them then I talk a lot. So if a 6 month old is laying on a blanket, staring at a mirror, I might sit silently by and let him explore, but if he glanced at me or started babbling, I would chat with him, if he started to cry I would talk while comforting him, if I noticed he had a soiled diaper I would narrate while changing him and so on.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. I talk with older kids but not so much with such small babies. It's not natural for me to do so. It doesn't mean I don't care, because I absolutely do ...
They don't need so much talking at that age, let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I talk with older kids but not so much with such small babies. It's not natural for me to do so. It doesn't mean I don't care, because I absolutely do ...
They don't need so much talking at that age, let it go.

You are dead wrong, Nanny. Please read up on early childhood development. Babies absolutely need to hear as much language as possible as early as possible - narrating, reading, singing, and open conversation.

Talking to someone who cannot talk back is not natural to anyone, PP. You do it because it is in the best interest of the child.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your nanny, OP. Your baby needs to hear as much language as possible.

Here in California, there are PSA's on TV about the importance of newborns/infants hearing language and being spoken to all the time.

[Anonymous]

I think it's very important to talk, sing, narrate, dance around the room with little ones. And I do. However, having a camera listening in, perhaps some people might be a little intimidated?

[Anonymous]

It's very important. You only realize it when the kid turns 2 and starts talking up a storm. It only then sinks in that everything you've been doing is somewhere in their head. It's just that they aren't able to give you verbal feedback before then. But boy is it rewarding then.

In other words, definitely say something and send her some readings on the importance of narrating and interacting with an infant.

[Anonymous]

Your nanny absolutely should be talking more to your child, even at that age - narrating, pointing to objects and repeating their names, reading, singing, and responding to their coos and babbles. If your kid is sitting in silence and just having a couple of toys put in front of them now and then, that's really missing out on the individualized attention benefit of a nanny.

[Anonymous]

The nanny should be talking to her more especially since they are alone together all day. I am a former nanny and I just can not wrap my mind around being around such a cute small person and not be talking and singing to them a storm. I love little babies and this breaks my heart for your baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I talk with older kids but not so much with such small babies. It's not natural for me to do so. It doesn't mean I don't care, because I absolutely do ...
They don't need so much talking at that age, let it go.

You are dead wrong, Nanny. Please read up on early childhood development. Babies absolutely need to hear as much language as possible as early as possible - narrating, reading, singing, and open conversation.

Talking to someone who cannot talk back is not natural to anyone, PP. You do it because it is in the best interest of the child.

WRONG. I have helped raised over 25 children and didn't talk to them a lot when they were this young. They are regular kids, just as smart and sweet as other kids.
It doesn't make a difference to talk to them or not this early.