Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm very much into free-range playing so if my charges are school-age I let them go and I settle onto a bench or under a tree and read. They know they're not allowed to leave the playground and I play "spot the kids" every five minutes or so. Younger charges go on the tot lot where I'm nearby to stop falls or kiss boo-boo's but not hovering.

And when you are at the house is it the same free range mentality? You kids go play quietly together, don't leave the house, I'm going to be here reading if you need anything.

Nope! When we're at the house we're doing Crafts, singing, practicing their instrument of choice (we all play something), building forts, playing hide & seek, etc. But if we're at the park (which always has kids their age there) then there's no reason for me to be with them. They're old enough to socialize with kids on the playground without their nanny hovering over them. My MB & DB know how I handle park time vs home time and support it

I'm an MB and we recently went through this debate when looking for a new nanny. Kids are 3 and 6 and we wound up hiring someone older than our previous nanny. (Last nanny was in her 30s, new nanny is in her 50s.) Honestly I'm at the park with my kids a lot and I do some occasional running around (playing "chase") and will help them across the monkey bars if needed but I don't spend the time there running all over the place or following them up every ladder (as I did when they were toddlers).

I'd be concerned if our nanny were sitting there reading a book or talking on the phone the whole time, as I'd like her to be tuned in to what's going on generally, but both our kids are at an age when they're happy to play together or with their buddies and don't need someone within arm's reach every minute.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP.

For younger children, I am interacting and engaging...The younger ones most especially like 2-3 I usually am within arm's reach just in case.

For older kids, I try to stay out of the way, but am always within eyesight of them so there is no way anyone can touch or grab them.

How could you stop someone from touching or grabbing a child? I'm very curious because I had a man come up to me and my charge and he ripped him out of my hand. He was 1 at the time and I was holding his hand the man walked up grabbed him and started to walk off. I of course was terrified but thankfully this lunatic was just playing a sick joke as he let go and left. But it happened so fast and he grabbed my charge so hard I lost my grip.