come on over to my house

I have very strong opinions about how I raise my kid and have given much thought to what I do and how I do it. Pretty much, I think there is one way, my way, and that anyone not doing it my way isn't doing their best. We all do, admit it now, what ever your "thing" happens to be, you think that the choices you made were/are the right choices and anyone who isn't choosing your choices just doesn't know. Let's take for example the touchy subject of kids sleeping. There is crib versus family bad and then there is the whole cry it out thing. You know that no matter what your choices were, you think they were right and that you don't get the people who chose differently. You know you think that way, even if you won't admit it, so I am not going to argue with you. You are as narrow minded and black and white as I am wether you want to admit it or not.

That being said, Having a baby while living in Brooklyn gave me a real inside view into the world of Nannies. You don't get that view living in the burbs, because we all hole up in our homes and yards and don't have to flee our cramped quarters to hang out together in the playground. But in Brooklyn, we did. And every day, weather permitting (and let me tell you- we were at that play ground 12 months a year) we all descended upon the playground for some out doors time for the kids. There were Nannies that I would think were grandmothers or kindly Aunts if not for their accents or skin color, and then there were the Nannies that made me want to cry. There were Nannies who neglected their charges, leaving them to vegetate in the stroller staring off blankly into the distance and there were Nannies that were rough or demeaning with their charges. Unfortunately the Nannies that made me want to cry dominated the Nanny scene. Looking around at all this I decided that I wasn't going to leave my kid with anyone not related to me until they were old enough to tell me what was happening when I wasn't there. And I didn't. I'm very anti-Nanny. I can't help it. Even here, where I don't see too many Nannies, I see too many of them walking in front of miserable crying children.

I'm still not too keen on the whole Nanny thing, so when Josh's school finally sent home the student directory the other day, and a cute little kid from his class called asking for a play date with Josh, and the Mom suggested I leave Josh at her house with the Nanny, I suggested her kid come here instead. We made the arrangements and then the mother apologized, saying that she didn't intend on inviting her kid over to our house, and maybe Josh could go to her house next week. I had to admit to her that I don't trust Nannies, and that her kid coming to my house was really fine, and that I would be home anyway. But I felt bad, because this woman leaves her 4 kids with their Nanny and I am sure she has a conflicting emotion about it now and then, and here I was , kinda . being . judgmental . and maybe making her feel bad . and . I . dunno. I just felt bad. But I didn't have the energy to lie. And I don't want to have to lie in the future. So, I just said how I feel.

Comments

[Kris]

um, family "bad"???? (family bed)interesting typo considering I'm pretty sure that's not how you feel about it.

lol

anyways, you and I just aren't people who are ok with other people raising our kids. We just don't understand the people who can't waaaaaaait for the weekend to end so they can go back to work and leave the kids at daycare. Because, I mean, seriously, what does one DO with a child ALL DAY LONG? }:(

[danelle]

But I'm a Nanny and you love me!

[Bunny]

I can understand what you mean. You shouldn't have to apologize for not wanting to leave your child in the care of someone.