Tipping Your Caregiver:Nanny and Babysitter

Have you ever sat down and thought about how much your Nanny does for you?  Between the laundry, the prepping of meals, the tantrums, the bottle washing...the day is endless.  She really is the glue that holds your family together.  

Now, have you ever thought about giving her a random monetary tip, just because?  

This doesn't include birthday's and holiday's(which you know you should be giving her a birthday gift and a holiday bonus!) I'm talking about a random day in April or maybe October, or maybe both!  

And if you have an outstanding babysitter who is very reliable and you can always count on her to be there for you, this applies to that situation as well.  Because why shouldn't you commend someone who is great to you and your most prized possessions?

The Potty Training Diaries

I'm not going to start with my past stories of potty training...I'll get to those in a different post.  I HAVE to talk about what I saw today at Shop Rite tonight.  

Oh my GOD!  So here I am walking around the different aisle's to see what I need.  I'm walking in the back looking at meats.  What do I see?  A mom letting her daughter pee right in the middle of the aisle on a Potette.  I'm not even kidding.  Not to mention that this is completely unsanitary, but to let her daughter pee in the middle of a grocery store shows that she has no control over her daughter.  There is a bathroom in the store, literally right down an aisle next to the pharmacy.  As the Hoboken Nanny, I almost screamed at the mother.  She should have ran to the bathroom and plopped her daughter on the toilet.  Let alone this girl looked at least 5 years old and most certainly was not potty training, but you never know. 

Nannies and Parents, if you're potty training, run to the closest bathroom.  Do NOT let your kid piss in the middle of a grocery store even if you have a portable potty.  Not only is disgusting but it's not etiquette...as I'm sure everyone knows except this mother!  

 My only exception of letting your kid pee anywhere is if it's a boy and you're at the park.  He can pee in a bush. 

Would you look at this!  The Today Show must have been reading my blog!  Hurray for me!  

See, I actually know what I'm talking about.  

Read my post below from August 22nd, "The Dinner Dilemma" and compare:



http://www.today.com/moms/back-basics-why-family-dinners-matter-8C11037673

The Nanny Cam: Revisited

 

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been speculating whether or not my family has a nanny cam.  I've been their Nanny for a few years now, but it hasn't been until recently that weird things that happened.  One time, the boy said something funny to me and I couldn't stop laughing.  When the mom came home, she told me the story about how the boy said the same funny thing to her over the weekend.  Coincidence or nanny cam?  I'm honestly not sure because I don't even know where they would hide it.  Another time, the dad was singing a song that only I sing.  A song that I made up.  I mean, I'm about 98% sure I've never sang it in front of either of them.  Maybe the kids do, but I highly doubt that.  Should I be worried?  I don't have anything to worry about, but I just hate nanny cams.  So useless.  I would know one immediately if I saw it, but I don't know where else to look!

 Oh well.  I'll continue being goofy in hopes that my silly videos with the kids don't end up on YouTube.

Confessions of a Nanny

Part V

Let's go back into older posts that I talked about this family.  I called them "The Absent Parents."  Wall Street working dad, stay at home mom, Nanny(me) who was both mom and dad, and every other type of employee that could work in ones home.  So, this story begins at 12:30pm when the 2 year old went down for his nap and usually slept until 3:30-4pm.  At about 2pm, I got a call from the school saying:

"X has head lice and needs to be picked up ASAP. We can't get ahold of mom, so someone needs to come immediately."  

Umm, what?  The mom left the apartment everyday at 10am and I didn't see her until after dinner, what could she possibly do all day?  How about answer your phone, mom?  Anyway, here I am, trying to reach her, calling and texting.  No answer.  Trying to call the dad, no answer.  So, I think for a second.  Do I wake the kid up and run to the school that was on the other side of town or do I wait because school was over in 45 minutes anyway?  I did what any awesome Nanny would do and I woke the kid up and ran to pick up the lice infested freak.  

As I got close to the school, I had to blink a few times because I couldn't believe what I saw.  I thought I was going to scream my head off.  Outside of the school, the MOM WAS STANDING THERE PLAYING ON HER PHONE!!!!!  I walked up to her and said "Hi...I have been trying to reach you.  X has lice and needed to be picked up like 30 minutes ago.  I've been calling you and so has the school nurse."  Her reply?  "I had no idea."

Confession: I wanted to murder you right then and there.  

This is story really did happen.  I will never forget it.  

Emailed

Bad Nanny Sighting

When: Tuesday, August 27th

Where: Columbus Park

Nanny: African American, medium build

Kids: Twin boys, and another blonde boy, 2-3 years old

Situation: The Nanny was sitting on a bench while all three boys were sitting in the stroller.  She was eating lunch and had one head phone in her ear, talking on the phone.  The boys were sitting in the stroller doing nothing while she was on the phone and eating.  She started to feed them lunch after 20 minutes, little pieces at a time, in the stroller.  After about an hour, she let them out of the stroller and play at the park. She was not interactive whatsoever.

 

Email from a Hoboken Nanny

"I cringe when I hear other Nannies and parents say "we" when referring to their kid(s).  Say he or she.  There is no "we" unless it's about everyone."

I totally agree with you, other Hoboken nanny!