While there, I felt torn over who should be judged more harshly: lame and negligent nannies communing and chatting on cell phones in remote shaded area or the parents who tolerate this. Seriously.... sitting in a freaking circle off to the side, backs to the children in their care. Some of the unwatched were bored, one hurt, and two playing out of sight. To be between the ages of 1 1/2 and 4 with no guidance, engagement, or supervision to me feels unfair, especially when someone is paid to do just that.
411 Alert: If every time you need to address the kids(ages 4 and under) in your "care", it is essential to yell, that means you are too far from them.
My guess is that if you pay for someone else to neglect your children, you are likely no better than lame nanny, just financially superior. Poor little Paytons, Hudsons, Addisons, Thatchers, and Colemans. I think your mothers would be shocked to find that you have been labeled poor for any reason at all. Nothing wrong with having a nanny. No excuse for having a brazenly neglectful one.
So today's question, compliments of PMS:
Who sucks more?
The parents for leaving children in "care" of the openly disinterested and careless
OR
The women who accept money for and elude their responsibility suitably referred to as child caregiver
What stresses me equally about unattended children is not only the threat of their unsupervised and often rough styles of play. But, I feel I have only 2 choices. Neither of which I like. Watch the forgotten children to keep them safe along with my own or ignore them. I know it takes a village. But I can barely do enough for my own. Do I really have to play and talk more with children that are not my own? The world would be a better place if I did. The world would also be a better place if I were less tired.
This was really bothering me the other day too because I kept seeing unattentive nannies.
ReplyDeleteGlad you can relate. There were some begrudging mommies to who were vexed by having to play with their children. I think that is why I generally avoid parks.
ReplyDeleteI totally relate. What's worse is when one of those kids routinely harrass you and your kids. When my son was not quite two, a 4 year old girl who was a regular at our park loved to play with him, but he was terrified of her. Whenever we see her at the park (almost everyday) I would have to carry him the entire time at the park because she kept following us around. Not very easy when you are 8 months pregnant. It just ruins park time when I have to set boundaries for other kids just so my own can run around a bit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Betty. You're a champ for continuing to go the same park. I would have either driven myself off by having an unproductive confrontation with the mom or just found a new park. So, what is the solution? Can we legislate decent parenting and supervision in public places?? Let's petition!!
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