Childcare: October 2007 Archives

As if finding a nanny in Los Angeles wasn't challenging enough. Now, parents have to worry that their nanny might show up on isawyournanny.com, a Web site where people post information -- mostly negative -- about observing what they consider bad nanny behavior.

New York postings dominate the site, but local reports are beginning to grow. Here's one from the summer, apparently written about a grandma!:
Sherman Oaks Fashion Square in Los Angeles, CA
Thursday (6/21) evening at Sherman Oaks Fashion Square food court, your child's' grandmother or caretaker (although she seemed like a grandmother) left your child alone while getting her food. She brought your daughter over to a set of tables two away from where I was sitting, put down a tray that had an iceberg type salad along with a drink, then went over to Panda Express to get a bowl of chow mein.

Your daughter, approximately 2 year old judging by her size. Very well behaved, named Hillary, wearing a cute striped sundress with pink, lime green, and purple ribbons around the rib cage area. She had light brown hair. Grandma was wearing a brown nondescript dress and had brown hair also. She came back with the chow mein and told Hillary what a good girl she was and that she would take her on "rides" after they finished eating.

To be honest, had there been any sort of security or management in the area, I would have alerted them. Why I didn't give the woman a tongue lashing, I don't know. Maybe it was because she had an accent and I wasn't sure she'd understand. Point of the story, don't leave your child alone in a mall. Get a stroller, hold her hand, or go home and eat dinner. This carelessness could have cost the child her life.

Do you really know your nanny? It's every parent's nightmare -- the idea that your wonderful nanny pulls a Jeckel and Hyde when you're not around. How can you know what goes on unless you are there? Some Moms have resorted to nanny cams and such, but a great web site I stumbled on takes the nanny watch concept a step further.

At I Saw Your Nanny, citizen nanny watchers post detailed descriptions of both positive and negative interaction between children and caregiver. There are also a few rants from nannies themselves. One complains about incometent placement agencies; another au pair in Manhattan claims her family is starving her. That one is accompanied by pictures of refrigerator contents marked with yellow stickies saying 'do not eat.'

Look for a full article on this soon.