The Nanny Diaries
On a hot afternoon in New York City, my friend Miriam was sitting at a grassy public venue, watching her child play alongside other kids in the care of various moms and nannies.
A long-time New York resident, Miriam is fully aware of the city’s urban imperative: mind your own business.
But she couldn’t help but notice the crying of a nearby baby, approximately nine months old, strapped in his stroller facing the sun, while his nanny ignored him and chatted with another nanny.
The minutes passed…5…10…15…the baby’s skin got redder, the crying persisted, and the nanny’s only response was to periodically bark, “Shh! Be quiet!” while brusquely shaking the baby’s stroller.
And that is when Miriam decided she had to do something: she had to stop minding her own business.
In New York, where the number of scary nanny stories surpasses the number of scary subway stories, an increasing number of citizens are posting reports about bad nanny behavior on a blog called I Saw Your Nanny.
The posts—complete with date, time, location, physical descriptions of nanny and child, and sometimes a cell phone photo—will stop the heart of any parent who recognizes his or her nanny or child: I saw your nanny …grabbing your boy by the ear and twisting him…mistreating and roughly handling your 3-5 year old girl…fell asleep right on the bench where she was sitting with her back to your son.
Launched in August 2006, the blog has sparked a debate about the obligations—and limits—of personal responsibility. Critics contend that it’s potentially libelous for strangers to publicly attack a nanny’s professional performance.
But that didn’t stop Miriam from confronting the nanny about the neglected baby. “She told me to mind my own business. Then she started yanking the baby in the stroller. That’s when I told her I was calling 911.”
Aware that NYPD was on its way, the nanny bolted to leave the location, still yelling, “Mind your own business!” Miriam ran ahead of the woman and snapped her picture with her cell phone. But by the time the police arrived, the nanny was gone.
Tell us what you think: When is it right to stop minding your own business and start minding someone else’s? How far would you go in reporting disturbing behavior by a nanny or anyone else?
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Comments
NANNY
hello there Im Nancy from Peru, living in Las Vegas, with 5 years experiences with kids, all ages, and an excellents references,
Im a very organized, punctual, honest, caring, trustworthy, person, I love cook, flexible about the schedules .
I believe interacting with a kids, read them, sharing activities, go to the park or for a walk.
Thanks
NANCY ROMERO | 4 months ago
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NO
ITS NOT RIGHT TO NEGLECT A CHILD AR TO KILL YOUR CHILD
RACHEL HOGAN | 4 months ago
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finding kids that are gone in the system
back in the day when there wasn;t all this help and parent;s just didn;t know how to get their life;s together and children have been adopted out how do you find those children and have they been told about there adoption at what age are the children aloud to find each other
vera gooden | 3 months, 3 weeks ago
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stop
STOP
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR CHILD YOU CANT HEART HER/HIM ANY MORE THAT IS NOT RIGHT TO DO THAT
sara ann car | 3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Take gharge
I’m a father myself, and erve since I a that live with me, well I ment to say that my second and on that live with me I never want anybody to adovt from me that I take my child to my work, I was really sorry for the others that I have but they were taken with force by their mothers taht not live with me at time, I’m not saying that all nannys are bad because even if it was your own mother or sister, some of them would do the as the other nanny do, so take responsible for what you do or have especially the love one, may God bless all for loving their childrens.
Rino Zedkaia | 3 months, 3 weeks ago
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loser
i really did not enjoy this book because of it was too short and not girly enough. although uim a guy i loike all of the mushy gushy stuff
coleign whiteside | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
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OMG!!!!
what is wrong with that nanny…. when i am babysitting my little sister and she wont stop cryen i will try everything i can to see what is wrong with her
Holly Bradfield | 3 months, 1 week ago
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hope
if dat was me i would have done fliped out
poohkie | 3 months, 1 week ago
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It´s tricky
some time, when parents they know that their child is not listening to them and think that they can´t to any thing with child,so when they see that nanny is yelling and trying to control him/her and if its working its good for them. So, that´s why prarents are not saying anything to nanny because sometimes it´s very hard for parents to be very strict with their child.
mariya limbu | 3 months ago
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1
i dont know why anyyone would treat there kids like that, you are supposed to give the child lots and lots of love but i guess some people dont get that!
tanisha thomas | 2 months ago
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