Did you see the recent NYT article about how a “parent” fleeced a prospective nanny? “The Willing Nanny, the Happy Family: Too Good to Be True” is worth reading and sharing with any nannies you know, so others can learn from this one’s mistakes.
I’ve known parents who have bitched about their nannies’ failings (and I’m sure the feelings were mutual), and I’ve known parents who’ve considered their nannies to be a special part of their family. As a parent, I’m more accustomed to seeing the relationship from the perspective of someone wanting a trustworthy and pleasant caretaker for my child. But occasionally, in snippets of conversations when one of my children is napping, or when I’ve driven a nanny home who has worked into the night for us, I’ve gotten to know more about the person and started to see the relationship from their point of view.
I read an article like the one about the parent scam, and I wonder if there are ways in which I’ve failed some of the wonderful women who have helped raised our children over the years.
Tell us: How’s your relationship with your nanny? Any advice to parents who wish they had a better one?
Eric Messinger
New York Family Editor
emessinger@manhattanmedia.com
