What do nannies do to develop and stimulate your children

[Phys]

I am currently interviewing nannies and I'm not sure whether my expectations are too high with regards to planning activities to support the development of my children. My eldest (now at school) went to a nursery for 3 years and really benefitted from a great 'learning through play' programme designed for each stage of her development. Based on this experience I have asked each candidate 'how do you structure your day?'. I was disappointed by the responses which included...we'll take it easy in the mornings and do some toddler groups....friday is always an easy day etc etc. I was expecting them to say that they would have a weekly or monthly written plan of various activities to support my 9 month old baby's development whether it be a walk in the park, toddler groups, messy play, learning about colours, etc. I need to be confident that a nanny is spending quality time with my baby particularly as the thought of returning to work is a very daunting one. What can I expect? Help!!!

Uwila - would love to find out more about the nanny diary - can you CAT me with more details

good luck finding the right person Phys, sorry for blatant hijack

My last decent nanny loved the nanny diary too. She didn't have a set programme but I could tell (and saw) that she was going to DO things with my kids-she disapproved of tv, genuinely. She took them out to parks, shops, their friends' houses, museums, swimming and on rainy days they cooked cakes and made paper hats etc. And she seemed to enjoy it as much as they did.

I think that asking at the interview about their idea of a suitable days' activities for an x month/x year old was one of the most revealing questions and allowed me to dodge someone (who otherwise was a contender) who thought that over 3 hours a day of tv was a suitable activity for a 2 year old. She didn't have any other ideas, plans besides that. This interview was in a room with no tv, crammed with all sorts of toys and games, and with a view of a fantastic garden with a slide and fort. I wish someone would pay me that much to sit on my butt all day while my kid watches tv. But I certainly won't pay for it!

I have CATed you MotherP.

Martini - Since he was little, I have been pointing things out to him - look, a red car, or a blue flower lets smell the pretty smell etc. We count stairs, we count peas and we spear them onto a fork (yes, he feeds himself with a fork and cuts up most of his food himself) If he eats all his lunch (and 99.9% of the time he does and asks for more) he is offered a tiny choc sweet and he gets to choose the colour. We play loads of games that encourage hos development. Today, we were playing with pegs in a pegboard - the ones you hammer in? - and we were counting them as we put them into the holes, then telling the colours as we hammered them in etc. Last week, we were threading plastic thread spools onto a shoelace - counting and telling the colours again. He can count to 5 AND he understand what he is doing. So, if I ask how many pegs, he will say so, Of course he is not 100% correct all the time, but no pressure, I just say, there's 2 aren't there? and he usually repeats me.
he know left and right, opposites like up/down, hot/cold (and warm for in between!) yes/no, on/off, open/close etc just because we talk about it every day.
T is also dry during the days and only wears nappies at nights and for naps.
IMO, children love to learn. If you give them the tools, they will practically teach themselves.
Does that all make sense?

Blimey.

The thing is, if your child just happens to be a late walker, or a late talker, or completelt antisocial, would you sack the nanny?

Because it's all very well her knowing when a child is expected to do something, but what if the child just doesn't? The nanny can't help it, but if she is the one in charge of educating a baby, she is the one who is going to get the blame.