Still annoyed several hours later!

[MogandMe]

I popped into our local surestart centre this afternoon for a stay and play session; my only charge 3.11 ran off to play and investigate the room whilst I sat down took off my shoes, put my bag away and checked my phone - as mb often sends me messages throughout the day.

I then sat and played with DC, and chatted to the surestart team member - there was one other parent there with an 11 month old. After 40 minutes or so DC wondered off and I took the time to check the time and also check my messages as my bosses neighbour had mentioned she wanted to come but didn't know where it was and she may have tried to contact me.

Whilst DC was playing I got chatting to the mother and when she found out I was a nanny she commented "I should have known; nannies are always on their phones!"

Now YES I did check my phones twice in 40 minutes BUT

1. That is a sweeping generalisation
2. I use it to send photos to my boss (currently away for 4 weeks!)
3. I use it to contact my boss / my boss often texts me to ask about DC or to tell me any info ie deliveries etc
4. My charge is almost 4 - as much as he loves my interaction he also likes alone time
5. My boss doesn't actually want me to play with / entertain my charge 24/7
6. If I commented on what parents did ..... ....

the problem is that you have to appear professional at all times and I'm afraid that checking your phone twice in 40 mins could be seen to be um erm you know, ignoring your charge

can you set your mob to vibe or ding when you receive messages, like most people?

Oh for gods sake, how ridiculous. You are allowed to check your phone. It's not like you were in a place where the child could easily escape and it's not as if he's a baby. I check my phone more than that and my DD is 2.11. Ignore, smile, and nod. You are not in the wrong here.

Try not to take offence - she likely meant that all younger people are on their phones all the time. It probably wasn't meant to be a professional 'dissing'.

This is the thing ... if you're a professional you are being watched all the time. So beware because people are quick to judge. When we are out I make sure I give 100% of attention to the children ... even if I'm not actively playing with them I'm standing next to them watching (if I need the phone it's in my pocket).
Last term I was at Surestart Centre with 4 children there was somebody helping them. When I was just about to go the helper caught me and said he's been watching all the parents and I was the only one who actually supervised the children and I had 4 to watch while others had one or two. I just smiled and said thank you and explained I'm a childminder and only two of those children are mine. It made me proud :)

I am a CM and parents often text me during the day. I hate it when I am replying and it feels like people are watching me and not knowing I am working. I also sometimes send them a funny photo I have taken.

If they want to text or call me though, I have a nice loud ring tone on my phone, so I can't miss them.

Turn up your phone and then you only need to use it when you are sending them a message.

tut tut mog - fancy looking at your phone while working

no one else would ever do that

totally agree with what you have said 1-6

kwym - i often fiddle with my phone while working - but always when children are safe/happy/in sight etc

like you do i often take and send pics to mb/db of what we are doing

mb often emails during the day with stuff as easy to do plus can copy in db if he is needed to be home instead of her etc

Mogandme- I like my updates from nanny and we often have chats re stuff that need doing ,what her and dd up to by phone. I think it's worrying when get no reply. That said it must be s misconception (held I add by people who domt do this or have a nanny) as have had people who have seen nanny around commenting about how she is not always on her phone. But if is part of job(unfair) that people judge you (I should add that as a parent j don't ask for nor want the feedback on my nanny as that is between her and me ),

take no notice, she sounds like a silly cow. i check my phone lots as usually have 4 littlies every day and get on average 6 messages from parents a day and of course if i dont reply they get worried, i also send reassuring texts and photos if the child is a newbie..

you always get stuff like this, i do a school run and know that i am watched like a hawk by mums who all know i am a cm, just part of the job..

i always walk walkers if its a short way and a mum commented on this as hers is always in a pushchair at 2 ffs and its a 5 minute walk from the car to the school gates, her child is FAT so i just smiled and said its for the childrens best interests as it keeps us all fit to walk and burns the calories, think she got the message!!!

just smile sweetly and carry on doing what you do.

Either ignore people who stick their noses into your business - or make yourself a badge saying "Please bear with me while I phone my employer".

Im a nanny, i dont have a watch so use my phone to check the time and also at activities ie. gym club, arts and craft we put our bags down at the beginning, i dont want to be wandering around with my phone attached to me all the time so yeah i do have to occasionally go and check it. I feel like im being watched/judged if we are in the park etc and I am quickly sending a text on my phone, I wouldnt start texting someone generally but if someone text me I will text them back.

I think that comment from her was highly inappropiate.She can think what she wants but judge you based on one meeting is ridiculous and just shows what a narrow-minded cow she is.Take no notice.

I sympathise with you. In my previous nanny position, I would text my boss all the time, about where we would meet if she was finishing early etc. I would be at mums and toddlers and she would text to say she would take over from me etc. So I needed to check my phone. Also if there was sickness at school etc. I wouldn't have wanted to miss any calls. I would even stop in a safe place, if I could do so, when driving if my phone was constantly ringing. If not as soon as I had arrived at a destination. I always put the children first.

I had a boss who complained to me that a family member (grandparents) told her every time they looked at me I was texting.

She went on about how unprofessional it was of me, and how she pays me to look after her children, not be on the phone all the time.

She soon closed her mouth when I brought in my itemised bill which showed it was her I was texting up to 40x a day.

Made a point of every time my phone beeped or I had to send a text, I would tell her parents/sister/friend that "oh excuse me, that'll be xxxxxxxxx wanting another text".

It worked.

Oh and I also send texts as soon as I do school drop off/pick-up. Out shopping if I have been asked to buy a certain thing and it's not available I will text alternatives etc etc etc.

40 texts a day to your boss!

Good grief. What on earth did she want to know about?

Yellowsubmarine, How is XXXXXXXX? Has XXXXXXX cried? Has XXXXXXX slept? How long for? Did XXXXXX wake up by self or did you wake? Was XXXXXXXX happy? How long did XXXXX sleep for? Has XXXXXXX eaten? Was XXXXX happy to eat? Did XXXXXXXX cry when eating? Has XXXXX poo'd? What colour was it? What consistency was it? Was the colour ok? Did XXXXX cry when poo'ing? Does XXXXX need to see a doc? Why don't you call them anyway? Tell them XXXXXX MUST be seen today (all because poo was different to the last one I kid you not).

Need I go on?

Think you might get the idea here. This was a perfectly healthy child BTW.

If I ever tried to answer/second guess her questions I would put loads of detail into a single text and STILL have loads more questions to answer.