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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Nanny gave batteries to baby to play

31 replies

Catsit · 05/02/2013 23:43

I am working from home. I heard my son (13 months) crying for quite a while. I went into the bedroom. He was semi attached sitting in his pram facing the wall. His nanny sitting on the bed reading facebook on her phone while having one hand on the pram to try to rock him to sleep. I didn't comment on her activity and said - if he doesn't want to sleep anymore (he used to sleep up to three hours in the morning - now only one to two), perhaps you play with him. She said ok - took him - went with him into the kitchen dinner, sat him on the floor and put a box of batteries in front of him. Should I fire her?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Vijac · 05/02/2013 23:45

Yes. Batteries may or may not be dangerous but as a nanny she should know better and make more effort. Also, if that is the way she behaves when you are in the house....

Original poster

Catsit · 05/02/2013 23:53

Thank you - you made two valid points.

OP posts:

mmmmsleep · 05/02/2013 23:58

Yes that's terrifying. She cannot be trusted.

Vijac · 06/02/2013 00:00

Plus, I think the way she was behaving with trying to get your son to sleep sounds horrid. I do read my phone during the day sometimes but not whilst my son (15months) is crying. Plus I'm not bring paid for it.

OutragedFromLeeds · 06/02/2013 00:03

She doesn't sound great tbh. I'm not sure if you can fire her though, what does your contract say about gross misconduct? I suppose if she was watching him very closely and sitting with him, then the batteries wouldn't have been a danger to him (although obviously not a good toy for a 13 month old!). I think a written warning at least.

catladycourtney1 · 06/02/2013 00:06

If she'll behave like that when she knows you're watching her then I dread to think what she's like when you're not.

Also as a nanny, she's being paid to provide a better standard of care and attention for your child than you can during the time that you are working - so for her to be so distracted and lazy about it shows she's not doing her job. She has her spare time to piss about on her phone.

Original poster

Catsit · 06/02/2013 00:09

I will have a serious conversation with her. At the moment when it happened I wasn't able to say anything besides that batteries can be danagerous, but I was very upset and worried. Thanks a lot.

OP posts:

annh · 06/02/2013 09:15

Is this serious? You presumably have a house filled with toys for your child, why on earth did the nanny think a box of batteries was an appropriate toy? It's not as if she was out somewhere and trying to improvise toys from whatever was available in e.g. a waiting room. Even then, batteries are not suitable.

How long has the nanny been with you? Is this the only time you have been unhappy with her work? Do you normally work from home so can keep an eye on what else is going on?

Scootee · 06/02/2013 09:25

There is no way I would ever leave a child with a nanny who gave batteries as a toy. Whatever the legalities of getting rid of her, she must never be unattended with your child ever again.

LadyHarrietdeSpook · 06/02/2013 10:15

If you've got a 'negligence/endangering the children' clause in your contract I would think you'd be covered if the nanny decided to pursue you for unfair dismissal. I'm not sure most nannies would want to go into a tribunal saying: Well, yes, I did give a child a box of batteries to play with BUT I WAS RIGHT THERE at the time. FFS.

sydlexic · 06/02/2013 10:26

Put your tongue on a battery and it gives a small shock which feels awful. They are a choking hazard. If the nanny does not seem to be engaged with the child or put it's needs first then I would fire her.

ReetPetit · 06/02/2013 12:17

if this is a serious post,then it sounds like she wants to lose the job!! no one of sane mind would give a 13mth toddler a box of batteries - is this real?

annh · 06/02/2013 14:39

I've been thinking about this, I think it's a wind-up. The baby was apparently in his pram (why was he sleeping in a pram in his own home, does he not have a cot to nap in?) and was apparently "semi-attached" - semi-attached to what? Reality? No-one would strap a 13 month old into a pram in their own home for their daily nap surely?

OutragedFromLeeds · 06/02/2013 14:46

I don't whether it's a wind-up or not, but my DC's sometimes nap in the pram at home. Main reasons are; 1) We've just come in and they're falling asleep, don't want to get them out, take them upstairs etc as it will wake them up. 2) We need to go somewhere before the time they would normally wak-up and I don't want to wake them up early so settle them in the pram to start with.

I think the batteries as a toy bit is more unusual than the pram nap tbh!

Blondeshavemorefun · 06/02/2013 14:50

she gave your child batteries to play with?? seriously??

any chance they had fallen out of a toy?

'blondes grasps at straws'

very weird behaviour - though the rocking in a pram not so, children do sometimes cry and play up 'sense' their parents are about and not want to sleep, so maybe easier to get to sleep rocking (bad habit anyway tbh) rather then put in cot

yes she was on her phone, but he wasnt neglected in the pram

ZuleikaD · 06/02/2013 17:20

I don't know what voltage they were but you should know that it can only take 9V to stop the heart - ie touching your tongue to the end of a D size battery.

Lostonthemoors · 06/02/2013 18:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

botandhothered · 06/02/2013 18:23

What were her references like?
I presume you checked them and that she has prior experience? What qualifications does she have?
Does she have a paediatric first aid cert? If not, why not?
What questions did you ask her at interview?
Have you employed a nanny without experience/ glowing references/ qualifications?
I expect she is very cheap?

LynetteScavo · 06/02/2013 18:28

A pram in the bedroom, and a box of batteries for a 13 month old.

Seriously?

notnagging · 06/02/2013 18:39

Yes definitely what a dunce! I can't stand people being on their phones when they're meant to be playing with babies. It's a deal breaker for me with nurseries.

MmeLindor · 06/02/2013 18:51

Why would anyone give a child batteries to play with? Are you sure?

minderjinx · 06/02/2013 19:49

I'm not suggesting giving batteries to a baby is a good idea, but unless it was one of the old D type cells with both terminals at one end, he would have to get the entire battery in his mouth to make a circuit and get any kind of shock. The commonly used AA or AAA bateries which would conceivably fit entirely in a baby's mouth are only one and a half volts, nowhere near the nine volts mentioned above. Surely no-one would let any child play with battery powered toys if the batteries might really stop their hearts if put in the mouth.

Mrscupcake23 · 06/02/2013 20:01

You are right minder jinx never heard I'd a baby getting a shock from a battery.
Think the whole thread doesn't add up tbh.

botandhothered · 06/02/2013 20:33

Batteries are a choking hazard.
It never crossed my mind that they may get a shock, though they have a tendancy to leak, especially if chewed.
Anyone in their right mind wouldn't give a child a battery to play with.

ZuleikaD · 07/02/2013 05:28

It's the type of 9V battery with both terminals at one end that a baby could get its tongue onto that I was talking about above. It was covered on my paed 1st Aid course.

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