Category Archives: kids

What Is Wrong With Having A Nanny?

Since when is there so much stigma attached to having a nanny? Recently it occurred to me that a lot of women hide the fact that they employ a nanny, or try to justify it whenever the topic comes up.

When I found out I was pregnant with my son and I realized daycare would start costing an arm and a leg, I looked into different nanny services to see if maybe for a comparable price we could get a nanny instead. Unfortunately, we had no such luck, and I found that qualified nannies who you would actually consider leaving with your children cost more than we were prepared to spend, and far more than our already overpriced daycare was charging.

Needless to say, I did not feel ashamed for looking for a nanny. I saw nothing wrong with the idea of another woman watching my children while I was away at work. But looking into it a bit further, the majority of women who do feel the negativity are the ones who do not work, and are using a nanny to help them throughout the day. For me this would be beyond a luxury, but I would never begrudge it to anyone else. As far as I am concerned, if you have that kind of money (and it must be nice), then why not make your day easier? Why not have some added help with the children? Sure, there are other women who do it all by themselves, and I have done it as well, but would I turn down having a nanny if I could? Absolutely not.

What is the big deal with nannies? Is it wrong to have a nanny if you are a stay at home mom?

 

Child Car Seat Confession

I have a confession. I am on my second child, and I still have no idea how car seats work. Now, before you call Child Protective Services, I assure you, I properly use the car seat every time we go anywhere. But aside from taking it in and out of the base mounted in my car, I am clueless.
What if I needed to move my children from my car to a different car in some type of emergency? I have no idea how to install a car seat base, or even how to get the car seat in the car using the belt system.
Sadly, I am not even sure I know how to adjust the straps, but at least I am somewhat certain I could figure this one out if needed. Unfortunately I do not foresee a strap emergency anytime in the future. I know kids grow fast, but they will not outgrow their current strap position in the time it takes us to get from home to school or the grocery store.
This is partly because so many people make such a fuss about proper child seat installation. When I was pregnant with my first, my husband and I attended some courses at our local hospital, and one of the lessons was on child seat safety. The man and the manual for the class made it appear that proper child seat installation is akin to advanced astrophysics (a subject I successfully avoided all throughout college).
I know I am not alone. I was recently talking to a friend of mine who is on kid number four, and she lamented being in the same predicament. She also has no idea how many of her child safety gadgets work. We realized this is all our husbands’ fault. They are so savvy and good at mechanical things we have no reason to take care of any of this. I really hope my husband is not reading this right now. He may take it as a hint to stop being so helpful, and then I will have to mount our newest convertible car seat (that just happened to arrive today). Hopefully he realizes that if he were to have me install it, he would essentially be compromising our Munchie’s safety, and risking her life.
Are child car seats that tricky? Is there a trick to them?

What Type of TV is Bad for Kids?

Whether or not your child watches TV is a controversy onto itself. For those of us who do let our children watch TV, what is appropriate? Let’s face it, there is only so much Yo Gabba Gabba or Wa Wa Wubbzy I can tolerate in one day.

When I am sitting on the couch with my daughter, watching Nick Jr. with her, and I need to change the channel for a little sanity, what shows and or channels are really that inappropriate? Is daytime TV going to teach her how to become a mafiosa and marry the ringleader of some exceedingly wealthy east coast family? Are talk shows going to get her to question the way she looks?

What about in the evenings? My husband loves Family Guy. Is it wrong to subject a sixteen months old to Stewey’s potty mouth? I don’t think she understands any of the jokes, or what they are really saying. So, as far as I am concerned, she is just watching the cartoons for the visual aspects.

When we first moved into our house and cable was not yet installed, we would put on Simpsons DVDs for her to keep her busy while we unpacked. But even with as bawdy as the Simpsons at times get, it is not the same as putting on CSI where they show replica carcasses and other material which could potentially give Munchie nightmares for many months to come. But shows like these are the extreme. So where is the line drawn? When is adult TV too grown up?

Yes, in make believe land this would not be an issue, and I would be able to entertain my daughter every second she is awake without the use of TV. However, in real life, I need a break, and a shower, so the Wonder Pets are going to have to baby sit for a few minutes. Also, even when I am with her, there are times I just want to sit next to her, mellow out, and cuddle. TV zones her out just enough to make this happen.

What channels and programs do you allow in your house?