I found a bong in the house I nanny for...

Question

and there was marijuana in it and by it. The boys are 3 and 1 and the 3-year-old informed me that that was "daddys, so don't move it".

Should I say anything or no?

Answer 1

if you were hired through an organization then yes you should say something....I mean a 3 yr. old kid shouldn't know what that is.

but if you were just hired from an add then no

i guess what it comes to is if it makes you uncomfortable or not.  Are you ok working in a house knowing that goes on?  

if you did sit down with them and have a conversation they might think that you were snooping around so it is a thin line that you have to walk.

Answer 2

yea call the po po

Answer 3

As a nanny, and when you took the position as a nanny for this family, you basically took an oath to protect those children. You are in charge of protecting those children, no matter what. This is one of those "no clear black and white" but rather a gray area.  

You have two options:

1. Speak candidly to the parents about what you found, and ask that they keep those items out of the reach of the children, and explain that they hired you to protect their children no matter what the situation, and explain that you are speaking to them about the matter due to your concern for the children. If you take this option, it will show the parents that you are concerned for the welfare of the children, yet you are dedicated to the family as a whole.

OR you could:

2. Immediately go to the authorities (Child Protection Services). By going to authorities, you will probably lose your position as the nanny, (which is not important- no offense-- what is in the best interest of the children is what IS important) and their children may be taken out of the home and placed with other relatives (or in temporary foster care) while the matter is investigated.

I wish I could tell you what the right choice is for you to make, but you can not ignore it. If the father seems like a drug dealer, or a pot head, I would report it to authorities, however if it seems as though an occasional recreational user is the situation, then I would suggest the first option.

Both are going to be uncomfortable, but (and this is just my opinion) when it comes to marijuana, if they are going to use it only occasionally, maybe tearing apart a family and causing the father to go to jail is not the right option, but rather the first option, because if they are going to use it, helping to protect the children from such influences is what is the absolutely most important thing.

I have been a nanny for many years, and it depends on the family, depends on the situation, etc. that depends on if something needs to be reported to authorities-- and yes, I have reported several parents to authorities-- one set of parents I worked for had a cocaine habit, and another parent was physically abusing her child, so I reported it and and signed a sworn affidavit as to what I witnessed.

So it depends on the situation that depends on the choice you make, but ultimately, it is your job to assess the situation and decide which option is best, but please do not ignore the situation, because by doing so, it would teach the children that drugs are acceptable-- your job is to protect and nurture those children and to teach them good morals and ethics.

Answer 4

mind your own business. maybe the dad should have had his paraphernalia put away instead of out for the nosy nanny to find...but unless there are obvious signs of abuse or neglect in the house...why traumatize the kids and possibly break up a family over something that could very well be trivial. how old are you?

Answer 5

call CPS and the police. This is possession of an illegal drug and it is child endangerment because it is in a house that has children.  

Answer 6

No.

You are just their nanny.  Remember that all things will come around, and the parents will serve consequences (whether they are legal or whether they go through the same bong-finding with their kids) eventually.

Everyone gets their comeuppence.

If you don't feel comfortable with that; Quit.  If you say something, they'll probably find a new nanny anyway, so it doesn't make much od a difference either way.

If they are comfortable with their pot smoking enough to do it around their kids (regardless of the fact that it is poor decision making) they're not going to stop because the hired help "Said something"

I'd just try to let it go, especially if the kids are well adjusted otherwise.

Answer 7

I would definitely let them know that you found it...unless of course you were in a section of the house that you weren't suppose to be....then of course you  'couldn't'  know about it. Now that you know, how can you be comfortable keeping the children? What if something should happen; you don't want to get into any trouble if the authorities should find it and  "assume"  that its yours. Having that in the house with small children is a definite no, no. If the children should accidentally get into it & have to be rushed to the hospital, you will have to answer a whole lot of questions and I'm not saying that your employers would do it to you but just what if they decide to say the stuff is not their's.....that YOU brought it into their home and placed their children at risk??? I say yes, by all means say something and protect yourself!

Answer 8

I was a live in nanny for a mom who smoked marijuana and I called my folks to ask them and they said, mind my own business...  You could end up losing your job.  As long as the kids are safe, and the dad isn't smoking it around them, then it's not really your business.  It sucks, but at the same time, I really had no say, it was their house and I never once saw her smoking it...  I just found the pipe in her bathroom with the marijuana...  I decided to stay quiet...  That's my suggestion to you...  

Answer 9

No when there not around smoke it JUST JOKING you should just mind your business and move along leave it there  

Answer 10

do NOT say anything!  it's none of your business.  you just pretend like you don't know it's there.

Answer 11

I would put it up away from the kids where they can't get into it. Then I would tell the father that I put it up so they wouldn't get into it.