Nanny with vacation room.. Taken from Nassau country moms at yahoo
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2003:
Nanny with vacation room.. Taken from Nassau country moms at yahoo
This is a third party review of a vacation of FDR Resort in Jamaica. Thought someone might be interested in Vacation with a nanny. Sophie is not my child and I don't know Sophie's parents! Thought this might be good for parents who need a respite.
"I don't usually provide an account of my vacations, but I am making an
> exception in this case for reasons that will become obvious momentarily.
> This past week we stayed at a resort in Jamaica called the Franklyn D.
> Resort. It is a small resort, but its primary perk is this: it
> provides a nanny for every room. The nanny arrives at 9:00 and watches
> your child or children until approximately 12:30, when the nanny takes
> an hour lunchbreak; then the nanny returns until 4:40. The resort is
> designed with activity centers for children, in other words, the nanny
> did not simply stay in our room with Sophie. Thus, Sophie spent a lot
> of time with her nanny in the "kiddie center," and also outside in a
> swing, a kiddy pool, or in the sand near the ocean. For slightly older
> kids there is an arts-and-crafts center, a water slide, an outdoor play
> area, kids movies via VCR, and nintendo.
>
> You have the same nanny for your entire stay, so your child gets to know
> her (one day a week the nanny is entitled to a day off, so a different
> nanny took over for that one day). Our nanny was very sweet, and really
> seemed to know how to act with children. It was obvious from the start
> that she knew what she was doing, and we had no misgivings about leaving
> her with Sophie (she did, however, go through wipes like candy). For an
> additional fee, you can request additional nannies, if you want all your
> children to have individualized attention. Of course, you are not
> required to leave your child with the nanny all day; because it is a
> small resort, you can quickly find them and get your child for an hour
> or however long you want (for example, to swim together). In addition,
> your nanny is available "after hours" for a small fee of $4/hour.
>
> There are also group activities for some of the older children, that is,
> for those old enough to really interact with others.
>
> This "vacation nanny" concept is a terrific idea, and made the vacation
> much more relaxing than if we had to watch Sophie all day long. It gave
> us time to do things by ourselves, whether it be SCUBA diving (every
> morning), or just lying in a hammock with a book (every afternoon).
>
> As for the resort itself, it is small, with approximately 100 rooms.
> This particular week the resort was only 20% full, simply because
> mid-September is a slow time of year. I would say that if it was more
> than 60% full, it would start to feel crowded. Because of its small
> size, it doesn't have the facilities of some other resorts; there is one
> tennis court; one ordinary-sized pool; very little sandy beach (although
> there is a much larger beach next door that you can use, which happens
> to be clothing-optional). A nearby resort has a golf course which you
> can use, and in fact we were given a voucher for a complimentary round
> when we arrived, which we did not use. In addition, there are daily
> excursions which we did not take; these cost extra. The SCUBA diving is
> free.
>
> The small size of the resort allows all the staff to get to know you,
> and vice versa (although this was undoubtedly helped by the low
> occupancy rate last week), and it makes it easy to find your child at
> any point during the day. In addition, it makes it easy to get around
> the resort. For example, the SCUBA shack was on the other side of the
> resort from our room, which was all of a three minute walk.
>
> On the negative side, because the resort is so small, you can hear your
> child each time he/she cries. Sophie, for one, experienced some pretty
> significant separation anxiety, and in fact cried every time our nanny
> arrived in the morning, and from time to time we would hear her cry
> throughout the resort. Also, the food is pretty basic, but certainly
> edible, and the desserts are very good. There is one "restaurant" in
> addition to the main dining area, but it was closed this week due to the
> low occupancy rate. The diving was average, but the dive sites were
> very close to the resort--3-4 minute boat ride--which is something you
> rarely get. Jamaica doesn't have the vast number of fish, nor the
> really large fish, that you can see off of other (smaller) islands
> (read: no sharks). We dove along a canyon which was really cool. We
> were lucky in that we were the only ones diving all week, so each dive
> was just the two of us and the divemaster, a Jamaican named Andrew, who
> was very nice. On our first dive, we came upon a fish trap in which a
> fish was caught in the mesh siding (the fish traps are large cages that
> the fish swim into but can't swim out of). Andrew tried to free it when
> suddenly a huge stingray --maybe five feet across--came out of nowhere
> and brushed against him aggressively. Andrew backed off very quickly,
> and the ray sucked the fish out of the trap and then swam off.
> Afterwords Andrew admitted that it was the largest stingray he'd seen,
> and jokingly asked if we were scared, and I replied no, that it was so
> big, I just thought it was a manta ray, which are very friendly and
> harmless. Anyway, enough about that.
>
> In general, the staff was very friendly and helpful. They all go out of
> their way to be nice to, and interact with, the children. One
> interesting side-effect was that you really stop caring if your child
> misbehaves during the meals, because everyone has a child that is
> misbehaving in some way or another.
>
> Would we go back? Definitely. FDR doesn't have all the perks of larger
> (and more expensive) resorts, but so long as your youngest child needs
> individualized attention, I really recommend it. Once your children are
> past that point, I'd probably prefer a larger resort with some group day
> care (such as Beaches in Jamaica), that has more for adults to do.
> Being able to enjoy ourselves without worrying about Sophie was very
> relaxing. It was a vacation simultaneously with and without her, if you
> catch my meaning.
>
> Hope this was helpful!"
Wow..sounds like a great place to go. When I win the lotto, maybe I'll check it out.
I think I would rather leave my kids at home with a trusted sitter and vacation without them than leave them with a nanny all day, especially when "the resort is so small, you can hear your child each time he/she cries. Sophie, for one, experienced some pretty significant separation anxiety, and in fact cried every time our nanny arrived in the morning, and from time to time we would hear her cry throughout the resort." JMHO
How old is Sophie, BTW?
I'm with Michelle, no way could I relax leaving my kids with a complete stranger. Bring them and keep them w/you or don't bring them at all.
I with Michelle on this one too. Just sounds terrible to me! There is NO WAY on earth I would leave my baby girl with someone I didn't know! I might think about a "club" type setting with other kids playing in a designated location. Still, I'm not even sure about that.
I agree with the rest of you. Either i would leave my kids at home with a family member or have them with me the whole time. I just wouldn't feel right leaving my children with a total stranger in a different country.
Hmmm... Good point.
Never thought of that but then I don't have any family that I could leave the kids with. I was thinking about a cruise sometime. I thought someone had posted here about a wonderful cruise experience with the kids and childcare on board.
If you aren't going to spend time with your kid, why bring her along! I don't think I would have been able to do that and I don't think my kids would have been happy spending all day every day with a stranger. They would have been much happier spending the day with us.
No way could I have listened to my kid cry as she walked away with the nanny, either! Good grief.
Vacation Nannies
When my younger daughter was younger (11now), I had a hard time leaving her in Sunday school and at regular school when it first started. She would have freaked if I had left her with a complete stranger and walked away!
My 14yo wondered why they would go on vacation with their kid if they didn't want to spend time with their kid! LOL!
Callie just said the same thing. Why take a child on a vacation that you will not enjoy as a family? Sounds like good time for mom and dad and destress for the child. Besides... I do not trust just anyone with my children ever... Forget about just so I can go scuba diving... Sounds selfish to me.
Paula, there are many cruises that have childcare, but I think it's more of a group setting rather than an individual sitter. I was just really put off by the writer of that piece. To me, she made it sound like she had her daughter in the care of the nanny most of the time they were there.
Yes, it does. And if they went through "wipes like candy", was she still in diapers? So, maybe about 1-3yo? Yikes! She sure sounds like a selfish woman to me, too.
So, she could read and scuba dive, humm. There was a time in my life when I just didn't get much time to read. However, kids grow up fast and eventually I got time to read.
Poor little kid wondering why she got abandoned by her mom, huh?
Whoa, folks. Let's not go overboard on the criticism.
Or was this somehow in the 3rd person? I'm confused.
I just thought the review was interesting.
I don't want to go to this resort, but for a person with a special needs child I think this might be nice. To get a break for 2-4 hours a day.
Especially for an older child in diapers that can interact with the other children. I think they said they had a group play area.
I definitely prefer group baby sitting but that is almost always for the potty trained group, which my son is now a member. (I think)
We did the disney cruise and it had group babysitting for the diaper crowd. (Excellent)
Kids clubs for the older kids.(good - needed more adults in my opinion especially for the just potty trained 3 year olds) who were not seperated from mommies. But really great for well adjusted 3 or 4 year olds and up.
Other cruises have kids clubs I am told. (3 years and up and potty trained)
http://fdrholidays.com/fdrholidays/mainwhyus.htm
Sounds like fun. Tennis anyone? Probably cost a fortune!
TOP TEN REASONS YOU SHOULD MAKE IT FDR AND FDR PEBBLES
We are the only ones in the world that give you a Vacation Nanny on arrival who will care for your family. She will bathe, dress and feed your children. Even comb their hair. You won't have to rinse a wet swimsuit. Just relax and enjoy your vacation too.
Because the kids say so!..They'll love it...where else will they meet new friends from different places? Play all day? Snorkel in the Caribbean sea?..all in a safe, child-friendly environment.
We've got the equipment.....the Scuba Gear, the Gym, Tennis Court, Playgrounds, Disco, Kiddie enter.... you simply ARRIVE!
Water sports, water sports, water sports...snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, glass bottom boat trips, Scuba Diving, windsurfing...you name it!
Personal service....Our trained, friendly staff are always on hand with their smiling faces and warm Jamaican hospitality to help you have the best vacation ever.
Great Tours and attractions all within 5 - 30 minutes from the resort. We have our own scheduled tours and will arrange others for you. See Jamaica...the world-famous Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove, rafting, horse-back riding, golf......and more.
Our unique holidays offer two holidays in one. One for the adults and one for the kids, no matter the ages! With a level of caring unequalled to any other holiday in the world, our programs and activities are designed so your kids are always entertained so you can learn to scuba dive, take a glass bottom boat ride, relax on the beach!
Our holidays are enriching for your children! A wholesome experience - from French classes to learning how to windsurf, to entering a talent show, to learning about Jamaica, bauxite and bananas - it does not matter if they miss a day of school. They return home more knowledgeable, they learn how to express themselves and will be more self-confident!
The natural beauty and warmth of Jamaica. Jamaica's temperate climate, lush tropical foliage and beautiful Caribbean Sea will make your FDR vacation an experience you won't forget.
It's all Included...Rooms, meals, drinks, sports, tennis, water sports, children's program, live nightly entertainment, tours, airport transfers and hotel taxes!
http://fdrholidays.com/fdrholidays/mainwhyus.htm
The Kiddie's Centre is the hub of activity for children of different ages and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Our children’s program is as varied and enjoyable as the junior guests themselves. The real youngsters have their own playground, arts and crafts centre, paddling pool and activity programs like shell hunts along the beach and tie dye classes. While having fun, children will learn about coral life, enter a talent contest, participate in swimming lessons, make a tie dye outfit and learn about Jamaica. Our Kiddies Center programs are wholesome, enriching and fun!
Here is another review
http://travelwithkids.about.com/library/jamaica/aaprpebbles.htm
I saw more reviews in Google.com
Review FDR Pebbles
I believe this was a 3rd person account of a vacation.
Like I said, why bother vacationing with your kids if they spend the whole thing with someone else. I just don't get it.
I would want to snorkel with my kids! Not separately!
"It is a third person's account of a vacation. I never heard of this place before so I though others might be interested.
I see you wouldn't want to spend a minute away from your children. That is highly commendable.
Some parents have autistic children or hyperactive children and might want a little break for a hour or two a day. Perhaps exhausted parents for a two and four year old. Actually some parents might just want a break from their three year old to recharge their batteries for a couple hours a day. (Me!)
I send ds to nursery school every day. I find I have more energy to enjoy him because I have a break to take a walk or go to the doctor or the dentist or get a hair cut or go food shopping. We go to the park or the children's museum or the library after school. He loves it because he gets to play with other kids and has extra stimulation.
Thanks for your opinion though!"
Feona, to me that is not how the OP reads. Sounds to me like she is dumping her child on a nanny. Except for the nanny's lunch break..
And I personally would not go to some strange country and give my child with health issues to just any body break or no break. You know nothing about those people. You know what I mean? For a dinner, special trip, etc... Maybe a group day care for and hour or so. But not some woman one on one... Nope not going to happen... How would you know the womans tollerance to your childs issues??? Children grow and they grow fast... I can't justify risking my childs well being so that I can relax for a few hours... But that is just me..
Is Feona and Feonad the same person??
Yes, Kate. Good point Bobbie.
I list alot of stuff that has interest to some people but not to other people. Interesting on how strong the reactions to this post was.
Feona, I guess somethings rub people the wrong way and day care issues are surely are one of those things.. My kids will be grown and I will have the rest of my life to vacation. And if it is a trip I really want to take and have a lot of me time. I would leave them at home with someone I can trust over taking them with me and pawning them off on some possible child abuser or neglector..
Years ago (when my kids were about 7 and 3) we went to the Hyatt in Scottsdale for a business trip, and the kids spent the day (while my husband and I went to meetings) at the Hyatt kids camp. My kids had the time of their lives. For years after that all they wanted to do was go to the Hyatt (any Hyatt) in hopes of reliving that experience. They did a different craft and activity every day (like sand art and a treasure hunt) and they had a lot of trucks to play with that my son loved. I think these big hotels (and probably cruises, too) get a system down, where they can repeat activities that are popular each week, because they have different guests each week. Anyway, I know it's not the same as handing your kid to a Jamaican nanny, but my kids really had a great time in this situation. I think that even today (7 years later) they'd say that was their best vacation (next to feeding the pigeons in St Marks Plaza in Venice).
Susan, a day care situation is a bit diffrent to me than handing over your child lock stock and barrel to a woman you have no clue about...
Here is the hotels awards: The nannies come with recommendations.
This page is dedicated to our achievements thus far, the main one being your satisfaction with FDR as a commendable family resort. Here you will find a summary of our awards, articles, reviews and excerpts from guest book comments. We receive numerous letters of commendation weekly from past guests of the Franklyn D. Resort. Although we cannot publish all, we would like to thank everyone who has written us for their valuable feedback and accounts of their FDR experience.
The Franklyn D. Resort achieved The Fox Family Channel Seal of Approval.
FDR gained the National Parenting Center Seal of Approval for Family Travel (1996), where resorts are evaluated based on the following criteria: programming, family services, price, physical plant, food, amenities and more.
About.com's respected "Travel with Kids" gives FDR their rating in their recent (2002) Resort Review - " If anyone does "family resort" better, I'd like to see it!". More.
FDR receives rating. "FDR Resort exceeded our expectations. The staff is fantastic." Travelocity's Traveler Reviews. More.
"Your tour guide for today is Tracy Gallagher, host on the Travel Channel. Watch and discover fun and interesting places for couples and families" —The Oprah Show. More. (see Family-Friendly section).
"Among our most successful trips have been.....staying in a villa in Tuscany just 30 minutes from Florence; and visiting the FDR resorts in Jamaica, West Indies...." Founder, Editor-in-chief, Family Travel Times. More.
"While many of the offered activities and programs at FDR are available at some other Caribbean resorts, it is the dedicated children's program that sets FDR apart from all the rest. .." Jamaica Jim's reviews. June 2001 More.
"A Winter Getaway to Jamaica" says "Jamaica's Franklyn D. Resort, Runaway Bay, adds a special twist to the island's popular all-inclusive concept....each family is assigned one of these nannies.." Disney's Family.com More.
"FDR features all of the amenities of a large resort in an intimate setting where families can enjoy each other while playing in the warm Jamaican sun..." The National Parenting Center's 2000 Review. More.
"Franklyn D. Resort is one of best-known all-inclusive family resorts in the Caribbean, due to its "Vacation Nanny" concept..." About.com More.
"..I can't wait to go back" Caribbean Opinion Lodging Database - Customer Review More.
Guest Comments on Vacation Nannies
June 2003
Oranie and Troy were great about helping with snorkeling and scuba and going above and beyond the norm to show us unusual sights and make sure everyone in the family enjoyed it. The Youngman Family - Chapel Hill NC - Suite 3
FDR is a very good establishment. My stay here was enjoyable. If it was longer, I would have explored it more and even enjoyed it more. I would like to return. The Maitland Family - London, England - Suite 12
The overall service was awesome. Your staff was especially attentive as well as professional. My son thought Peta Gay (his Nanny) was so very nice. The Goodgave Family - Milwaukee WI - Suite 6
Your chef! He's great! You have a fine staff. Our Nanny, Catherine, was fantastic as always. The Gunter Family - Atlantic Beach FL - Suite 30
This is our 4th time at FDR. The diving is really good. Diving here is so convenient. As always your staff is what makes FDR special. Everyone works so hard. Everyone is friendly. Have you considered a cookbook of FDR recipes? The food is really good. The Stamey-Martin Family - Baton Rouge LA - Suite 106
Everyone at FDR was extremely nice and made our vacation special. It is the employees that make us recommend FDR to others! We will definitely be back again. The Doerflinger Family - Houston TX - Suite 23
The management staff was excellent; very professional and courteous. The entertainment crew also went out of their way to make sure we had a good time. Overall Great Experience! The Burke Family - Memphis TN - Suite 27
We could have gone to hundreds of resorts for sea, sky and warm air ... but the staff, the nannies, their friendliness and helpfulness made our stay wonderful. Truly, it was the people of Jamaica who made everything so pleasant. The Collins-Hunt Family - Grafton MA - Suite 102
Thank you all very much for a wonderful time. The Muschong Family - Lombard IL - Suite 105
The watersports crew were very good with the boys. The Perazzo Family
We really liked The Pier Restaurant. The Trousdales - Lorton VA - Suite 18A
FDR is clearly the finest vacation experience we've ever had. We knew we would come back and we will again. We had our romantic times while the kids found their fun with the coordinators. We took many pictures and will share them with our friends because they will surely want to experience the fabulous time we have. Tim and Vicki Moore - Brillion WI - Suite 103
We had a very relaxing time. Our son loved his Nanny Tisha. She was excellent. He was well taken care of so we didn't have to worry. The food was superb and the staff friendly. Thanks for a great vacation. The Carnegie Family - Yorba Linda CA - Suite 5
May 2003
Email from Lisa Schneider
To the General Manager:
I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that my family had another wonderful vacation at FDR last week! This was our second time at your resort and our trip was amazing. This was due in large part to your staff. I just wanted to let you know of a few people who made our trip extra special.
First there was our Nanny, Lorraine Brown. She had such a sweet, gentle nature. My kids, ages two and seven, fell in love with her, especially my two year old who spent the most time with her.
Next, there was our former Nanny, Claudette Brown, who worked last week for our friends. Since we travelled together, Claudette and Lorraine worked together a lot with all of our kids. Claudette is wonderful and she is part of the reason that we returned this year.
Lastly, you should applaud Dale from the Kiddie Center. My older son adopted him as his Nanny because, although he loved Lorraine and Claudette, he wanted to "hang out with a guy". Dale was so nice about letting our son follow him around. Dale even came to play with him on his days off. He has a tremendous amount of energy which our son loved. On our last day he even told Dale that when we come back next year, he wanted Lorraine to be his brother's Nanny and and Dale to be his Nanny. Whenever he talks about his vacation, one of the first things he says is that he made a new best friend and his name is Dale.
Please express my thanks again to these very special members of your staff. They are a very large part of the reason that we will return to FDR next May.
*********
Everyone here had such a great work ethic. They were all very happy and friendly and we thank them for making our experience great. Koeser-Hartley - Pocono Summit PA - Suite 106
Our family was pleasantly surprised by the quality of service and the consistency of the resort staff. The Scott Family - Bronx NY - Suite 34
Staff is excellent. Hotel's best asset without exception. The Auxilly Family - Miami FL - Suite 112
Donald from entertainment interacted with all members of the family. He was entertaining, informing and reassuring in all his conversations. The Trewick Family - South Orange NJ - Suite 132
We loved the 'small resort' atmosphere and enjoyed meeting all the other families. The Gorden Family - Mandeville LA - Suite 5
(from returning guests) Our experience is always great! Donald, Allison and Lisa are wonderful and so was our Nanny, Debbie. The Dwyer Family - New York NY - Suite 7
Donald and Allison both made a huge effort to remember Blaise's name and address him correctly. We usually stay here. We will come here again! We had such a great time we extended our stay. Thanks for everything and a wonderful vacation experience. The Mangeri Family - Chicago IL - Suite 31
Great service and hospitality. Love the galleries and grounds. Wonderful for families. The Goshell Family - Carmel IN - Suite 115
Not sure how our vacation experience could have been better. We had a wonderful vacation and can't wait to return again next year. The Kullingstad Family - Pride's Crossing MA - Suite 27
Everyone was very friendly! The entire stay was very relaxing. Thank you. The Kelsey Family - Lake Elsinore CA - Suite 129
Once again, this was an ideal family vacation for us. The food here is wonderful - 5 stars! We enjoyed the new waterslide and seaside spa, both new since our last visit in 2000. The Hoffman Family - Okemos MI - Suite 103
Staff all superb. Brilliant atmosphere and good range of facilities. The Way Family - Devon UK - Suite 19A
Looking forward to coming back. Peter did an outstanding job of teaching tennis to us. Hot tub was great! The Hofmann Family - Kinnelon NJ - Suite 127
Your staff, especially Nannies are your biggest asset. The Feltmate Family - Milton MA
Jason went out of his way to make our stay a pleasant one. Rick & Carol Rauch - Lambertville MI - Suite 19
All of the staff were excellent. The service was great. Susan Kline - Suite 16
This was a great vacation. We enjoyed FDR, especially the friendliness and helpfulness of ALL the staff. You just don't get this sort of friendly, intimate service elsewhere. Ideal for families like ours. Your food is also wonderful! You guys run a great establishment and we are recommending you to all our friends! The Ghosh Family - Cranberry Township PA - Suite 129
The children and I had a wonderful time. There is nothing I can say you should improve. Everyone was great. The Omes Family - Canton LA - Suite 104
We would have liked to stay longer. The Elliott Family - Indian Trail NC - Suite 101
April 2003
We really enjoyed out stay. The staff members were very friendly and helpful. Keep up the good work. The Ramnarain Family - Hollis NY - Suite 109
Very enjoyable holiday. P. Ree - Bournemouth England - Suite 35
Excellent roast beef carving station and overall great food. Scuba instructors were outstanding! Al & Kathy Dalcourt - Plainsboro NJ - Suite 104
Kids activities were great! Fantastic pool! David & Michelle Kalinowski - St. Charles IL - Suite 105
We had an enjoyable stay. The food was better than we expected and the entire staff was very, very friendly. The Hofmann Family - Haddon Heights NJ - Suite 116
This place was great. It gave families a chance to do fun activities together. Suite 123A
I believe the teen program was very well run. The main reason I'd come back is because of how good the teen program was. Leaxxor was a fabulous bartender, making you feel very welcome and always being friendly. Suite 17
The staff was very friendly and helpful. They worked very hard to assure that the guests were comfortable and had what they needed. The dinners with menus and waiter service were a nice touch. The chefs did a great job. The food was terrific and attractively presented. The Osborn Family - Westland MI - Suite 32
Overall customer service very good. Staff very nice. The Miller Family - Surrey England - Suite 112
The food service was excellent. The Nanny service was unbelievable. I will definitely tell a friend! The Jennings Family - Union NJ - Suite 120
Everyone made our stay special. Best for a family vacation! The Reyes family - Morganville NJ - Suite 119
The teen coordinator tried very hard to make our teens feel welcome and to get them involved. Her persevered. Very friendly. Steve & Holly Culver - Cape Elizabeth ME - Suite 108
March 2003
"The entire staff was wonderful." ... especially Nannies Teresa and Dawn, Roger and Tony in Watersports, Charmaine at the bar and Andre and Michael in the Kiddies Centre. Jordan - Suite 110
"Thank you. It was all great. We had a marvellous time!" Special thanks to Nannies Ilene and Kenesha. Berry - Suite 3
"Good food preparation. Good staff attitude. Special staff. Nanny Nicole." Cloherty - Suite 19
"Great water slide! Thanks, we had a blast!" Forman - Suite 1
"Overall we are very pleased with FDR. The friendliness of your staff, the attention to the children's needs (Nanny Vanessa), the size of the rooms and creative meals were a delight." Gardiner - Suite 118
"It was a great stay. Enjoyed it very much. Everyone was exceptionally polite and courteous." - Deanna Wexler, Houston, Texas - Suite 132
February 2003
"Keep doing what you are doing! Thank you for another incredible stay. We will be back!" Raymer - Suite 115
"Staff here is A+....(notably) our nanny Charnette" Pinney - Suite 32
"Ilene was wonderful. She was great with the kids and let Joe and I have romantic dinners together. We would definitely request her when we come back." Girth - Suite 30
"Tesha was a very helpful, kind and caring nanny." Fleck - Suite 29
"The Kiddies Center is great! Also snorkeling and glass bottom boat staff were very helpful and great at showing us interesting spots." Nunez - Suite 26
"I am very pleased to see the investments being made in the property i.e. lounge chairs, Jacuzzi area, slide ...and thank you for the room upgrade, it was fantastic - the best rooms ever - it made out stay extra special. We will definitely be back with more friends and family." Montemarano - Suite 101
"all the staff were so friendly and made us feel special and very welcome. We will be back next February!" Becker - Suite 21
"Everyone on staff was courteous and attentive. Paulette is an excellent nanny! Our children adored her." Andrec - Suite 15
"Anthea (nanny) was great. She was courteous and punctual and very friendly. We would definitely request her if we return. Overall the staff was great." Heraghty - Suite 127
"Sophia was terrific! She met all our needs. She was especially kind to our children. FDR should be proud to have her as an employee." Pasqualicci - Suite 121
"Anthia was a wonderful nanny. She gave us privacy when we wanted to be together as a family. She was wonderful with out two daughters. We would request her again and again!" Sandoli - Suite 36
"Jennifer was the best nanny. Whatever we asked for, she said yes with a smile. When we come back we will definitely ask for her!" Norgren - Suite 23
"Keep up the good work! Nannies - SUPER IDEA! Your concept of always pleasing the customer and bending backwards for us is unique and makes us want to tell others and return. Best place I've ever stayed!" Anton - Suite 115
"Samona was excellent! She was great with our daughter and helped her with many activities. She also did a great job cleaning our room. Our teen boys liked Dave in the Teen's Centre." Niedbala - Suite 112
"Paulette, our nanny, was wonderful. She was professional as well as loving to our two children. When we return, we will definitely request that she be our nanny again." Kelly - Suite 3
"Excellent resort for kids; well rounded program for a family vacation. Great resort for making friends." Noel - Suite 22
"Petagaye is very helpful, honest, warm and very patient with our son. We felt that she was family. She treats us like family." Gibson - Suite 23
"Our experience was wonderful in every way. Thanks so much!" Giberson - Suite 9A
Sometimes the nanny and kids hang out with the parents; sometimes the nanny takes the kids to the playground, Kids Club, pool... Your time and choices are completely flexible.
http://travelwithkids.about.com/library/jamaica/blpebbnannies1.htm
I think there are such strong emotions on this post because of several reasons. But one of the biggest things that I have noticed with my friends is just how differently we parent and things that affect that. One particually noticable trait is number of kids. In general when you have one child you can still live your prekid life with some minor modifications, add a second or a third and you throw out that life or throw out some big bucks. My number 3 kid is my tough one, sure when he was 2 I sure could have used a break, he was driving me insane, but heck I had a kindergartner and a 3 1/2 year old that was in preschool and speech lessons. I didn't have the time or the money to have any of that for a luxury like me time. Now I know I am worth it, but for me to do that we would of had to suffer in other areas that also were important to me. So instead I just got used to it and then became a little dependent on it, my kids were who I was, I didn't really have any identity other than them. So the thought of a family vacation where they were with a nanny, UMMM no then how would I be me? Also I noticed that I just tolerate more than my friends with single kids, i was miss uptight, things had to be just so, but as the kids came, so did my relaxed attitude. I know not everyone fits into this catagory, but now that my kids are in school I can see where I might would enjoy that, but if you would have asked me 3 years ago I think I would have had some of the heated responses. Where as one of my best friends with only one child would laugh at me for being so "with my kids all the time". Obviously the best thing is what is best for that family and there is probably some happy medium. I don't regret the time I spent with my kids, but then again my marriage sure is stronger now that we have had time to focus on us more and less on are the kids okay. JMHO
When dd was 2 my dad watched her and my husband and I went to a Club Med in Mexico. It was one of the best weeks we have ever had. I love my daughter and it didn't mean I loved her any less b/c I went on a holiday without her. Heck...9 months later she got a baby brother out of it! My dad is gone now and I don't have ANYONE we could leave the kids with. We will never go on a holiday like this...simply b/c we can't afford it. Even going out to dinner would be a luxury for us. I think each case is different. I know after our Club Med holiday we had so much fun we said our next trip would be to a Family Club Med. I think there are certainly benefits to this type of trip. Obviously you wouldn't ever see your child. Also, if my child had separation issues, I wouldn't even consider something like this.
Anyway, I just think we shouldn't be so quick to judge others. Situations are different. Sometimes people need a break and don't have family to turn to. It doesn't mean they love their children any less than those that never leave them. I think we all love our kids...that's a given.
I've been to FDR, the resort described above. This was about 4-5 years ago, possibly longer, and before I had ds. My parents lived in Jamaica (my Dad worked there for 6 years), so they took us to Braco, a nearby adult-only resort (that is, no one under age 12). We got bumped to FDR due to Braco overbooking.
Thoughts on FDR: Holy cow, this place is LOUD. I've never seen so many kids. The food was basic, compared to Braco, and the rooms were standard-issue "Holiday Inn" type rooms. Lots of amenities. Big playground. Lots of things like shuffleboard, too. Not what I'd call a "small" resort; I've seen smaller. It's medium-sized, and seemed to be pretty good at catering to families. I believe they had the nanny program back then but it was "on call" or "as needed" and not Full Time.
DH & I (& later, ds, too) have been to Jamaica countless times. We never needed a Jamaican holiday nanny since my parents lived there...but we certainly were happy (and fortunate) to be able to leave ds on occaision with his doting grandparents when we DID go to Jamaica! It's nice to get out and about w/just your spouse, particularly in the evenings, romantic dinners and all that.
It sounds pretty innovative, this program, because so many Jamaicans need work. It's a very poor country, but also a very child-loving culture. The government also has a program where you can meet a Jamaican family, hang out with them, go to church, learn the culture, and so on (I don't think there's any charge, it's an outreach kind of thing).
This thread seems to have evolved from "here's an idea" to a discussion about what one should or shouldn't do with your children on vacation. I'm not sure I have a comment on that because my situation in Jamaica was different, but I can say I've actually been to FDR and I know Jamaica inside & out. So, if anyone wants any observations/cautions particular to Jamaica, I'll be happy to type more about it. Irie, mon! 
I was expressing my opinion on what I would do, not what I believe other parents should do. Maybe my life does revolve around my kids, maybe I'm too untrusting, maybe I've had too much loss in my life these past few years, or maybe it's a combination of the three, but at this time in my life, it's not something I would be comfortable with. I know other people do it and I don't think it's wrong; it's what they want to do. If my orginal post started this debate, I apologize because it was not my intention. If anyone felt I was passing judgement on them, then I failed to express my opinion clearly and I'm sorry.
Just want to add that I wouldn't pass judgement on someone using this service either. It's just not for me. I was just adding my two cents. We *all* need breaks from our children! This service is just not how I would get that needed break. All the reviews look wonderful, but it still doesn't make me change my opinion. I don't leave DD with strangers now, and going on vacation wouldn't make me start.
Again, it sounds like it would be great if it's the right choice for your family.
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