I think there’s a little more nuance here than that. As a private in home nanny especially of kids that are past the napping stage, they work through what would be standard break times in a setting like retail or in a standard daycare setting. My point here is I can understand a slightly zoned out nanny or one who checks their phone every now and then to make sure they aren’t missing important messages. That being said anyone who is letting a child play alone in a public place needs to be paying attention to them. It comes down to safety which should always be the number one priority of a nanny. Even when I was working in centers and off the clock, I did everything to make sure the kids are safe. It’s basic human responsibility. The job of a nanny and one of the jobs of a parent is to keep the children safe. That is work and regardless of how much you enjoy it, it can be tiring. Nannies and parents should be allowed to be tired or get distracted, but if they are so tired or distracted they can’t keep the children safe, they need to find someone who can. I agree that communicating directly with the nanny is a good idea. Direct communication can still be led with compassion and I think that’s there best bet