Nanas Who Nanny

YOU SEE THEM AT Greenview Park, at Shop Rite, at the Pequannock Library story time, at preschool drop-off or perhaps pushing a stroller along West Parkway.

You recognize their faces from the past. Sometimes you can’t place them. Sometimes you can reach back into the files of your mind and come up with a name.

You know they are not new moms or mothers of the young toddlers they push on swings or chase around the playground.

They are the nanas who nanny—stalwart women who now provide part- or full-time childcare for their grandchildren.

Lifelong town resident Tara Morstatt babysits her daughters’ children full-time and has been watching her grandson William for the past two-plus years.

“It has been far more amazing than I ever imagined it could be,” Morstatt says. “We consider it truly a privilege to spend so much time with our grandson, watching him grow and playing an important role in his development.” She recently added two more babies to her roster: grandsons Jack and Connor.

All things babies and toddlers have advanced since 30 years ago, when most grannies were young parents, Morstatt says. “Certainly the technology has changed with sound machines and video monitors, plus sleep sacks and no jackets in the car,” she says. “But the biggest difference is that we get to truly enjoy them without all the other stressors of parenthood.”

THE GRANDPA FACTOR

Tara Morstatt says her husband, Chris, spends lots of time with their grandsons, too. And her husband certainly isn’t the only grandfather who helps out with childcare.

Jim Diver watches his two granddaughters, Nora and Molly, every Monday. Mondays with Diver sound like a toddler’s dream: He takes the kids to the park, builds forts out of blankets and reads to them with flashlights.

“Babysitting can seem relentless,” Diver says. “From the time they run to greet me, it’s ‘Pops, do you want to…;’ ‘Pops, come on;’ ‘Pops, catch me’—‘Pops, Pops, Pops.’” He acknowledges the challenges but—as with many grandparents regardless of gender—says simply, “I love it.”

MULTIPLE BLESSINGS

Rosalie Burns likens herself to more than just a nanny to her four grandchildren, with whom she resides. She’s their self-proclaimed Uber driver too, transporting her three grandsons to and from whatever event they are participating in as needed.

“I’m more than just a nana,” Burns says. “Because I live with them, I’m pretty much on call 24/7, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Burns was a nanny to her daughter’s four children on a part-time basis while she was still in the workforce, but today, her most recent assignment focuses on her 3-year-old granddaughter, whom she watches full-time.

“For me, the bond I have with my grandkids is worth every minute,” Burns says. “Sometimes I’m exhausted and can’t wait for a break, but mostly I feel so blessed to be a big part of their lives.”

Peggy Bionde, also a lifelong resident, retired in 2021 just in time to watch her grandson, Jack, full-time.

“It was like winning the lottery twice—first when you find out you are going to have a grandchild, and second when you get a chance to spend five days a week with him,” Bionde says.

But minding a baby under age 1 and tending to a toddler’s fast-paced needs are two different stories, she says. “Of course, as he got older and faster, and grandma got older and slower, the job became more demanding.”

Bionde says the benefits outweigh the challenges. “Being able to watch our grandchildren brings us a lot of joy so it’s a win-win for our family,” she says. “Among the many benefits is that you get to see friends who also take care of their grandchildren all over town.”

HELPING YOUNG PARENTS

For Maryann Callaghan, grandmother to 14, a typical Wednesday or Thursday may include watching up to five children, most under 5. She describes lunchtime and nap time as assembly lines—serving up everyone’s favorite sandwich and then rotating toddlers and infants in and out of cribs.

“Being a grandmother has been the best job of my life,” says Callaghan. “It gives me great joy to assist my three children with tending to their children while they work”. Watching the cousins interact is also a perk, says Callaghan. “I see these cousins becoming more like brothers and sisters, and that’s special to me”.

Although the rising cost of daycare can reach as high as $16,000 annually in New Jersey, the personalized benefits of granny daycare often outweigh that financial factor.

“I am always reminded how lucky I am to have my mom caring for my children full-time and not having to worry about arranging alternate plans when my son is sick or daycare is closed,” says Bridget Powers, Morstatt’s daughter. “It’s the only way I feel like I’ve been able to work full-time successfully. She feeds them, clothes them, takes them to story time, does endless crafts and games throughout the day and even offers to take them on vacation when she goes on ‘unpaid’ leave.”

BY DONNA DEL MORO