Mannies: Why You May Want to Consider Hiring a Male Nanny

Gender stereotypes can, and often have, gotten in the way of males outnumbering females in the nanny profession. However, in this economy, the number of male nannies, or mannies as they are called, has increased. A family’s reasons for taking on a male nanny will vary, but we’ve found that a few of these reasons include the family having a personal relationship with the manny prior to hiring him, wanting a male role model for a household of boys, or having someone on hand who has increased physical strength to work with physically-challenged children or family members. One study done by England’s Times newspaper done in 2006 suggested that another reason families hire mannies is because of the threat of having an attractive female nanny around. Their study also suggested that single mothers may choose to hire a manny over a nanny in order to have a positive male figure in their child’s life.

Single mothers aren’t the only ones to want a male nanny; other mothers, whose husband’s travel a lot, show a desire to have male energy around the house to assist with their sons and keep up with a boy’s energy. While laundry, housekeeping, and cooking may be standard duties that a nanny -male or female- will be asked to do, a male nanny can often have added bonuses that most female nannies might not offer. Some male children, for example, might be more inclined to want to share a game of football with their manny. Boys might also want a male to relate to when it comes to communicating and sharing their thoughts: not always on the list of job description duties, but as any nanny or manny will attest to, bonding with the children and communicating with them is an inevitable perk of the job. This bond also makes the job of nannying easier since it helps build respect and trust. Many online nanny services are seeking male nannies for families.

Regardless of the reasons, hiring a manny is more doable in this decade since more men are finding themselves out of work and finding positions in childcare. So not only has the demand of mannies increased, but so has the supply.

Since prospective employers tend to be more skeptical of male nannies for a variety of reasons, male nannies tend to have to work twice as hard to get hired. Caring for children has long been considered as “women’s work” and a woman’s natural ability to multi-task seems to throw men behind in the hiring race. No matter what your needs are, if you’re looking to hire a nanny, you’re in good hands with NannyPro.com!