Finding a Nanny: “Mannies”: Hollywood Trend Becoming More Acceptable In Family Setting
The World’s Largest, Most Trusted Online Nanny/Au pair Agency Sees 40% Increase of Male Applicants on Website
Britney Spears, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow are just a handful of celebrities who’ve decided to “rough it up” a little when it comes to the care of their little ones – by hiring male nannies or “mannies.” In the last few years these high-powered celebs have made mannies a popular fad in Hollywood but their usefulness is spilling over to the Joe and Jane parenting duo, extending its fame beyond the usual fifteen minutes. Mannies might have first gotten notice via their high-profile employers, but agencies such as GreatAupair.com, the world’s largest, most trusted online nanny and au pair agency, are very aware that more families across America are beginning to catch on to the benefits of having a manny look after their kids.
Whether it be playing catch with the little ones when dad’s still at work, acting as a big brother to older siblings who feel they are too old to have a babysitter or just having an extra pair of hands to handle some heavy lifting around the house, parents are looking to mannies as the ideal solution to keep kids focused, active and more involved when parents can’t be there themselves.
“With many children out of school for the summer, families especially those with boys are looking for a child care provider that can keep up and constructively harness the energy of growing children. Several are finding success with a male nanny or au pair, “said Shannon Pitts, President of GreatAupair.com. “Hollywood has helped to normalize the idea of a male nanny in the US and the growing number of male applicants to the GreatAupair.com website is evidence that more men are seeing less of a stigma attached to being a nanny.”
GreatAupair.com began providing its services online in 2001 and since then, the company has seen a steady growth in male applicants as well as families specifically looking for a responsible and active manny to care for their children. The number of female applicants registered through GreatAupair.com over the past seven years is clearly much greater when compared to their male counterparts. Yet, in 2003, 2,612 male applicants registered and each year since, GreatAupair.com has seen growth of nearly 10 percent. By the end of 2007, GreatAupair.com’s selection of male nannies and au pairs rose to 3,689. A 40% increase in just four years.
“We live in a society where a dual-income family is becoming a necessary standard and it’s not uncommon for parents to come home to kids competing for the attention of overworked moms and dads,” said Jamie Pitts, Co-Founder of GreatAupair.com and a busy mom herself. “However, with a little help from a nanny or manny, kids are spending more time engaged in physical and mentally stimulating activities and less time in front of a TV and video games.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) currently recommends limiting the time kids over two years of age spend in front of a screen to no more than one to two hours. However, according to kidshealth.org, children are unfortunately dedicating more time in front of the television, computer or video-games. The percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing at an alarming rate with 1 out of 3 kids now being considered overweight or obese.
Given economic demands, some families are forced to make sacrifices which unfortunately come at a steep price. However, many parents are beginning to make a positive change as they begin to realize that lack of activity and positive mental stimulation can be a major hindrance in a child’s development. Families on the GreatAupair.com website are part of a growing movement of parents whose goal is to provide their children with the best one-on-one in-home childcare service available when mom and dad aren’t readily accessible. Some families prefer the care of female nannies while others opt for more of a male influence in their choice of child care. Whether it be a celebrity parent or a hard-working mom or dad from middle America, GreatAupair.com understands parents’ needs and is committed to helping them find trustworthy care for their children.
For more information about finding trustworthy child care that best suits your family, visit GreatAupair.com.
