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I thought long and hard about how I wanted to approach this topic because it affects quite a few people in one way or another. Some of you may be employers to these nannies. Others may have family member who are nannies, and quite of few of you may have grown up in the care of a nanny. With that said, this is not a personal attack on anyone. This is simply my opinion based on history. In NYC, it’s impossible to not to see it… first you notice the stylish expensive stroller, then the rosy cheeked child, and then often you look up to find the women pushing that strolling is not the mother. The woman is clearly Black and the child clearly isn’t, and some people might not see this as problem, but I do.
I’m bombarded by this image on a daily basis and it’s a just too reminiscent of the past for me. The questions that go through my mind are: Does this woman not know what she looks like? Does she care? Does she even know her history? Does she care?
I’m not so absorbed in my own feelings to disregard the fact that being a nanny is a job, and sometimes a well paying job to someone who may not be able to obtain other employment opportunities. However, I still view it as a position of servitude, and nannies no matter how much they’re “like family” they are still The help.
At one point in time Black women had to resort to these types of domestic positions because they had NO Choice. There were few opportunities for Black women back then, but now there is no excuse for anyone to resort to this now. I’m not only seeing older women nannying, there are college age women who could be in school, building a real career!
In further investigating this issue, I have noticed that a majority of these Black women are Caribbean and so this led me believe that perhaps it isn’t so reminiscent for them. Maybe the legacy of Aunt Sarah and Mammy wasn’t on the islands. At any rate, if you’re in the United States and are recognizably of African descent then you are assumed to be African American until you say otherwise.
I don’t like the idea of Black women taking on roles that our ancestors were forced to, and jobs that our grandparents gave up 40 years ago. Black women have been the Mammy’s, wet nurses, cooks, maids and plenty more since landing on this continent (and the Caribbean). They are setting us back several decades and I refuse to have domestic servant added to their list of “Things Black People are Good for”, along with playing sports, and entertainment.
I know that nothing I say can change it, but hey I’m just saying….
Thats a note I wrote resulting from the frustration of seeing so many of my sisters looking like, modern day mammies. I obviously know that these women are getting paid, but I cant help but to view them in positions of servitude. It just reminds me way too much of the past. They spend their entire day away from their own family, cooking, cleaning, and raising some wealthy (usually) White family kids. For the record, I have no issue with the families employing these nannies. They need childcare/housekeeping are are wealthy enough to pay for it, end of story. To be even more clear, I have no problem with people of African descent working for White people. I have a problem with nature of the work. How long will Black women be regarded as "the help"? When will my sisters stop being domestic servents?
I'm not even sure most nanny's are black.I think most of the one's I've seen/encountered were white.
I've seen plenty of white cooks and maid's too.Go out to the Hamptons and you will see that the overwhelming majority of nannys are white Europeans.
Is your problem only with black people working as house help ? What about a black woman working at a daycare center or a pre school and spending her day taking care of other people's kids? Why would that be any different?
Would it be OK for a black nanny to work for a black family or is is just the working for white people that gets under your skin ?
A job is a job ,especially in this economy and the house help of today can quit whenever they want so drawing analogies to the slave days is absurd.
You talk about nannies being domestics servants and just the "help", and claim that this is the reason black people shouldn't be working for white families because you clearly believe that it is a low-end job.What about white nannies? Surely their job entails the same tasks? To say that people have to "resort" to this type of work and how they could be building "real careers" is rude and insulting.
I am a nanny and believe it or not, I am college educated. Yes, I am white but I have chosen to follow this position of "servitude" because I actually enjoy looking after children and I earn a great deal more than I could in other fields, including if I was a teacher, which I'm sure you feel is a more worthy profession.
I see exactly what you see, here in Park Slope Brooklyn it is exactly like the poster syas. The white baby being strolled by the black nanny.
I don't think it should be a problem, It is nice to work with children rather to a dirty job or something on those lines, at least babies are cute......not some fat old grumpy ass dirty man.....
you know what I mean.
These women have jobs in an economic climate where jobs are scarce. This is a good thing. Just because you have a problem with it, doesn't mean that these women should feel the same. Have you asked any of them their opinion?
I see the same thing in my neighborhood on the upper west side. As a black woman, I could never see myself pushing a stroller as a nanny to a white child. I can't see myself as a nanny period. Although I wonder what's going through the woman's mind, she's still making her bread and that's the bottom line. Unlike the 1800s, no one is forcing them to do what they are doing, they are working as a nanny on their own volition. Who knows, the job is more than likely paying their tuitions to higher goals and aspirations. I simply wonder when I see them and then my mind moves on to something else. Whatever floats their boat.
A friend of mine happens to be a supervisor for these "nannies". Most of them are hard-working Hispanic ladies who possess Home Health Aide certificates and have been trained in CPR procedures. OP thinks these workers are setting racial progress back. I suggest most women doing this job are legally working as homemakers or housekeepers to provide a service that working families need in dire economic times.
I'm not even sure most nanny's are black.I think most of the one's I've seen/encountered were white.
I've seen plenty of white cooks and maid's too.Go out to the Hamptons and you will see that the overwhelming majority of nannys are white Europeans.
Is your problem only with black people working as house help ? What about a black woman working at a daycare center or a pre school and spending her day taking care of other people's kids? Why would that be any different?
Would it be OK for a black nanny to work for a black family or is is just the working for white people that gets under your skin ?
A job is a job ,especially in this economy and the house help of today can quit whenever they want so drawing analogies to the slave days is absurd.
I really think the problem here is your's.
I was talking about the places where I see them in NYC. I wasnt saying that all nannies as are of African descent. Actually I do have a bit of a problem with Black women working in a domestic setting as "the help". If a black woman were working for Black family, I would even be able to tell she was a nanny.
A job is a job, you're right about that. But at what cost? Our ancestors would roll over in their graves bearing witness to the amount of Black women who have a choice. Yet they still choose to skip education, and real careers. How does one become upwardly mobile in this line of work? There is no analogy to draw, its very much the same. Some Black women are still "the help".
You talk about nannies being domestics servants and just the "help", and claim that this is the reason black people shouldn't be working for white families because you clearly believe that it is a low-end job.What about white nannies? Surely their job entails the same tasks? To say that people have to "resort" to this type of work and how they could be building "real careers" is rude and insulting.
I am a nanny and believe it or not, I am college educated. Yes, I am white but I have chosen to follow this position of "servitude" because I actually enjoy looking after children and I earn a great deal more than I could in other fields, including if I was a teacher, which I'm sure you feel is a more worthy profession.
I have no concern with how much these nannies are getting paid. All that matters to me is the historical significance. In this country, do White women have legacy of being mammies and maids? Was it something they had no choice but to do for a long time? I too work with children, and probably make way less than you. Money is a strong force, but it wont have me go against my principles. I was thoroughly taught my history, no shortcuts, and not only during February.
Although I may sound like Im being terribly judgemental, I do not have anything against these women. I just dont respect their jobs.
I have no concern with how much these nannies are getting paid. All that matters to me is the historical significance. In this country, do White women have legacy of being mammies and maids? Was it something they had no choice but to do for a long time? I too work with children, and probably make way less than you. Money is a strong force, but it wont have me go against my principles. I was thoroughly taught my history, no shortcuts, and not only during February.
Although I may sound like Im being terribly judgemental, I do not have anything against these women. I just dont respect their jobs.
Why not? They are taking care of our most precious things - CHILDREN! The parents need to trust the nanny and doing so, in my opinion, is a compliment. You wouldn't leave your kid(s) with someone you don't trust.
Being a caretaker IS a career, whether you're a nanny, healthcare worker or yes, even a housekeeper.
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