A male Nanny is commonly referred to as a Manny. They perform the same duties as their female counterparts. They are trained and/or experienced in child development and are responsible for meeting a child’s emotional, social, educational and physical needs.
For many years, the childcare industry has been predominantly dominated by females and typically nannying has been viewed as a female role. Gender roles, attitudes and stereotypes though are thankfully shifting. Aged preconceptions and previous traditional stereotypes consider female Nannies to be more maternal and caring however, families are increasingly beginning to understand and appreciate the value of a male Nanny. Male Nannies are just as caring, protective and nurturing as any other caregiver.
The benefits to hiring a male Nanny include:
- Many families appreciate the protective and supportive nature that a male Nanny brings, as well as fulfilling that ‘older brother type role’ for your child/children which lends itself well to building confidence and a sense of self.
- Many Mannies are interested in sports or come from some sort of sporting or coaching background. These skills can be great in engaging your children in their favourite sport activities and at the same time building their self-esteem, motivation and discipline.
- Mannies can offer inherent traits such as rational, linear and goal orientated thinking. These traits can help children to approach problem solving practically and logically while helping them develop their critical thinking skills.
Families have different needs and hiring a Nanny or Manny will entirely depend on you and your children’s needs. The truth though is, male Nannies can be just as experienced, qualified and beneficial as female Nannies. Whether breaking away from traditional norms or not, the goal of any childcare search should be to find the best fit and candidate for your family.
