Babble

Parents today are working longer hours and employing more help than ever before. They're also feeling extremely anxious about it, if books like The Perfect Stranger: The Truth About Mothers and Nannies (see Babble's video interview with author Lucy Kaylin here) are any indication. But aside from The Nanny Diaries (see our review of the film on Friday), all the coverage of the nanny dilemma seems to be from the same point of view: mothers conflicted about leaving their children.

So let's take a break from all that and listen to the babysitters themselves. Amelia McDonell-Parry sits for a hell-raiser and tries to cure him (with the help of her shrink). Annsley Chapman uses the people she works for as surrogate families. Lauren Hoffman parties with the mother of her charges. Victoria G. Brown explains the little-known West Indian stigma around the word "nanny." British it-nanny Claire Verity reveals the #1 mistake made by American parents (worrying too much!).

We don't pretend it's easy to be away from your kids for large swaths of the week, or to have someone else take charge of your child. But this week, let's look on the bright side: the vast majority of sitters out there are in this business because they genuinely love being around kids. And, as Logan Hill writes in his essay about realizing he needed to hire a nanny, buying love isn't necessarily a bad thing. — Ada Calhoun

	You Can Buy Love (and Should) By Logan Hill Why I'm happy to pay for help.
	My Boss, My B.F.F. By Lauren Hoffman When the kids fall asleep, I play with their mom.
	Problem Child By Amelia McDonell-Parry I babysat for the Antichrist (and tried to fix him).
	Desperately Seeking Family By Annsley Chapman I didn't want rent money; I wanted to belong.
	The Nanny Diaries Film Review By Annsley Chapman The Nanny Diaries is disappointingly declawed.
	Taboo   By Victoria G. Brown Why West Indian sitters never use the word "nanny."
	Non-Breeder: The Babysitter's Club By Ada Calhoun My Supernanny obsession has nothing to do with kids.
	Five-Minute Time Out: Claire Verity By Sarah Hepola An old-fashioned British nanny on the trouble with new parents.
	The Hippest Babysitter in America By Ada Calhoun Meet Ryan the Manny.
	While You Were Out By Rebecca Jones A teen babysitter's confession.
	Experts Babble: Lucy Kaylin on Mothers and Nannies By Jennifer Prediger An interview with Lucy Kaylin.

©2007 Nerve Media

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