Are "Mannies" the New Trend in Childcare?

Manny with child.
Manny with child.

According to a recent segment on Good Morning America, "mannies" (as in male nannies) are quickly gaining popularity among parents.

And while you may have also seen the new "manny" storyline on "Modern Family," the idea isn't just growing on television. NYC Mannies, a manny placement service, asserts they are "revolutionizing the way we think about childcare," with male babysitters who prefer the title of mentor, friend and big brother. And according to the mothers interviewed in the GMA segment, their children were happy to have someone with as much energy as they did to keep them engaged and active during their care. What do you think? Would you hire a manny?

Annabelle Corke, co-founder of Hey Day Nannies, states, "Men have steadily been 10 percent of our placements for the past few years."

Related: The Dos and Don'ts of Hiring a Nanny

A similar trend has been found at Nannies4Hire.com, another popular nanny referral database. "We have seen a 10 percent increase in male nannies from last year," says president Candi Wingate.

I'm a fan of the whole concept, especially if you have children who are particularly active and need to be kept entertained. A friend of mine has a manny for her three children (all boys!), and as a single mother, I think the male role model is especially beneficial.

One manny sums it up perfectly: "How many female nannies want to play tag for an hour?"

- By Ellen Schmidt

For 10 daycare dos and don'ts, visit BabyZone!

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