Working Mothers Put Nannies in Great Demand

Chances are growing that those young women pushing strollers in the supermarket or nudging toddlers into the playground sandbox are modern incarnations of that prim English nursemaid, the nanny.

The increasing number of working American mothers has created a strong demand for child care. For couples who can afford it, trained nannies are a popular alternative.

“In-home child care is obviously not the cheapest way to go, but if you consider your child to be the most important factor in your life, then don’t have a Volvo, buy a Chevrolet,” said Cathie Robertson, president of the International Nanny Assn., a professional group based in San Diego.

“Seriously, a lot of people have a Mercedes and won’t spend more than $85 a week to take care of their children,” she said.

Depending on the location, nannies can earn $200 to $500 a week, plus room and board. They typically work 12-hour days, doing everything from changing diapers to buying infant formula to reading bedtime stories.

“They’re not there to schlep the dog around to the vet or scrub out toilets,” Robertson said. “They’re there for the kids. That’s probably been the hardest thing we’ve had to do to teach parents.”

Interest in hiring nannies has grown so rapidly that schools now train recruits in this country, mostly women in their 20s who want to make children part of their careers. Courses range from child nutrition to family relations.

Terri Eurich, president of the National Academy of Nannies in Denver, says her school has graduated dozens of nannies since she founded it in 1983. Students get nearly five months of training for $3,500.

Eurich pats her school on the back for helping advance nannying as a legitimate profession and says most of her graduates quickly find jobs.

“We’re doing our best to create an appreciation of a valuable service,” she said. “Just because they’re not typing into a word processor doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be paid $1,200 to $1,500 a month.”

One recent graduate, 21-year-old Paige Pessarra, cares for the 11-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen McLaughlin in Ladue, Mo., outside St. Louis; McLaughlin is a businessman, his wife a full-time medical student.

“I decided I wanted to start with an infant and nurture him,” said Pessarra, who had read about the nanny profession in Forbes magazine.

She said she works 60 hours a week, has her own bedroom and living room, and gets to use the family four-wheel-drive vehicle with mobile phone for emergencies. She declined to discuss her salary.

“Personally I’m happy with what I’m getting,” she said. “I get a lot of benefits and extras. I look at my job as a profession. I’m planning on staying a number of years.”