Would you hire a "manny"?

[mommaU4]

I guess that's what they are calling the male nannies these days.
Anyways, I recently read that only 1 in 20 child-care workers in the U.S. is male.

It's an interesting thought.
If you needed a sitter or nanny and you had two applicants, both equally qualified with the only difference being one was male, the other female, which would you choose and why??

I have to admit, I'm not really sure what I'd do.

 

[AKLRULZ]

Flame away - I'd never permit my children to be in the care of a "manny".

 

[declansdad]

Flame away - I'd never permit my children to be in the care of a "manny".

Never is a long time. How come?

 

[Keli]

No, probably not. I don't think I would ever be comfortable with it.

 

[Robinrs]

I guess it depends. My Dad was WAY more maternal than my Mother, he was also the oldest of 14 children and knew how to take care of a child better than most women.

My ex was also the oldest of 7 girls and he was the best babysitter in the bunch.

My son had a male PreK teacher. I so appreciated him because he understood little boys so well. He even taught me things about the little male mind I'll never forget.

All women are not good with children, so I guess limiting it only to women would be a strange thing. Nothing is ALL or nothing.

Depending on the person, I would consider it.

 

[golfgal]

We have had several really, really good boy babysitters and never had issues. I guess it would come down to how I felt about the people themselves. My inclination would be to chose the woman though. I would always wonder why the man wanted to be a nanny.

 

[mickeyboat]

No Way!

When I was about 6, my parents hired the high school boy across the street to watch us for the evening. At bed time he insisted on tucking me in, and then he french-kissed me and tried to feel me up. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't insisted he stop, or if my brother hadn't been in the house.

I could not bring myself to do it.

Denae

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Nope.

 

[Hedy]

I think I'd have to evaluate on other circumstances-how did they gel with my kids?
Of course, if I was hiring a full-time nanny I'd run a CORI on them.
Shockingly, females can commit sexual abuse too.

 

[mommaU4]

Flame away - I'd never permit my children to be in the care of a "manny".

Well, I won't flame you but it is interesting to think about.

I guess to be really honest, I'd have to say, I'd hire the female. Even knowing they were both equally responsible, qualified, easy-going, got along well with the kids, etc.

But then I have to ask myself why? I mean, just because I hire a female does that mean she won't abuse or hurt the kids? Of course not.

So why do we have such an aversion to hiring males to be our nannnies or watch our kids? It makes you wonder, that's for sure.

 

[beckmrk04]

The sad fact of the matter is that 98% of sexual offenders are male.

I would have to really, REALLY feel comfortable with the person. For instance- I would hire my BIL (if that was his profession), but I doubt I would hire a male stranger.

That doesn't make it right, but I'm being honest.

 

[mrsv98]

Since I have a little girl, no and my DH would say absolutely not. Now, if I had little boys, I would think about it. I have known a few excellent young men, my oldest DNeph included who are fine babysitters, so I don't paint the whole gender with the same brush.

 

[AKLRULZ]

The sad fact of the matter is that 98% of sexual offenders are male.

That's why I said never. Then again, I'm anti-daycare unless it's an absolute must (single parent situation), but that's a whole different discussion, eh?

 

[mommaU4]

The sad fact of the matter is that 98% of sexual offenders are male.

I would have to really, REALLY feel comfortable with the person. For instance- I would hire my BIL (if that was his profession), but I doubt I would hire a male stranger.

That doesn't make it right, but I'm being honest.

That is a sad fact and one that I'm sure certainly has something to do with it.

I wonder though how many of that percentage are also family members. You mention hiring your BIL, but I'd be curious to know how much abuse is performed by male family members who were asked to watch the kids and then abused them.

Not to pick on you in any way, your post just made me curious is all.

 

[mommaU4]

That's why I said never. Then again, I'm anti-daycare unless it's an absolute must (single parent situation), but that's a whole different discussion, eh?

Oh yes it is!! Please, please, please don't take us there.

 

[beckmrk04]

Since I have a little girl, no and my DH would say absolutely not. Now, if I had little boys, I would think about it. I have known a few excellent young men, my oldest DNeph included who are fine babysitters, so I don't paint the whole gender with the same brush.

I just want to point out that most child predators don't have much of a gender preference, so really having a son won't make him any "safer."

ANd I wholeheartedly agree that this doesn't mean that all men are bad,or predators, but personally- I am sure I would be over-vigilant with MY baby!

 

[Bob Slydell]

We have one. At least part-time. He meets my son at the bus stop on Tuesdays and Thursdays and picks him up from aftercare on Wednesdays to take him to his tae kwon do class. We haven't had him take care of our youngest yet, since our little guy can be a bit of a challenge, but in a few weeks, we'll probably have him pick him up from daycare as well.

 

[CEDmom]

I'd have to side with statistics - my DD stands a much greater change of being abused by a man than she does a woman.

 

[Hedy]

I'd have to side with statistics - my DD stands a much greater change of being abused by a man than she does a woman.

And she has the greatest chance of being abused by somebody she knows.
What are you going to do, build a tower?

 

[beckmrk04]

That is a sad fact and one that I'm sure certainly has something to do with it.

I wonder though how many of that percentage are also family members. You mention hiring your BIL, but I'd be curious to know how much abuse is performed by male family members who were asked to watch the kids and then abused them.

Not to pick on you in any way, your post just made me curious is all.

I completely understand, and it's a good question! (I just happen to trust my BIL entirely; OTOH, I would never leave my baby with my step-dad. Nothing happened, per se, but I just get that feeling, you know?)

I found this on RAINN's website.

"93% of juvenile sexual assault victims knew their attacker; 34.2% were family members and 58.7% acquaintences. Only seven percent of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim, according to the 2000 Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement. This study is available at the Bureau of Justice Statistics website. "