Nanny Job Pays $200,000. Is the Nanny overpaid? No!

There’s been a lot of press given to the nanny in England being paid $200,000 a year by a Russian billionaire that came from an article in the Wall Street Journal a few days ago. Sure it’s interesting that a nanny job can pay that kind of money, but all of us that have been in the nanny agency business know that the nanny is no doubt underpaid–and nanny agency, watch out for the replacement! What caught my eye at the bottom of the article was the quote from a British Manny about the neglect that takes place commonly in this economic stratosphere. I remember too clearly some of the ultra-wealthy and celebrity clients my agency had and how they so often never spent time with their children, but bought them everything imaginable. I think that frequently these kids are looked at as spoiled and indulged, which they may be, but more importantly they’re emotionally bereft of their parent’s attention and suffer terribly. Many will spend their lives trying to find their place in the world. Nannies frequently feel so much for their charges in these circumstances that they’re reluctant to leave the job because they know they’re the child’s lifeline. What a predicament for the nanny! In some way these emotionally deprived children are at the opposite end of the spectrum of the “helicopter parent.” I don’t like helicopter parenting for many reasons, but if you had to choose it’s better for the children than absent, neglectful parenting.

5 Responses to Nanny Job Pays $200,000. Is the Nanny overpaid? No!

Jo Sills says:

August 27, 2011 at 2:05 pm

I think it’s a little unfair to just assume that the child is neglected by his parent(s). Just because the parent is a billionaire and the nanny is well-paid doesn’t automatically mean that the parent is paying off the nanny to parent in his/her place.

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Hannah says:

August 27, 2011 at 7:06 pm

I don’t think that anyone really knows if she’s overpaid or underpaid. Her job may be taxing and may not be. Either way, it’s like any position – depending on the company or employer you work for you can make more or less doing the exact same job.

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Georgia T. says:

August 30, 2011 at 7:16 am

This post took a turn that I didn’t expect… but to speak to the title question: I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to judge if she’s overpaid or not. I do think that she’s very fortunate to be making such a large sum of money and I hope that her work conditions are as good as her pay!

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olivia says:

September 13, 2011 at 6:08 pm

that’s a nice chunk of change for a nanny position! good for her for landing such a well-paying job!

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Justine Ellis says:

November 24, 2011 at 6:52 am

It’s sad that it’s so common for people of that economic stability to neglect their children and throw money at them in an attempt to make up for that neglect.

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