We know nannies deserve it

Parents who connect with Hand in Hand know exactly how important a nanny’s work is: It’s the work that makes other work possible, that helps keep careers moving and families thriving.

This, the last week of September, is National Nanny Recognition Week, and it’s a fantastic time to surprise the person you employ with a token of your appreciation.

It’s a great time, too, to really practice the “recognition” part—our culture often encourages us to leave nannies out of the picture, literally and figuratively, to pretend that somehow we’re doing the work of 2 or more humans all by ourselves.

But everyone on this earth needs support! And the work of taking care of homes and family members, which has for centuries fallen primarily to women, needs support and recognition, too.

And of course, you’d want to be sure you’d added your name to the list of people who want nannies to have the rights and protections that the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights would provide.

Say it loud, say it proud

We asked members from around the country to share what they most appreciated about the work their nanny does in their family.

Here are some of their stories. Feel free to share your own—imagine how good it might feel to articulate your appreciation, share it with her, and shout it from the rooftops!

If one of these stories inspires you, feel free to share it with the world, too.

A joyful collaboration

At the most basic level, having a nanny makes it possible for me to go to work safe in the knowledge that my children are being well-cared for. But it’s also a joyful collaboration with another woman–herself a working mom too–who I feel really delights in my kids in a lot of the same ways I do. And because of her professional experience, she’s also been a great resource in helping us raise our kids–I trust her judgement, opinions and observations about my kids. I am definitely a better parent because I have her in my life.

-Rachel, Brooklyn, nanny employer

You can’t outsource this

I support the National Domestic Worker Bill of Rights because I believe in closing the gap on income inequality. We ignore this workforce at our peril. Domestic workers, and those who work in and around the home, are one of the most undervalued segments of the American labor population. The work they do cannot be outsourced to technology, and if we don’t create some basic protections and framework for them now, our economy will collectively suffer in the future.

-Emily, Seattle, nanny employer

They model qualities I want to embody

It takes a village to raise a child, and we have been blessed to have two exceptional nannies as part of the village helping to raise our two boys over the past 7 years. As a result of having these nannies in our lives, my husband and I have been able to engage in full-time work that we deeply care about and that provides for our family. They also teach and inspire us daily with how they model patience, kindness, courage, and hard work.

Tammy, East Bay, CA, nanny employer

She’s part of my “village”

Raising children really takes a village and I appreciate being able to partner with such a loving and knowledgeable person raising my kids.

-Alexandra, Oakland, nanny employer