No one is going to argue that Mariah Carey seems like an easy person to deal with or work for -- I get the feeling even she would consider herself a diva to the extreme. But lots of moms -- myself included -- unleash our inner diva when it comes to our children and their well-being. What may have seemed acceptable prior to having kids just won't cut it anymore, and we'll happily lay the smack down on anything or anyone who threatens our relationship with our children.
Still, I can't help but have a special place in my heart reserved just for Mariah's nannies. By the sound of it, she has employed and let go of many a nanny in her quest to find proper Mariah-approved care for her 3-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan. The singer recently revealed on a radio show thatshe fires nannies "like this" (as she snapped her fingers) if they "try to make themselves more important in the baby's mind" than she is.
According to Mariah, she is a very hands-on mom and doesn't want to enlist the help of nannies, but really, what choice does she have? Between recording music and traveling and promoting herself, I can't imagine it would be possible to take care of two small children without help. And, of course, she's incredibly fortunate to be able to hire the best of the best when it comes to nannies, considering her wealth.
So it's interesting that even she can't find one nanny who meets her requirements. I have to wonder if she isn't confusing the nanny's desire and right to be "important" with their desire to be "more important" than Mariah?
Working moms can certainly identify with Mariah's dilemma. No mom wants to work an eight-hour day and come home to hear her baby call the nanny "mom" or tell her she loves her more than mom. That's simply heartbreaking, even though I'm sure what it actually means is that our children are capable of caring for and forming attachments with other people, as well, which we all know deep down is a good thing.
But we have to remember: a nanny isn't just a worker. She has been entrusted to feed, bathe, teach, entertain, and (to a certain degree) discipline our children. In many cases, nannies spend more time with our children than they do with their own family members. It's only natural they'll want to feel important in the lives of the children they care about.
It's certainly possible Mariah has had bad experiences with her nannies. But it's also totally reasonable to think she's experiencing the same envy that many working moms feel when we have to rely on the help of others to raise our children.
Have you ever felt threatened by your child's nanny?
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