Should Men Be Nannies? 

Photo provided by DMI photo

As I’m sure pretty much all of us have heard, Britney Spears recently hired a male nanny.  What was her reasoning? No one is really sure, but I’ve heard it is because he’s more of a “bodyguard” than a nanny.  Doesn’t Britney have enough bodyguards?  Perhaps she just feels safer having a male look after her precious Sean Preston, especially since Britney and her son are always in the limelight. Britney’s new nanny, Perry Taylor, was a former starter for the Navy lacrosse team, and at one time hoped to become a Navy SEAL.  So I would say that Sean Preston is in pretty good hands.  Maybe Britney hired a “manny” just to get some publicity that isn't quite as damaging as child abuse ... who can blame her?  I’m not saying she’s mother of the year, but it is sad that the whole world knows about her mistakes.  Press about a male nanny wouldn’t make her cry, unlike recent news of almost dropping her son in public.

Why Can't Britney Spears Hire A Man For A Nanny?

What surprises me is all the controversy over a male nanny.  You would think that the world has evolved far enough to be accepting of such a change.  How long has it been since women stepped out of their role in the kitchen and got a full-time job like their husbands?  How long have men been cooking dinner for their wives, and staying home with the children?  If women can step up and take the positions that men used to solely hold, then men should be able to do the same.  I feel like this is an opportunity to start empowering men like we have been empowering women for so long.  I encourage you men to step out and do the abnormal, and break the gender-specific barriers!  A man is just as capable of taking care of a child as any woman could be.  I say good for Perry Taylor for having the guts to not only take a job as a nanny, but do it for one of the most photographed families in the world (other than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, of course).  Let’s just hope that that wasn’t his motivation for taking the job in the first place, otherwise I revoke my statement of credit.

I guess my point here is, let’s just stop talking about Britney Spears.  If only we would stop paying attention to her and let her live her own life while we focus on ours.  If she wants to have a “manny,” then so be it, it won’t change my life in any way.  Although, I guess that's easier said than done, because even I admit that I am still tempted every once in while to pick up Star Magazine when I see her on the cover ... I guess the curiosity never goes away completely.  But the most important lesson her is:  men, if you have good intentions and the ambition to take over a role that would normally be filled by a woman, then go for it!  But perhaps you should choose a mom a little less paparazzi-prone than Britney Spears; just a suggestion.

Don't forget to watch Britney Spears talking with Matt Lauer on Dateline this Thursday on NBC at 9pm pacific coast time!

What do you think about Britney Spears hiring a male nanny? Voice your opinion!

What does it take to be a nanny?  Find out!

Article Written By:  Amy Jarvis; Amy is a graduate of FIDM in Los Angeles, CA and has recently crossed over from designing into the online world, writing and designing pages for Divavillage.com.