They pay little, demand a lot: how Americans treat immigrant nannies

Author of the channel "50 shades of New York" on the portal Zen Yandex talked about the attitude of Americans towards nannies. Judging by the story, it is hardest for immigrants, especially those working illegally, because they are afraid to complain about poor working conditions and low wages.

Next - from the first person.

From childhood, we knew that America's most presentable and educated nannies. They make good money and are respected in society. Frankly, this information came from popular TV shows - I did not have any acquaintances in the States at that time. That is why, already now, living in the USA, I took the opportunity to ask my neighbors.

Every day I meet mothers with strollers who talk to each other and walk. Yesterday I decided to ask if any of them need a nanny and what is the cost of this service. I was surprised by their answers.

It turned out that the approximate pay for babysitters is anywhere between $ 10 or $ 15 an hour. It seems that, by post-Soviet standards, this is not bad at all. Only middle-level officials get that much in our country, and workers, teachers and doctors are content with much smaller amounts.

However, the list of parents' wishes was literally off the charts. To begin with, it was necessary to come running at 8 o'clock in the morning, dress and feed the baby. This is followed by a walk in the park or playing at home if the weather leaves much to be desired.

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Lunch should be prepared by yourself at a time when the child is quiet and is busy with his toys. Then feeding and the traditional quiet hour. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that sometimes the hour is not at all quiet: the baby suddenly begins to show violent activity. But let's say that the nanny finally managed to put the baby to bed. However, in vain do you think that she can have a cup of tea or a little rest.

Cleaning in the house - a requirement is almost mandatory. And it's not about the scattered toys and a couple of plates. The nanny vacuums carpets, wipes dust, even the railing on the stairs. Tidying up the kitchen is a must. Some parents also require the nanny to buy the food on the list.

Any normal person will have a question: why then do you need a pedagogical education? Of course, in order to properly educate the child, to instill in him the necessary skills. And many parents want the applicant to be a teacher by profession, in addition to washing children's clothes and cleaning the whole house.

Of course, I asked how American women feel about illegal migrants. It turns out that American women prefer this category of workers more than others, since the above list of daily tasks does not bother them at all. The situation is clear: newcomers need to earn a living in the metropolis by all means.

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It happens that the child in the family is not alone. But in this case, you should not count on a significant increase in payment. Even despite the fact that the nanny will have to give all the best at work.

The American reality of the nanny is far from the ideal image of the smiling nanny imposed by Hollywood. In the lower and middle strata of society, a nanny is a Mexican, Russian or Ukrainian. As a rule, they are willing to work without objection for a relatively small pay. I noticed that there are quite a few people from the former Soviet republics among the service personnel. They do this whole mountain of tasks and don't get very high pay.