Emotionally invested

Latin American nannies who work in this community describe childcare as a job that should be done only by those who love children. The main task is “watching”, not necessarily actively engaging with them (Wrigley 1995: 39). However, childcare is unusual because employers expect a large emotional investment for a small salary, and low-paid jobs typically involve little worker commitment (P. 87). I observed “difference” between employers and employees in the park as this example illustrates. A boy pushed a toy car, fascinated, touching every part of it as his mother narrated. Another boy explored the bushes near the fence while his nanny followed him silently. The nanny spoke perfect English but did not consider talking and teaching as part of her job.

Caring work is inherently relational, involving attachment, patience, and attending. Talking and listening are instrumental to effective care (Hondagneu-Sotelo 2001: 10). The importance of this part of a nanny’s job cannot be overlooked. It often occurs in microseconds throughout the day. For example, a Latina nanny changes a toddler’s diaper on the cold concrete picnic table. The baby paws at her and cries, “Mama.” She responds patiently, “No not nice.” (Field Notes 12/19/06)

For the most part I discovered nannies with tremendous emotional investment in the lives of their client children. Nannies must be emotionally prepared for anything. Eloisa had worked for Ray’s African American family only three weeks when a crisis occurred. Eloisa came to work that morning at 8:00 to find ten police cars surrounding the house. Officers restrained a white man in the front yard. Driving completely nude behind the wheel of a pickup truck, he had crashed into the employer’s garage door damaging her car parked inside.