In America they call it "nanny", in Italian it translates as nanny, but in common parlance it is the mythical and stainless "nanny". An increasingly rare and precious figure, in times of crisis, but not for wealthy New York families: in fact there it is still a very popular and above all very well paid profession.
The New York Times sheds light on the phenomenon, in an article on the economy of wet nurses: according to the author of the piece, columnist Adam Davidson, nannies come to earn, in rich families, even 100 thousand dollars a year. Why so much? Because the task, already challenging for him, lately requires more and more "specializations". Seth Greenberg Norman of the Pavillion Agency, which specializes in recruiting nannies for wealthy families, explains it on the NYT, listing some special skills that his clients have expressly requested in their "nannies".
Here are according to Norman the 7 most bizarre abilities, calling them by name:
1- The “Greztky” (named after a hockey legend): teaching ice hockey to kids and knowing how to drive a Zamboni (the machine that levels the ice in the arenas of the USA and Canada, ed) around a private skating rink;
2- The “Gunslinger”: shoot a gun in the air to scare the bears on a country estate;
3- The “Skipper”: take passengers to a private island at the helm of a 32-foot speedboat;
4- The “Laundress” (the laundress): Wash and iron up to fifty sheets and tablecloths a day;
5- The “Curator”: manage an art collection at home and in various museums and galleries;
6- The "Accountant" (the accountant): work in contact with bankers and brokers to give the employer a summary of his daily financial activities;
7- The “Gourmet Chef”: prepare a four-course gourmet dinner.
The columnist's reading on the reasons for the phenomenon is also interesting. The picture emerges a wealthy class, especially that of the so-called "new rich", who spare no expense in order to place their children in a context of social elevation, which starts more and more from the "foundations": that is, among other things, from the choice of a brilliant nurse, suitable for the needs and vices of the family and to be presented and dressed in a certain way. Davidson calls the market for nannies a 'conviction asset'economic term for something whose true value can never be sufficiently determined. Something that one is more likely to overpay for good credibility, in the hope that a higher cost will increase the likelihood of a benefit. Just like what is essential for wealthy New Yorkers: having the best nanny of all.
