The Million Dollar Nannies: A Glimpse into the Lives of the Super-Rich's Caregivers

The reality show "Million Dollar Nannies" on Disney+ offers a stark look at the lives of nannies employed by the ultra-wealthy, presenting a world where apocalypse bunkers are a luxury for the children of the elite. The columnist contrasts this with the likely fate of less privileged children, suggesting that survival might depend on becoming a servant to an oligarch. The series positions employment with the super-rich as a potentially better alternative to finance jobs, especially amid the perceived collapse of the middle class.

One of the show's subtexts is the critical nature of care work, which the author argues is undervalued compared to financial professions. The piece questions why caregivers, particularly those looking after children, are not as well-compensated or protected as financial professionals, especially when children are considered an "asset." The author notes the irony that while children are deemed precious, the people nurturing them often lack protection and fair remuneration.

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If children truly were, as Leah says in this show, rich people’s “most precious asset”, the people looking after them would be as well paid and well protected as their accountants and lawyers.

The article also brings attention to the less glamorous realities faced by nannies, including instances of consequence-free sexual harassment from employers, as hinted at in the show. The author observes a shift in reality television, moving from aspirational lifestyles to a focus on working for the wealthy as a survival strategy in an era of increasing inequality. The nannies featured are depicted as glamorous, often sourced from online platforms like #nannytok, where they showcase the lavish lifestyles of their employers, pushing strollers like a

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The notion that the care and nurture of children require less remuneration than the care and nurture of money is mad to me.