Silence of Office

Hollywood's Dirtiest Little Secret: Nannies   How do celebrities like Angelina and Julia do it all? With lots (and lots) of help. And they're doing women a huge disservice by hiding these helping hands. (This article appeared in Forbes Woman this week)

While celebrities often promote their stylists or trainers (or they promote themselves), nannies are classified information, locked into strict confidentiality contracts. Yes, occasionally they do break the code of silence and blab, or even sue, as did the nannies of Heather Mills McCartney and Rob Lowe. But a blabbing nanny is an unemployed nanny. 

So why all the secrecy?

In the family services' profession, you will all agree with me, silence of office and discretion are highly valued. Family intimacy and security are utmost especially high profile families like these and they wouldn't want their nanny's faces seen on major dailies and be hounded by papparazzis to milk for scoops or at worse by bad elements. It is not disservice to keep their existence private but  prudent judgement.  Good heavens! we all know they exist. Silence of office is part of professionalism. All the work related information we incidentally find out are not our property and have to be kept as company property and have to be guarded as such. We do not have any right to divulge them outside the confines of our work. Think of how Steve Jobs keeps his latest projects' from competitors and media. It is domestic staff's responsibility to keep family life away from prying and inquisitive public eyes. 

Like any smart business, secondary functions are outsourced so one can focus on his core. Nannies and domestic staff are there to assist moms and afford them the time to fulfill better their role as mother, housewife and professional career women. That's a lot of work and if one can afford hiring good and discreet ones, thank heavens again.