GOD
BLESS
MOTHER'S
HELPER!
By Lisa Pomeroy Malik

and Deborah Cohen

VV

Mothers who want to enjoy
summer vacation as much as
the rest of the family should
take along a summer nanny.
Here's a guide to finding and
keeping good help.

hen is a family vaca-
tion not a family
vacation? When one
family member, usu-
ally Mom, spends it
toting kids to and
from the beach, day camp, ten-
nis lessons and the pool; break-
ing up sibling squabbles;
preparing meals for a small
army of family members and
houseguests; and cleaning up
after the whole lot at day's end.
Moms envisioning a summer
respite spent languishing pool-
side, stretched out on a deck
chair with nothing but a good
book and perhaps the crash of
the surf and the chatter of gulls
to keep them company, are
often in for a rude awakening
when they realize they are the
same chauffeur, cook, house-
keeper, and referee they were
at home.
"Women do wear many
hats," says Sandi Berman, pres-
ident of Best Nanny
Employment Agency in
Baltimore. "Society allows men
to come and go as they please,
but women need someone to
help them out." Relief is at
hand in the form of a mother's
helper, or in the parlance of the
trade, a summer nanny.
Vacationing families, and
even those spending the sum-
mer at home, harangued by the
changes brought about by kids'
summer schedules, might do
well to consider hiring a sum-
mer nanny, whose extra pair of
hands can work wonders for a
household on the brink of
chaos. "Vacation nannies help
mothers and fathers who need
someone to watch the children
at the beach, or want to go out
for an evening and need some-
one at home with the children,"
adds Berman, who, for the past
four years has been providing

Lisa Pomeroy Malik is a frequent
. contributor to Style.

STYLE • SUMMER 1993

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