Shadow Mothers: Nannies, Au Pairs, and the Micropolitics of Mothering

by Cameron Lynne Macdonald

Shadow Mothers shines new light on an aspect of contemporary motherhood often hidden from view: the need for paid childcare by women returning to the workforce, and the complex bonds mothers forge with the “shadow mothers” they hire. Cameron Lynne Macdonald illuminates both sides of an unequal and complicated relationship. Based on in-depth interviews with professional women and childcare providers— immigrant and American-born nannies as well as European au pairs—Shadow Mothers locates the roots of individual skirmishes between mothers and their childcare providers in broader cultural and social tensions. Macdonald argues that these conflicts arise from unrealistic ideals about mothering and inflexible career paths and work schedules, as well as from the devaluation of paid care work.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it very interesting. I was a nanny for 6 years at the same time and in the same area the author did all her interviews in. I found her observations and conclusions spot on. She did a very good job showing what perspectives both the mothers and nannies were coming from. I personally would have enjoyed the book more if it were written less like a dissertation. It was a little to dry at times.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this the month that we hired a nanny for my then 1-year-old as I went back to work in Botswana, Africa. I was nervous about the change and the book doesn't do a lot to allay those fears. That being said, it's a useful read and provides thought-provoking material. Ten-plus years on, I feel like I could write my own book on the nanny's role and dynamic in the household! For us, it has been a godsend. But it's certainly a different relationship than most people in the U.S. experience and it's useful to read a book outlining some of the issues.

[maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 how do you make such an interesting and underrepresented topic so dull

[Krista · Rating 1 out of 5]

ugh. did not like. i was so excited about this book, and i was disappointed. as a middle-aged, white, educated career nanny, i was offended by the generalizations throughout the book. like others said, the writing was very dry. i couldn't find a reason to keep reading. i ended up skimming the whole thing and then throwing it.

[Brittney]

An interesting subject that unfortunately fell prey to extremely dry writing. Did not finish.