Natalia Nikulina has two boys, aged two and three. She lives in Brighton Beach – near New York City’s famed Coney Island – and works 9-to-5, five days a week as a clinical social worker.
That’s why, she says, she has four separate nannies to help her raise her two children.
Speaking to The New York Post, Natalia says having the extra help on hand “saves her from losing her mind”.
“I don’t have the mental capacity to spend time with my children all day,” the 37-year-old said.
“I love my children, but I’m not embarrassed to say the nannies are not just to provide child care when I’m at work — they provide mental rest for me [when I am at home] as well.”
Natalia counts her nannies as among her "must-haves".
"Water, air and nannies," she said.
"I don't see any way around it — [otherwise] I lose my mind, and then I can't work."
The four nannies all work on different schedules: a weekday nanny will pick up the two boys from day care, spend the afternoon with them, then cook dinner and help put them to bed.
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Two weekend nannies work on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and are sometimes on duty for up to 12 hours.
Another fourth nanny is also on call when extra help is needed.
Natalia has two kids and four nannies to help keep her "sane." And she's definitely not alone. https://t.co/a3ZFuRHNh4 pic.twitter.com/ZANrpzT0zL
— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) November 12, 2017
Natalia's seemingly excessive and costly childcare arrangement is not out of the ordinary when it comes to other New York City mums: nanny agencies told The New York Post that many families pay for multiple nannies to care for their children, even when both parents are home.
One 41-year-old mum - who did not want to be named - said she's embarrassed to admit she has two nannies.
"One watches the baby, and one watches the toddler and straightens the house," she said.
"Do I have a 9-to-5 job? No. But I run a household, I run my social media and I am very involved in charity."
The mum, whose children are aged three and 10 months, added that she employs two nannies so her first nanny doesn't get "burnt out".
"Can one woman handle all of that? No. When you give her too many things to do, she'll quit," she said.
"To lighten the load of one, you employ the other."
Would you hire more nannies than you have children? Tell us in the comments below.
