‘Most men are gonna make a mistake’: People are being weird about perfectly normal video of a nanny

A TikTok by Karen Ardila, an au pair from New York, recently went viral on social media. What initially started out as a wholesome post between her and her clients’ baby devolved into filthy drivel because of online strangers.

Children often learn the language of the person they interact with the most. A tweet was made about how it’s common for children to learn their nanny’s language over their parent’s native language, and Ardila’s TikTok was used as an example. Her clients’ child fluently speaks Spanish because Ardila communicates with him in her native language.

Needless to say, it’s adorable. People on TikTok find it impressive that the baby speaks Spanish by default. Some comments even reminisced about their own nannies. Most of them would talk about learning their nanny’s native language at a young age and how they treasure these women who practically raised them.

Men default to cheating, apparently

It was just a feel-good video, until it reached the wrong audience. Several people on Twitter have expressed outright sexism against nannies. A post on Twitter reads, “I would sooner let the wolves care for my child and raise them as their own than let this woman near my husband.”

Worse, another tweet said, “If you put a nanny like this in my house, eventually most men are going to make a mistake. Especially if she’s the one cooking, cleaning, and taking care of my children, while wifey is out being a girl boss in an office.”

The latter tweet came from a man who says he is “against women in the workforce.” In both instances, people agreed that the nanny should look unattractive. They also agreed that the nanny should “give granny energy.”

Either way, the nanny is blamed in the tweets. The husband’s wandering eyes are treated as a “mistake,” instead of something he should be held accountable for. If they tripped and fell on top of the nanny, that’s a mistake. Infidelity is an active choice.

Women are nothing outside of their utility

I doubt these men have respect for their wives as humans. Their drivel on Twitter about this nanny issue said all I needed to know. They don’t value the women in their lives as humans, but as instruments. If she can’t cook, clean, or constantly take care of her child, then she’s good for nothing in the eyes of these rigid men.

It doesn’t matter if her career contributes to the family’s income because her purpose is to care for these men and the home—essentially, fulfill the role of a nanny on top of a 9-to-5 job. To hire a nanny is immoral and seen as a woman’s failing.

If this nanny “steals” the woman’s husband, it’s anyone but the husband’s fault. Some women even agree with this sentiment. If women can’t trust their husbands, it speaks more about the husband’s character than their nanny’s. These women, who feel the need to compete with their nanny, should be reflecting on their insecurity.

We live in a world where dual-income households are necessary. Au pairs are also working women who had to leave home and work for a family overseas. They work because they must. Additionally, we’re beginning to see a world where women can achieve in their respective fields while having a family of their own.

These are obviously opportunities that women shouldn’t be pressured to forego. After all, children are raised by villages—not by a couple of parents. It shouldn’t be a woman’s job to keep her family in order all on her own. Besides, if these men have time to cheat, they have more than enough time to help out at home.