Move over, helicopter parenting. In some of America’s wealthiest homes, raising children has become a full-scale operation, with parents paying premium prices for teams who handle the everyday grind — from bath routines to bedtime books.
One affluent San Diego couple is reportedly spending $250,000 a year on household support to help care for their two children, reflecting a broader luxury parenting trend in which high-net-worth families are outsourcing tasks such as diaper changes, toilet training and daily child care.
Christine Landis, the CEO of Peacock Parent, and her husband have gone far beyond the occasional babysitter. Their home is supported by a live-in, full-time “family assistant,” along with a private chef and a housekeeper — essentially a customized parenting support staff.
“Every hour I’m not bogged down with the doing is an hour I get to show up fully present with my kids,” Landis told the Wall Street Journal.
According to its website, Landis’ company uses artificial intelligence to help “families and professionals rethink what balance looks like, showing that asking for help isn’t indulgent; it’s intelligent.”
For wealthy parents, the modern nanny role has expanded into something much bigger. Today’s “family assistants” may juggle child care, errands, home organization, bath time, bedtime stories and the many small logistics that keep a household running — allowing parents to reserve their energy for what they consider meaningful time with their children.
And the market for elite parenting help keeps growing.
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The luxury child-rearing industry now stretches well beyond traditional care, offering services such as personal baby chefs preparing gourmet purées, upscale potty training experts and specialists hired to teach children milestones as simple as riding a bike.
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These speciality concierge services aren’t cheap, with potty training consultants charging anywhere from $600 up to nearly $5,000 for multi-day services.
Bike-riding coaches can cost more than $400, while someone willing to pack your kid’s bags for summer camp may charge $125 an hour.
Seth Norman Greenberg, with the household-staffing firm Pavillion Agency, said things have never been busier for the business — which started in 1962 and is based in West Hollywood and New York.
“We are busier than we’ve ever been,” Greenberg said. “The environment, the economy, it’s just producing these millionaires and billionaires.”
Co-founder of the Kardashian brands Skims and Good American, Emma Grede, also relies on a team of people to help raise her four kids, calling herself a “max-three-hour mum.”
“Cutting sandwiches into star shapes? That was never it for me,” Grede previously told the outlet.
“If getting help with the logistics means I can spend my time focused on the moments that really matter with my children, I don’t see that as outsourcing parenting.”
“I see it as being intentional about where I spend my time,” she added.
As far as concerns if children will know who’s mom or the nanny, Landis admits she’s been unsure before. Like when she heard her kid say “I love you” to the nanny and heard it said back, but she said those feelings passed.
“There is no world where my child doesn’t know I’m their mother,” Landis said.
“Our bond, our love, it’s irreplaceable.”
