The goal of any childcare search is to find the best fit for your family amongst the many options, so kudos to you for considering a nontraditional choice — the male nanny. Since it seems you’re set on going with an at-home caregiver, you can follow the same guidelines for hiring a nanny: Do background checks (and gut checks — if he feels wrong, respect your intuition), ask lots of questions, and invite the top candidates into your house to see how each one interacts with your toddler while you’re around. If, after all that, you’ve found your male nanny, congrats! After all, mannies can provide families with some unique benefits, such as:

A reliable guy in your child’s life. If your toddler’s dad isn’t in the picture (or doesn’t come by often) and there are no other close male relatives around, your munchkin could be missing out on forming an important bond (no matter how close the two of you are). A male nanny can provide another type of role model that your little guy needs now. And even if your ex sees your son regularly, boys tend to do well with mannies, who are a lot like (much) older brothers. You might find that your tot listens to instructions from a manny more closely (and with less attitude) than he does from the women in his life; and, as he gets older, he may feel more comfortable sharing his feelings with him.

If your toddler’s dad isn’t in the picture (or doesn’t come by often) and there are no other close male relatives around, your munchkin could be missing out on forming an important bond (no matter how close the two of you are). A male nanny can provide another type of role model that your little guy needs now. And even if your ex sees your son regularly, boys tend to do well with mannies, who are a lot like (much) older brothers. You might find that your tot listens to instructions from a manny more closely (and with less attitude) than he does from the women in his life; and, as he gets older, he may feel more comfortable sharing his feelings with him. A high-energy play pal. No one needs to tell you that toddler boys run around a lot — and when they’re not running, they’re jumping, climbing or commando-rolling through an imaginary jungle. And because mannies are, well, big boys themselves, they’re always up for joining in (or starting up) some physical fun. There’s a boon for you too — by the time you get home, your tyke will be tuckered out and wonderfully mellow.

No one needs to tell you that toddler boys run around a lot — and when they’re not running, they’re jumping, climbing or commando-rolling through an imaginary jungle. And because mannies are, well, big boys themselves, they’re always up for joining in (or starting up) some physical fun. There’s a boon for you too — by the time you get home, your tyke will be tuckered out and wonderfully mellow. A protector. Because men are generally bigger and stronger than women are (another plus for rough-and-tumble toddlers), many a mom feels safer knowing her child is with a guy who can tackle any emergency. Just make sure the male nanny (or any nanny) you hire knows how to perform CPR.

The one downside to mannies? There just aren’t a whole lot of them around. That's partly it’s a nontraditional job for men, and partly because there’s still a stigma to being a male caregiver (though fortunately, that's starting to change!), since many parents question a manny’s intentions or worry about abuse.

More Child Care Options How to Hire a Nanny Finding a Male Nanny Interview Questions for Nannies How to Hire a Nanny Finding a Male Nanny Interview Questions for Nannies

So how can you hire the male nanny of your dreams? You can find a good nanny by checking out nanny agencies, but you can also ask the director of your local preschool or day care center — there’s a chance someone knows a quality male caregiver. Or check out the career center at your local college — some of the best mannies are college students or recent grads. Then take the time to do your research so you can make sure you’ve found the perfect big guy to take care of your little guy.

Here’s hoping you find a super manny!