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Here's a fun party game: Bring up the word "nanny" in a room full of people, and watch the reactions.

"Nannies are for rich people who can't be bothered to care for their own kids," someone will likely say.

"Why even have kids in the first place if you're just going to get someone else to live in your home and raise them?" another might pipe up, and everyone nods.

"Nannies are just exploited, uneducated workers," another might offer.

These ideas surrounding in-home childcare are so widely accepted that celebrities regularly defend their use of nannies in interviews and on Instagram, or proudly state they've never hired one in order to prove they're "good parents."

But are these assumptions accurate? Are families who hire nannies worthy of society's disdain? Digging into the data reveals some interesting facts that might put an end to this party game, once and for all.

First, nannies are not for the super-rich alone.

Yes, wealthy families can more easily employ private caregivers, and often pay them a healthy wage. But many middle-class families make use of in-home help, too.

The average salary for a nanny in the U.S. varies widely by state, from $1,000 to $3,400 per month. Generally speaking, hiring a live-in nanny is less expensive than hiring one who lives outside the home, as their room and board is also factored in. Furthermore, more experienced caregivers often come with a higher price tag.

Meanwhile, according to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, the average daycare center costs $972 monthly for a single child. Again, this varies widely, depending the child's age and what state the family resides in.

At first, it might look like a daycare center is more cost-effective. But if a family has more than one child, having someone come into the home can quickly become the affordable option for the average family.

Many nannies are educated professionals who enjoy their job.

These women and men are trained in the field of childcare and choose this profession. Many hold degrees or diplomas related to their work, and have years of experience behind them.

Yes, this is a field where workers can be exploited. There are also stories where nannies-and other types of childcare workers-have proven to be inept, negligent and even abusive. But they are the rare exception, rather than the rule.

Assuming the majority of people who work in this profession are uneducated and exploited does a disservice to them, and to everyone who works with children. As a society, we regularly belittle the role of childcare, and this assumption is another example of that.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" nanny.

The job can be as unique as the person doing it.

Not all nannies are live-in. Many are live-out, and may even bring their own children to work with them-a situation that can benefit everyone involved.

There are full-time and part-time caregiver positions, providing families with many price points. And sometimes, two or three families share the cost of a single nanny who can meet all their scheduling needs.

Some in-home caregivers add cooking, cleaning and shopping to their roster of services, which is helpful to parents with demanding schedules who wish to spend as much quality time as they can with their children when at home.

Families who employ nannies generally put great thought into childcare.

According to a prominent childcare seeking website, more and more parents in need of in-home help are listing the need for college degrees and first aid training in their caregivers. The site is forecasting a rise in requests for nannies with medical licenses, master degrees and child psychology backgrounds.

Yes, there will always be examples to point to of parents who are not as hands-on as society would like them to be, or don't seem to care about their children's wellbeing as much as they should. But again, these are not the majority of parents, no matter what kind of childcare they use.

Families choose nannies for a variety of reasons.

Sometimes their work schedules are not conducive to using traditional childcare. They may do shiftwork, for example, which would make finding a daycare with suitable hours more of a challenge.

For some parents, having a caregiver who is solely responsible for the children in one family is the next best thing to being home with their own children. Nannies are also a good option if parents prefer their children's days are home-based, rather than at a daycare center or at someone else's home. Children with special needs, too, can benefit greatly from one-on-one childcare.

In short, the ideas many of us have surrounding nannies is antiquated and simply untrue. They are not exclusively employed by the wealthy, nor are they all exploited helpers hired by apathetic parents. Generally speaking, nannies are dedicated professionals who are hired by devoted families.

It's time to cast judgments aside. No matter how you slice it, childcare remains a deeply personal decision. Who are we to point fingers?

Hopefully, with a little more knowledge about an often-misunderstood profession, we can put this tired party game to bed.

Image credit: Pixabay.com