• 生养小孩不轻松，现代人大多走向双薪家庭，保姆的需求度也相对提高。只是，保姆素质良莠不齐，全美各地照顾不善、施虐事件，或是偷窃、搞失踪等离谱行径时有所闻，让华人感叹找保姆难，尤其是老经验的好保姆更难；加上语言、饮食文化习惯、教养观念等中西差异，大部分的华裔家庭仍视聘请华人保姆为首选，搭着全球兴起的“中文热”，在一片不景气声中，“中文通”的保姆不仅吃香，市场上也非常具竞争优势。

    Raising children is not easy, and most modern families are dual-income households, leading to a higher demand for nannies. However, the quality of nannies varies greatly.  Cases of neglect, abuse, theft, and even nannies disappearing are frequently reported across the United States, making it difficult for Chinese families to find a good nanny, especially an experienced one.  Furthermore, due to differences in language, dietary habits, cultural practices, and parenting philosophies between Chinese and Western cultures, most Chinese families still prefer to hire Chinese nannies.  Coupled with the global rise of interest in the Chinese language, nannies who are fluent in Chinese are not only in high demand but also have a significant competitive advantage in the current economic climate.

    从事保姆一职已七年的冯太太，靠着教会的人脉网络口耳相传，七年来保姆工作从未间断。她提及，当初仅是顺手帮亲友照顾小孩，打发闲暇时间，没想到，育有三个孩子的她，对照料小孩相当有一套，渐渐在保姆圈中做出口碑，顺理成章成了全职保姆。

    冯太太说，前前后后照顾过六个孩子，大多以华裔新移民第二、三代为主，这些ABC(在美出生华裔)以英文为母语，不谙中文沟通，因此，家长都会附带条件，希望她在照顾孩子过程中，全程讲中文，一来孩子在中文环境熏陶下，能与祖父母亲近沟通并保留中华文化，二来东方饮食习惯与教养传统，大多数华裔家长较能接受。

    Mrs. Feng, who has been working as a nanny for seven years, has maintained a continuous stream of work through word-of-mouth referrals within her church community. She mentioned that she initially started helping relatives and friends take care of their children to pass the time.  Unexpectedly, having three children of her own, she proved to be very skilled at childcare and gradually built a reputation in the nanny community, naturally becoming a full-time nanny.

    Mrs. Feng said she has cared for six children in total, mostly second and third-generation Chinese immigrants born in the US. These ABCs (American-born Chinese) speak English as their first language and are not fluent in Chinese. Therefore, parents often stipulate that she speak Chinese throughout the childcare process. This is because they hope that the children, immersed in a Chinese-speaking environment, will be able to communicate closely with their grandparents and preserve Chinese culture.  Furthermore, most Chinese parents prefer the Eastern dietary habits and traditional parenting methods.

    对于聘请华人保姆的坚持，家住凯蒂(Katy)的赵先生可相当执着。他表示，夫妻俩都有工作，家中又无长辈可帮忙照看，为了让一岁儿子 获得妥善的照顾，从出生到现在，夫妻俩坚持雇用华人保姆，“别的不说，光是语言和文化就较能获得共识。”不过，他也坦承，有耐心、责任感且老经验的保姆难寻，少部分资深华人保姆架子大，对待他们不仅要如长辈般恭敬，偶尔还须“拍马屁”讨欢心，必要时得使出加薪留人，可说是花招百出。

    Mr. Zhao, who lives in Katy, is quite persistent in his insistence on hiring a Chinese nanny. He said that both he and his wife work, and there are no elderly relatives to help with childcare.  To ensure their one-year-old son receives proper care, they have insisted on hiring a Chinese nanny since his birth. "Besides other things, the language and cultural similarities make it easier to reach a consensus," he said. However, he also admitted that it's difficult to find a patient, responsible, and experienced nanny. Some experienced Chinese nannies can be demanding; they require not only respectful treatment like elders but also occasional flattery to keep them happy.  Sometimes, they even have to resort to offering raises to retain them, using all sorts of tactics.

    除了专精中文的住家保姆炙手可热，广受欢迎，近来不少美资托儿所(Daycare)也倾向寻找具中文背景的合格教师，某家位于奥斯汀的私人美资托儿所就雇用除英语 和西班牙语系外的中文教师；负责人Rosa表示，托儿所于去年开始雇用中文教师，除会事先评估应征者的中文发音和语法，还会要求须具备心肺复苏术和急救证书并进行职前训练，确保孩子安全无虞。

    冯太太则说，一般大休斯敦地区保姆行情大概月收入3000美元起跳，若是语文能力佳且学历较高的华人保姆，可另作中文教师，则可增至大约月薪5000元以上。

    Besides live-in nannies specializing in Mandarin Chinese being highly sought after and popular, many American-owned daycare centers have recently been looking for qualified teachers with a Chinese background. One private American-owned daycare center in Austin, for example, employs Chinese teachers in addition to those who speak English and Spanish.  The director, Rosa, stated that the daycare center began employing Chinese teachers last year.  They assess applicants' Mandarin pronunciation and grammar, and also require them to have CPR and first-aid certifications and undergo pre-employment training to ensure the children's safety.

    Mrs. Feng said that the average monthly salary for nannies in the greater Houston area starts at around $3,000.  However, Chinese nannies with strong language skills and higher educational qualifications who can also teach Chinese can earn approximately $5,000 or more per month.