Brad Paisley: "We don't have a nanny"

You don’t have to worry about fame and fortune going to Brad Paisley‘s head. In a new interview, the 35-year-old country singer says he’ll never lose touch with his "working class, everyday people" roots. That humble approach to life extends to William ‘Huck’ Huckleberry, 16 ½-months, his son with actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Noting that the couple "don’t have a nanny," Brad says that they instead rely on each other and their own moms to "take turns in dealing with him." He adds,

I don’t care how high and mighty you are: Change a diaper, man.

The life of an entertainer often means that Brad is at times forced to be away from his family, but he notes that it just as often means that he gets to stay home when other dads could not. Although touring "looks like it would be tough," Brad says, "it isn’t."

[Living] in Nashville, I know that one weekend I’ll be in Charlotte and Raleigh, but then I’m back on Sunday. You can be home more than you are away. And in all fairness to my family and my wife, I have been off since February.

Huck is the first child for the couple, who wed in 2003.

Source: Cincinnati.com; Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.

Comments

Jenny on July 13th, 2008

I think that a lot of people think of a nanny as someone who raises a famous person’s child because the child is never seeing their parents. I wish that it could stop being cast in a negative light. (ie “oooh they have a nanny” *shakes head*) I’ve been a nanny for 5 years and I’ve worked for a family where the mother is a teacher and the father is a police officer, and another family where the mother works for a software company and the dad is in construction. They were both totally normal working class, everyday families. They just needed care Monday-Friday full time and picked me to do that for them. Having a nanny doesn’t mean you’re any less involved in your child’s life than a family who has their kids in daycare, or a family where the children are in school full time. Just wanted to say that not totally for Brad Paisley, but because I was hearing the comment again.

carla at somethingaboutbaby.com on July 13th, 2008

Brad sounds like he has a great attitude toward fatherhood. Cute story.

Lauren on July 13th, 2008

Jenny, I really appreciate what you said. Most parents put their children in one form of day care or another. Whatever works best for a particular family, right? People are just trying their best to raise happy, healthy kids – it’d be nice if people didn’t jump to conclusions about nannies, day care, work, etc.

Shelby on July 13th, 2008

I know this has been said before, but I think most people aren’t judging someone for having a nanny. Goodness knows, most moms (and/or dads), even those of us who are home full-time, would love to have an extra set of hands sometimes. I think the irritation comes when celebrities say they don’t have any help, and yet they do a million other things, look fabulous, and still manage to spend the majority of their time with their kids. It comes off as disingenuous, and even though we shouldn’t care, makes the rest of us feel completely inadequate.

dsmom on July 13th, 2008

What you mean that 2 people with 1 child don’t have an “extra set of hands”. Oh my lord those poor people. Someone please get them some help. Nobody should have to work that hard!

Sadie on July 13th, 2008

I have to respectfully disagree Shelby. What irritates me is when a celebrity looks great a month after having a baby and talks about how great and easy it is when they have been able to get a full night of sleep and slip away to work out because of the help of a nanny. I like knowing a celebrity has to wake up in the middle of the night just like rest of us.

Sadie on July 13th, 2008

BTW, I’m obviously talking about something different than having kids watched while the parent is working.

kate on July 13th, 2008

good for brad for being able to balance work and children, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a nanny, daycare, or whatever. it does not make you any less of a parent and no one should make you feel bad about it. i work at a child care center and while i have a strong, loving bond with the children i care for – i cannot hold a candle to mom and dad i am not raising their children, i am teaching and caring for them (i have been a nanny too). nannies and day care teachers are just one more person to love your child. in my opinion, a child can never have too many people to love them

Jane on July 14th, 2008

Kate,
I have to disagree with some of what you said- I think you make a blanket statement about nannies and day care that is not always true.
You say “nannies and day care teachers are just one more person to love your child.”-
yes, sometimes, but not always. Most people have heard a story of neglectful or abusive nannies or day care providers. Of course, many of them are very loving and caring, but there can’t just be a statement that all nannies or day care teachers are just another person to love the child. I just heard of someone who found out that her nanny was being verbally abusive to her two year old (who was with the nanny all day). Found out through the neighbors. I know there are also wonderful caretakers out there, but we all know there are some awful ones too who could harm a child- and that is the scary thing, not knowing for sure.

Beth on July 14th, 2008

I have a question. What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter? In my experience a nanny moves in, has a room and lives with the family (Mary Poppins, Alice on the Brady Bunch). To take care of a baby or kids and leave at the end of the workday is a babysitter. I have a feeling that Brad meant they don’t have live-in help.

Moderator: if my other comment went through, feel free to ignore this one. My first did not seem to go through correctly. Thanks.

The Nanny on July 14th, 2008

Beth–babysitters come on either a semi-regular basis (i.e., once a week) or sporadically as you need them. Nannies have a set time to work every day, like 9-5, or a part-time nanny may work 12-5. Nannies sometimes live-in but often now have their own houses.

Beth on July 14th, 2008

Thanks so much for replying Nanny!! I am curious where you live, (country, region) because I think the semantics of the titles may be what is causing Brad to be possibly misunderstood. I’m in New England.

And should I even ask what an au pere is?

brannon on July 14th, 2008

I had a nanny the first year of my sons life during the day while I was at work. This was a better alternative for me than daycare. I agree that a lot of celebrities seem to “brag” about not having a nanny but it never really makes sense to me? (Especially the ones who have cooks, housekeepers, assistants, etc.) It seems like a lot of semantics That being said, I enjoy interviews by these two as they seem to be leading a relatively normal life with baby Huck

The Nanny on July 15th, 2008

Beth–I’m in the U.S., from the south, but I don’t think the nanny/babysitter concept differs within the states

An au pair is someone most often from a different country who, through an agency, is placed with a particular family. The au pair agrees to dedicate her/himself to the children a certain amount of hours per week as a childcare provider, and the family in return helps the au pair with his/her English (or other language), finding a job, going through school, etc. Au pairs live with the family 99% of the time.

Hope this makes sense & helps!