“Why Are We Taking Our Nannies to Parties in Their Uniforms?” — Tomike Questions Parents

Media personality Tomike Adeoye has questioned a practice she says she finds uncomfortable: parents taking their children's nannies to restaurants, parties and social events while they are still wearing their work uniforms.

In a video shared online, Tomike said she finds it humiliating and questioned why the practice appears particularly common in Nigeria.

For her, the issue isn't whether a nanny is a nanny.It's how that role is communicated in public.

Tomike explained that when her nannies accompany her children outside, she prefers them to be neatly dressed rather than remaining in their work clothes. She said she considers them part of her household and believes the way they appear in public reflects the household they work for.

“I personally find it very humiliating. It’s giving, ‘I’m the nanny and I am the nanny,’” she said.

Tomike said she believes there should still be boundaries between employers and domestic staff, but argued that this should not prevent parents from treating their nannies with respect and dignity.

She also criticised people who believe nannies should always be reminded of their position, saying she would rather create an environment where those caring for her children feel valued and respected.

At the same time, she acknowledged that being treated with dignity does not mean pretending there are no boundaries between an employer and domestic staff.

 A uniform can be practical. It can identify the person responsible for a child. It can also simply be part of a household's routine.

For others, keeping domestic staff visibly marked as “the help” can feel like a reminder of class hierarchy — particularly when everyone else at the same social event is dressed for the occasion.

Tomike's argument therefore isn't really about changing clothes.

It's about whether professional boundaries require social distance to be made visible.

When a nanny accompanies a family to a social event, is her uniform simply identifying the person responsible for the children—or is it also telling everyone where she sits in the household's social hierarchy?

If your nanny is accompanying your children to a party, would you prefer her in her work uniform—or dressed appropriately for the occasion like everyone else? Why?