This text explores the question of whom parents usually listen to when raising their children, focusing on parenting practices and their cultural aspects in Brazil. This question is framed within the social representations of children, family, parenting, and development. At the intersection of these representations, the research programs in different countries proceed along a basically standard path of claiming a focus of benefit for children. While many studies from the early 2000s compared parenting practices across cultures, they often focused on urban-rural differences and relied on adapted international scales. These studies largely overlooked the role of nannies, Brazil’s unique childcare history, and the ethnic diversity of the Brazilian population. Our focus in this chapter begins from peeling off the pragmatic focus of the research interests in children and emphasizes the systemic historical complexity of care. That focus includes the care needed for caregivers, aside from care receivers. It was, therefore, decided to take a historical approach, examining key figures in Brazilian society who shaped childcare practices. This perspective highlights the complexities of daily practices and behaviors, challenging psychological science’s tendency to categorize and simplify complex phenomena. We emphasize the importance of considering Brazil’s colonial history and its impact on childcare and parenting practices. It questions why black mothers, indigenous mothers, and nannies—central figures in Brazil’s societal formation—are often absent from psychological studies on parenting and childcare. The aim is to introduce readers to the symbolic dimensions of childcare in Brazil, focusing on the roles that black and indigenous mothers have played. The transition of these figures from home settings to educational contexts is also discussed, despite their having been largely overlooked in parenting and childcare studies. Finally, it is important to point out a paradox between parenting thoughts and practices, noting how the symbolic aspects of childcare are often erased in studies, thereby leaving a significant part of Brazil’s childcare heritage unspoken.