A
nanny,
childminder or
child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service. Traditional nannies were servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house while modern nannies, like other
domestic workerA domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
s, may live in or out of the house depending on their circumstances and those of their employers. Professional nannies are usually certified in
cardiopulmonary resuscitationCardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
, fluent in
First AidFirst aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, and have a degree or extensive training in
child developmentChild development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativist theories....
. There are many employment agencies that specialize in childcare and online services that aid in finding available nannies.
A
childminder cares for the child in the childminder's home. A
governessA governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
, in contrast to a nanny, concentrates on teaching and training children.
History
In the 19th and early 20th century, the position was usually known as a "nurse", and was, as for many
childcareChild care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
jobs, invariably female. In a
great houseA great house is a large and stately residence; the term encompasses different styles of dwelling in different countries. The name refers to the makeup of the household rather than to any particular architectural style...
, the nurse ran her own domain, a suite of rooms called the
nurseryA nursery is usually, in American connotations, a bedroom within a house or other dwelling set aside for an infant or toddler. A typical nursery would contain a crib , a table or platform for the purpose of changing diapers , as well as various items required for the care of the child...
, supported by at least one assistant, known as a
nursemaidA nursemaid or nursery maid, is mostly a historical term of employment for a female servant in an elite household. In the 21st century, the position is largely defunct, owing to the relatively small number of households who maintain large staffs with the traditional hierarchy.The nursery maid...
(or nurserymaid). Because of their rôle in child care, nannies were somewhat more indulged than junior servants. Nannies may have remained in the employment of the same
aristocratAristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
ic family for years, looking after successive generations of children.
Colonial era
Nannies were present in the households of the European colonial empires throughout the world. It was a characteristic feature of
colonial societyColonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
that the children of European administrative officers were entrusted to the care of native women.
Nannies in colonial times spent their lives in the home of their masters, often from childhood till old age, taking care of more than one generation, depending from the duration of the post. It was not uncommon for these nannies to be brought along with the family away from their native country when officers were posted somewhere else.
- In the British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
nannies were known as ayah, after aia, nurse, governess . This term is presently part of the vocabulary of various languages of the Subcontinent, meaning also female servant or maidA maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
.
- In the Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
the household nanny was known as baboe.
Nannies
Although many families use the modern version of a nanny, some of the features used in historical practices are now rare.
UniformA uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s may still be worn in some cases, but a respectful standard of dress is more common.
Perks of the jobEmployee benefits and benefits in kind are various non-wage compensations provided to employees in addition to their normal wages or salaries...
may include a
separate apartmentSecondary suite is an urban planning term for an additional separate dwelling unit on a property that would normally accommodate only one dwelling unit. A secondary suite is considered "secondary" or "accessory" to the primary residence on the parcel. It normally has its own entrance, kitchen,...
(sometimes called a "nanny flat") and a car. Some nannies are highly trained, but there is no restriction on the use of the word, so education, training, and experience vary greatly.
The newest addition to the role of nanny is that of the maternity nanny or night nanny. The night nanny usually works with a family anywhere from one night to seven nights per week. Some night nannies work 24 hours a day, seven days per week, for the first few months of a newborn's life. A night nanny generally works with children from newborn to five years of age. A night nanny can provide a teaching role, helping parents to establish good sleeping patterns or trouble shooting the sleeping patterns of a child. Often this can include slowing down all movement, which lulls the child into sleep. This includes speaking slowly, moving in slow motion and a decelerated rate of all activity. The role can also consist of assisting parents with feeding guidance, nursery set up, postnatal care of the mother and baby, and sleep guidance. The qualifications of a night nanny are usually in mothercraft nursing (see:
Nursing in Australia-Historical:Prior to the transfer of nursing education to the university sector, nurses were trained in a course of instruction in hospital nursing schools that awarded a certificate in general nursing. These courses were generally for a three year period, and nurses were paid employees of the...
), maternity nanny, sleep guidance specialist, or early childhood development. Pay rates vary from country to country but are usually well paid in comparison to the general nanny, as the night nanny is seen as a specialist or expert in their field.
Demographic
Typically, women from their 20s to 60's take up employment as nannies. Some are younger, though normally younger workers are
nursemaidA nursemaid or nursery maid, is mostly a historical term of employment for a female servant in an elite household. In the 21st century, the position is largely defunct, owing to the relatively small number of households who maintain large staffs with the traditional hierarchy.The nursery maid...
s or
au pairAn au pair is a domestic assistant from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a small monetary allowance for personal use...
s rather than nannies in the traditional use of the term.
A few positions are filled by men; the term
manny is sometimes used for a male nanny, especially in the US and the UK.
Associations
There are a number of national and international professional associations representing nannies and nanny agencies. The International Nanny Association (INA) was founded in 1985. INA is a non-profit organization which provides an educational association for nannies with placement, employment, and professional support. The Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies (APNA) was founded in 1993. It is a non-profit organization that promotes professionalism in the nanny placement industry.
Childminding
In the United Kingdom, OFSTED define a
childminder as someone who "provide[s] care for children under eighteen years of age, for more than two hours each day, on domestic premises, for reward." Childminding differs from nannying in that a nanny goes to the house of the child in order to care for it; childminders look after the child in the childminder's own home. The childminder and their house are both carefully assessed by OFSTED, with an inspection taking place every three years.
In the United Kingdom, the National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) was founded in 1945 as the awarding body in qualifications for childminders and nursery personnel. In 1994 the NNEB and the Council for Early Years Awards (CEYA) merged to form CACHE - The Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education, with their CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education providing the knowledge and undertstanding of child development and education needed to work as a Nanny.
Notable nannies
- St Josephine Bakhita
Josephine Bakhita was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Roman Catholic Canossian nun in Italy, living and working there for 45 years. In 2000, she was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
(1869–1947), a black slave who worked as a nanny and later became a Roman Catholic saintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
- Charlotte Bill
Charlotte Jane "Lalla" Bill was a nanny to the children of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George V and Queen Mary. She was most closely linked with the couple's youngest child, Prince John, whom she nursed devotedly from 1905 until his death in 1919.- Employment :Lalla began her...
(c. 1875–1965), known as Lalla, nanny of The Prince JohnThe Prince John was a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest son of King George V and Queen Mary. The Prince had epilepsy and consequently was largely hidden from the public eye.-Early life:...
, son of George VGeorge V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
from 1905 until 1919, featured in the film The Lost PrinceThe Lost Prince is an acclaimed British television drama serial, produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC and originally broadcast in two episodes on BBC One in January 2003...
- Marion Crawford
Marion Crawford, CVO was a Scottish nanny. She was an employee of the British Royal Family, the nanny of the children of King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret who gave her the nickname "Crawfie"...
CVOThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(1909–1988), known as Crawfie, nanny of the future Elizabeth II and Princess MargaretPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
- Margaretta Eagar
Margaretta Alexandra Eagar, also known as Margaret Eagar, , was a nanny for the four daughters of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, known collectively as OTMA: The Grand Duchesses Olga ; Tatiana ; Maria ; and Anastasia Margaretta Alexandra Eagar, also known as Margaret Eagar, (August 12, 1863...
(1863–1936), nanny to the four daughtersOTMA was an acronym sometimes used by the four daughters of Russian emperor Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna as a group nickname for themselves, built from the first letter of each girl's name in the order of their births:...
of Tsar Nicholas IINicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
- Tiggy Legge-Bourke
Alexandra Shân "Tiggy" Legge-Bourke MVO was nanny, later companion, to Prince William of Wales and his brother Prince Harry, and a personal assistant to Charles, Prince of Wales, between 1993 and 1999...
MVOThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(born 1965), nanny to Princes William and HarryPrince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
- Jo Frost
Joanne "Jo" Frost is a British nanny and television personality. She was the central figure of the reality television program Supernanny...
, nanny who hosted a successful television programme, SupernannySupernanny is a reality TV programme which originated in the United Kingdom about parents struggling with their children's behaviour. The UK version has aired on Channel 4 with E4 showing repeats since 2004. The program returned in 2010...
in the UK and US, showing parents techniques to help with unruly children
- Deborah Carroll and Stella Reid
Stella Reid is a British nanny, best known as the co-star of the Fox network reality television show Nanny 911, on which she shares her child-rearing expertise with desperate parents.-Early life:...
, nannies from the show, Nanny 911Nanny 911 is a reality television show in the United States, which originally aired on FOX ....
who have 27 and 20 years of experience respectively.
- Lillian Sperling, nanny of the British royal family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, and the head nanny of the show, Nanny 911Nanny 911 is a reality television show in the United States, which originally aired on FOX ....
.
- Sandra Samuel
Sandra Samuel is an Indian nanny who saved the life of two-year-old Moshe Holtzberg during the November 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. The government of Israel is considering granting Samuel the title Righteous among the Nations....
(b. 1964), an Indian nanny who saved the life of a child during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks in which the baby's two parents were murdered; later honored with honorary Israeli citizenship.
Men
- Tony Danza
Tony Danza is an American actor best known for starring on the TV series Taxi and Who's the Boss?, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards...
in Who's the Boss
- Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
in the movie Mr. NannyMr. Nanny is a 1993 comedy film starring professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. The working title of the film was Rough Stuff, and David Johansen also recorded a song by that name for the film.-Plot:...
- Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film starring Robin Williams and Sally Field and based on the novel Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It was directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup...
- The Manny Files
The Manny Files is a 2006 young adult novel written by Christian Burch and published by Atheneum Books.- Plot introduction:Keats Dalinger, a shy young boy, learns how to be more outgoing and self-confident after his family hires a new "manny" . Keats is a small boy who has many troubles at school...
- Angus Partridge in The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
- Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel is an American actor, writer, director and producer. He became known in the early 2000s, appearing in several successful Hollywood films, including The Fast and the Furious and xXx...
in The PacifierThe Pacifier is a 2005 comedy film directed by Adam Shankman and written by Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant. It stars Vin Diesel, Lauren Graham, Faith Ford, Brittany Snow, Max Thieriot, Morgan York, Carol Kane, and Brad Garrett. The film was released in March 2005 by Walt Disney Pictures, and earned...
- Scott Baio
Scott Vincent James Baio is an American actor and television director, best known for his roles as Chachi Arcola on the sitcom Happy Days and its spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi, and as the title character on the sitcom Charles in Charge....
in Charles in ChargeCharles in Charge is an American sitcom series which starred Scott Baio as Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Jersey, who worked as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board...
- Joey Lawrence
Joseph "Joey" Lawrence is an American actor, R&B-singer, and TV-host. He is known for his roles in the TV-series Gimme a Break!, Blossom, and Melissa & Joey.- Early life :...
in Melissa & JoeyMelissa & Joey is an ABC Family original television series starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence. It first aired on ABC Family on August 17, 2010...
Women
- Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is a fictional character and the protagonist of P. L. Travers' Mary Poppins books and all of its adaptations. She is a magical nanny of unknown origins who arrives at the Banks home in Cherry Tree Lane where she is given charge of the Banks children and teaches them valuable lessons...
, from P. L. TraversPamela Lyndon Travers OBE was an Australian novelist, actress and journalist, popularly remembered for her series of children's novels about the mystical and magical nanny Mary Poppins...
's children's literatureChildren's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
series set in Edwardian London.
- Nanny McPhee
Nanny McPhee is a 2005 fantasy film starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth. Thompson also wrote the screenplay, which is adapted from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books.-Plot:...
- Fran Fine, played by Fran Drescher
Francine Joy "Fran" Drescher is an American film and television actress, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer, author, singer, talk show host, political lobbyist and health activist...
in The Nanny
- The BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television drama series (1981–1983), Nanny, starred Wendy CraigWendy Craig is a BAFTA Award winning English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms Butterflies, ...And Mother Makes Three and ...And Mother Makes Five...
- Phoebe Figalily in the U.S.
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom Nanny and the ProfessorNanny and the Professor is a U.S. fantasy situation comedy created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century Fox Television. During pre-production, the proposed title was Nanny Will Do. The series first aired as a mid-season replacement on January 21, 1970, on ABC and was last telecast...
which starred Juliet Mills and Richard LongRichard Long was an American actor better known for his leading roles in several ABC television series, including The Big Valley, Nanny and the Professor and Bourbon Street Beat.-Early life:...
- Nanny on Muppet Babies
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrayed childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a large nursery in the care of a human woman called Nanny...
- Peyton Flanders/Mrs. Mott in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a 1992 American thriller about a vengeful nanny out to destroy a naïve woman and steal her family. The film was directed by Curtis Hanson, starring Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, and Matt McCoy...
- Mrs. Baylock in The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
(1976)
- The Nanny Diaries
The Nanny Diaries is a 2002 novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, both of whom are former nannies. The book satirizes upper class Manhattan society as seen through the eyes of their children's caregivers....
- Nanny in Eloise
Eloise is the name of the protagonist in a series of children's books written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.Eloise is a six-year-old girl who lives in the "room on the tippy-top floor" of the Plaza Hotel in New York with her Nanny, her pug dog Weenie, and her turtle Skipperdee. A...
- Nanny Hawkins, from "Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder is a novel by English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. Waugh wrote that the novel "deals with what is theologically termed 'the operation of Grace', that is to say, the unmerited and unilateral act of love by...
" by Evelyn WaughArthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
(1945).
Television
Many television programs feature real nannies, many of which help parents discipline children.
- Nanny 911
Nanny 911 is a reality television show in the United States, which originally aired on FOX ....
- Supernanny
Supernanny is a reality TV programme which originated in the United Kingdom about parents struggling with their children's behaviour. The UK version has aired on Channel 4 with E4 showing repeats since 2004. The program returned in 2010...
- Take Home Nanny
Take Home Nanny is an hour long reality show. It originally aired on TLC.The show features professional nanny Emma Jenner whose basic approach instills manners, encourages boundaries and discipline.-Format:...
See also
- Chaperone (social), one who accompanies teenagers and young adults to social events
- Nanny state
A nanny state is the perception of a situation characterised by governmental policies of over-protectionism, economic interventionism, or heavy regulation of economic, social or other nature....
- National Childminding Association
The National Childminding Association is a charity and membership organisation based in London. It works with registered childminders, nannies as well as other individuals and organisations, such as local and national government, to ensure that families in every community in England and Wales have...
- Nursemaid
A nursemaid or nursery maid, is mostly a historical term of employment for a female servant in an elite household. In the 21st century, the position is largely defunct, owing to the relatively small number of households who maintain large staffs with the traditional hierarchy.The nursery maid...
, an assistant to a nanny
- Sittercity.com
Sittercity.com is an American website connecting families, individuals and corporate employees with local in-home care. Types of caregivers that can be found on Sittercity.com include babysitters, nannies, pet sitters, dog walkers, senior care providers, housekeepers and tutors...
- Wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...
, a woman who breastfeeds another's baby
External links
- USA Today article on CEO nannies
- Sitter Finder A comprehensive search and review of local Nannies. Informative blogs about finding the right nanny.
- http://www.howtofindananny.com/ This is an informative website that supplies interested parents with vital information about finding an experienced child care provider. In addition, it offers helpful tips and resources to parents as they begin to search for professional nanny services.