Nannies

Nannies in History

In the 19th and 20th centuries, nannies were referred to as nurses, primarily for wealthy families. A nanny cared for the children not only through their childhood and teenage years, but also through the next generation's childhood and teenage years. The nanny during this period was very much a member of the family.

Two famous nannies during this time were Charlotte Jane “Lalla” Bill, who worked for the Duke and Duchess of York before becoming a nanny for King George V and Queen Mary. Lalla formed a close bond with the youngest child, Prince John, who was very sickly. In fact, it was Lalla, and not Queen Mary, who was present when the boy passed away in 1919 from an epileptic seizure.

Marion “Crawfie” Crawford was the nanny of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's children, who grew up to be Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret of England. Crawford wrote a controversial biography called The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by Her Nanny, which resulted in her being banished from the royal family.

Contemporary Nannies

Much literature describes how a family can find the perfect nanny or caretaker for their children. Some nannies may attend special schools for training. A modern book that outlines qualities mothers should seek in a nanny lists emotional maturity, punctuality, respect, enthusiasm, and training. The available [Page 889]literature also outlines other important concerns, including background checks and employer obligations of families toward their nannies.

While the nannies of yesteryear were often attached to a family for multiple generations, contemporary nannies often work through an agency. Tasks nannies may be asked to provide, in addition to everyday childcare, include supporting the development (intellectual and otherwise) of the children, ensuring they have a safe environment, preparing meals, communicating with the family, and maintaining a clean home. Women are still predominantly nannies, but men can also serve as nannies.

Nannies in the Media

There is no shortage of nannies appearing in film and literature during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The television shows Who's the Boss and Charles in Charge each feature a male nanny, while The Nanny is responsible for making Fran Drescher famous. The recent novel The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus uses the authors' own experiences as a nanny to depict a fictional, but fact-based, world of a nanny. The book was such a hit that a film was made with the same title. The popular children's book Mary Poppins depicted a nanny and the two children she cared for; the story was brought to life in the 1964 film by the same title. The star of this film, Julie Andrews, starred in another film featuring a nanny, The Sound of Music.

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