another book
Another book we actually listened to on tape this weekend was The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, both former nannies. The novel is a real eye-opener to nannying in New York. The main character is an NYU senior who takes care of a 4 yr old boy during what are supposed to be parttime hours, but it practically ends up taking over her life. The parents barely notice they have a son and exploit the nanny deplorably. From what I've read concerning this book, it is a fairly realistic portrayal of a certain category of nannying. This is beyond just a regular babysitter. These nannies are very ill-treated by their employers and are the only ones really raising the children. The nannies are the ones potty-training, teaching the tykes to say please and thank-you, teaching them basic social and people skills, teaching them basic morals. Even then the nannies may be doing it with one arm tied behind their back. And these kids will eventually be running the country, business, and the economy. Scary. The book is a quick-read. But the style is engaging. Definitely an aspect of the world I had never thought of before.
Comments
Yes, I read The Nanny Diaries a few years ago, and while I was cheering for the heroine and the little boy the entire time, I was simultaneously repulsed by the parents. It frightens me that this sprang from the authors' actual experiences nannying; it all goes back to my philosophy that people should have to pass a rigorous test before becoming parents.
Posted by: Erica | 02.03.04 14:44