Nanny Diaries

I first became a nanny at the end of 1991. Moving from small-town Michigan to a suburb of Manhattan was certainly a shock, but what was even more shocking was the whole nanny culture. When I made the decision to become a nanny, I wasn't even sure what one was. Some friends who had graduated with teaching degrees learned that they could make quite a bit more nannying than they could teaching, so they packed up and headed east. I followed a few months after. My parents thought it was a scam for sure. "These people are going to let you live in their house AND eat their food AND drive their car AND pay you - all for babysitting?!?" Apparently they were.

I soon realized that being a nanny was not the same as being a babysitter. I met other nannies in my area, who took me under their wing and showed me what a difference I could make in the life of my charge. I couldn't believe how many nannies there were! They were from all over the world and from many varying backgrounds. They gently guided me and taught me to plan outings and activities to stimulate and socialize the baby. I soon felt a passion growing for my job. I could do this - and I could do it well.

When The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was released in January of 1992 I had been a nanny for two months. A few nannies that I had met through my placement agency made a date to attend as a group. At dinner afterwards, we discussed the film. A few of the women stated how nervous they were about the movie. They were worried that it would portray nannies in a bad way, and not give enough credit for the jobs that we do. I remember thinking that they were a little crazy. After all, it was just a movie. No one was actually going to believe that all nannies were like this. Then the media got ahold of it. Soon stories of horror at the hands of nannies were on the news nightly. People were anxious to make it sound like they had lived through similar situations. Now when I talked to friends from college and told them what I was doing with my life, I had to hear, "Oh. Are you sleeping with the husband? Have you killed anyone?" Ha. It got old very quickly.

Tonight we are going as a group to see The Nanny Diaries. In fact, groups from all across the country are planning to go. I have read the book and am not expecting people to come out of the movie extolling the virtues of nannies. I do, however, hope that it portrays us in a more positive light. Instead of painting nannies as sex-starved lunatics, this story seems to be told more from the nanny's point of view. I'm sure that it will be sensationalized a bit for the movie. A movie depicting my life as a nanny might be amusing at times... but it certainly wouldn't make an engrossing film. Oh well. Let's be honest - we're all really going for the popcorn anyway.
-Charlotte Hilliker from Pa