Nina Naustdal has everything taken care of.
She’s a 34-year-old mother-of three-and she has everything – from the cooking to the chauffeuring to the parenting – absolutely, unequivocally taken care of.
The only thing is, she doesn’t do any of it herself.
“If you want something done,” Naustdal told The Telegraph in the UK. “You can get somebody else to do it.”
Listen: We know celebs all have nannies, but why don’t we ever see them? On the latest episode of This Glorious Mess podcast.
She’s part of the UK reality show Too Posh for Parenting and, in an approach that might seem shocking to all those mothers who do have to partake in the tying of the shoelaces, the cleaning-up-of-the-vomit, the talking-between-a-door-that’s-just-been-slammed-in-your-face moments of blissful motherhood, Naustdal outsources her parenting.
Naustdal employs a nanny for each of her children, two tutors, a personal assistant, a chef, butler and chauffeur-come-bodyguard.
Anything else? (She also has seven Chihuahuas)
She’s not the only one.
The show also follows the story of a woman called Lauren, who openly admits to being “too posh for parenting”.
She has five children, but she also has better things to do with her time.
“I like to go to cocktail parties,” she said. “It makes me a better wife for my husband, because I’m not stuck at home.”
(All of a sudden, we’re also desperate for a cocktail. Funny that.)
And these alien-like women-and-mothers-and-wives, who live in a world where anything is seemingly possible and everything can be done by somebody else, are not only found on reality television.
“Being rich doesn’t mean people don’t care about their kids,” the boss of upmarket nanny agency Nanny & Butler told The Telegraph. “I’ve had clients who are so attached to their children that the nannies have complained of boredom. But of course there are families where even if a child has a bad dream during the night they want a nanny to deal with it.”
Browsing the Nanny & Butler Facebook page, I come across countless – and I mean countless – advertisements for nannies needed around the world. Who are these people?
Here is an ad for a nanny needed in Riyadh, Saudi.
Ages of Children: 2yrs, 1yr, Newborn Due October (will have maternity nurse)
Details/Duties: Only child related duties. Nanny will have 2 assistants for day/night. Travelling for long periods worldwide
Hours of Work: 6 days per wk 24hrs on call (could change to 12hr days)
Accommodation: Own bed/bath -2 children 2yrs, 1yrs
Stipend Offered: £1000-1200pwk
(brb, just going to travel the world with my new Saudi family).
London. Russia. Saudi Arabia. London again. All ads from families looking for nannies to help with the everyday parenting.
(The ads probably weren’t written by the parents, I’m sure they have assistants to do that.)
These parents are looking for someone to take care of the in-between moments. The putting to sleep and the waking up. The driving to and from play-dates and classes.
They’re after someone else to spend their time playing and comforting and arguing and connecting with these small children.
Someone who will sit with them quietly and talk and smile and frown and listen.
Someone to act like a parent.
Featured image via Facebook.
Top Comments
Being cared for by nannies prepares these very privileged children for a life dependent on the staff that work for them which is a life beyond what most of us can imagine. They will never have normal lives so who are we to judge by saying what is right and what isn't.
I don't get it. I understand having a cleaner and help with errands etc or even occasional care but you get one shot in life to develop a relationship with your kids. Why would you not want to spent as much time as you can? They won't be kids forever.