To be the royal nanny, one must first be a ‘nanny’
Being a nanny has about as much in common with being a babysitter as being a doctor has in common with playing doctor. To become a nanny, at least an English nanny, one must complete a training program such as the one that Maria Borrallo, Royal Nanny for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children, took at Norland College. According to The Sun, Norland is the creme-de-la-creme of nanny training grounds.
Don’t miss these strict rules royal children need to follow.
The training goes way beyond ‘child care’
Norland specialises in training royal nannies, teaching its students not just how to change babies’ nappies, but also how to escape kidnappers and avoid terrorists. “The nannies are taught everything from defensive driving to security issues, to how to care for a future king or queen,” Victoria Murphy says.
The training takes at least three years to complete
The basic training at Norland, which leads to an undergraduate level degree in ‘Early Years Development and Learning,’ is a three-year, full-time course. That is exactly the same amount of schooling it takes to become a lawyer in the US.
The classes cover the basics – and then some
With modules on Safeguarding and Child Protection, Promoting Health and Wellbeing, Making Sense of Children’s Behaviour, and Working with Families and Communities, the basic three-year degree program at Norland ends up being part child development, part child psychology, part nutrition, part security, and part social work.
Earning a full diploma takes a full four years
In addition to the first three years, becoming fully qualified to be a royal nanny requires an additional year of practical training. The purpose of the fourth year is to ‘prepare students for the practical aspects of the care and development of children in the early years (aged zero to eight), the Norland website states. “It equips students with the practical skills and competencies…required to work…in sole charge…supporting the children and families with whom they will work.”
Read no for some little-known facts about Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren.
Internships are a requirement
A Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) is a nanny who has completed three years of intensive early years training at Norland College. The NQN year is essentially an internship consisting of a full-time nanny position in which the NQN is employed by a family while having the support of Norland behind her.
Uniforms are non-negotiable
Norland-trained nannies wear uniforms throughout their years in school and are expected to wear a uniform when working in their jobs as nannies. “This instils a sense of responsibility and pride as students represent a long and prestigious history of the highest quality,” according to the Norland website.
Don’t miss these unbearably cute Princess Charlotte moments.
Written reports are a must
In addition to physically caring for your royal charges, supporting and providing activities aimed toward their holistic development, providing well-balanced and nutritious meals, administering medicines, cleaning and tidying, running errands for the family, travelling with the children, and otherwise maintaining fully open lines of communication with the family about the children and all aspects of their care, you will be required to regularly prepare ‘documentation to keep the parents informed about their children’s care, wellbeing, and development.’
She knows how to spot photographers
The royal nanny must assume that she will be photographed by the press, and she must assume that part of her job will be maintaining the appearance of not being interested in being photographed by the press. In addition, she’ll have to be constantly cognisant of photographers trying to snap photos of the royal children, particularly when the royal children might not be behaving as royal children ‘should be’ behaving.
Here are some unlikely royal friendships that will surprise you.
She’s used to living under a microscope
The royal nanny’s social life, family life, personal hygiene, and even her haircut have been subjected to scrutiny by the public. And before anyone can be employed at all as a royal nanny, she will be subject to a background check in the form of the UK Disclosure and Barring Service, and that background check will have to be updated every three years.
Education doesn’t stop upon graduation
Norland nannies, including the royal nanny, are ‘strongly advised’ to undertake at least 15 hours per year of continuing professional development to ensure they are keeping up to date with the latest best practices of child care and early years research.
She has likely signed a confidentiality agreement
When the royal nanny who cared for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret wrote a tell-all book, The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen’s Childhood by Her Nanny, it caused a huge scandal, according to Care.com. These days, it would be unlikely a royal nanny would be hired without signing a confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement, the effect of which would make it impossible to write a tell-all book about her experiences as royal nanny.
Read on for the times the royal family was brutally honest with the media.
Her opinion will be sought
“Former royal nannies have been able to offer their views, make suggestions, and use their professional skills,” according to Care.com, but these days, royal nannies tend to be expected to play an even more significant role in raising the royal children. In fact, one aspect of Norland’s training is about how to advise parents and to navigate the politics of advising parents about how to properly care for their children.
Her work is highly valued
It’s a sad state of affairs that child care work carries far less prestige than many other types of work. By contrast, the work of the royal nanny tends to be highly valued, royal nannies are highly respected, the job of royal nanny (or any trained English nanny, really) is one of high prestige.
Check out these etiquette rules everyone in the royal family must follow.
Walking a fine line is part of the job description
While the royal nanny is charged with caring for the young Royal Highnesses, she’s also encouraged to give them as ‘normal’ an experience as possible. ‘She lets the kids be kids,’ Town and Country writes of Nanny Maria. And sometimes that means getting right onto their level with them, participating in such activities as riding bikes with them in the park.
But one thing that’s off limits is corporal punishment
While corporal punishment (spanking and the like) is accepted parental behaviour in ordinary families (although not necessarily the best course of action, according to experts), it is not permitted to be carried out by the royal nanny. In fact, Norland College specifically forbids it. That said, a stern talking-to would be acceptable if a child’s behaviour requires correction.
There’s only one royal nanny for George, Charlotte and Louis, but that’s not the whole story…
The royal family hires only one royal nanny, even when there are three or more children, as is the case with William and Catherine’s brood. That being said, the royal nanny is far from the only royal staff member charged with taking care of the needs of the tiny royal highnesses. So Nanny Maria is assisted by a team of nursemaids to oversee the health of the kids, domestic staff members to clean up after everyone, a travel team for tours, an event planner, and a chef to prepare the royal chicken nuggets.
Sign up here to get Reader’s Digest’s favourite stories straight to your inbox!
Source: RD.com
