Figure 1.--.

A French reader suggests including a section on nannies and governesses that wealthy amd even upper middle-class families hired to help care for children. Often these women were receioved as important members of the family and played a major part in rearing children, especially in the 19th century. English nannies were especially well regarded.

Nannies

Nannies generally cared for the younger children. Affluent families in the 19th century often had special nurseries where the children were cared for. In some cases they were raised by the nannies in the nurseries in relative isolation from the parents, but this was more common in England than France where even the younger children were often more involved in family life. Many affluent French children have had a nanny even in the 20th century. The French term is " Nourice ". Nannies are common for children today until about 3 years of age when they begin to go to enter pre-school. The affluent or bourgeoisy family would individually determine the rules for the nanny. In 1950s they could use "tu" with the children, but not the rest of the staff. In better Parisian apartments (flats) and houses they are normally two entrances, the main entrance called " La grande entrée " or " le grand escalier ". The staff would use the service entarnce, called " entrée de service " or " escalier de service ". The staff was not permitted to use the main entrance, except the nanny. To day this rule continues in use. Normaly a nanny would stay until a child was 3/4 years old, but in reality they often tended to stay much longer. This was because there usually was another baby to care for following the first child. Thus they might care for a child well beyond 4 years old. Nannies were normally young women. In the 19th century they were almost always unmarried. This changed in the 20th century, but even so in case a nanny had a child, she generaly have to leave the house. In Paris apartments, there are on the upper floor some small rooms for the staff. In contrast, the nanny had their room in the aparment of the family to be close to the children. In the French bourgeois family, accepted decorum did not permit people outside the family to touch the younger children (like shaking hands or giving a cudlle). It was a convention widely accepted, only the older and important person might. In contrast the nanny was allowed to be very affectionate with the children. This convention is still very offten respected today. The nanny's work included raising the child. She generaly serveed the child's meals and kept the nursery or child's room in order. A Frenchbreader writes,"The text about the nannies in France is accurate. The French family kept a distance from the staff, except the nannies which were more closely accepted within the family."

Governesses

Governesses were hired to deal with supervising and educating older children. Governesses were commonly hired in the 19th and early 20th century by wealthy families, but became much less common after World War I (1914-18). This was because children were more commonly sent to school and changing social patterns began to open more employment opportunities for educated women. Governesses in the 19th century were unmarried women with some education. (In the 19th century nannies usually had very little eduction.) Very wealthy families might hire a governor rather than a governess for a boy, but governors were much less common because few educated men were willing to work for the low wages that women would accept or tolerate the around the clock live-in working conditions. A governess would begin a child's education before the child began school. In the 19th century, wealthy children were often educated children at home, especially girls. Thus a governess might be reatined by a family to supervise a child into the teen years, but this was mostly girls.

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Last updated: 10:14 PM 3/9/2012