A Spoonful of Sugar: A Nanny's Story
For readers accustomed to nanny exposés filled with snark, gossip, and bad behavior, Ashford’s memoir will indeed go down like a spoonful of sugar. The reference to Mary Poppins is apt, as Ashford, who trained as a nanny in the 1930s, is very much a character from another era. During 62 years of service to scores of British families, Ashford, now in her nineties, maintained an unflagging belief in establishing routine, setting a good example, and teaching proper manners. Though she chronicles the major social upheavals of her time—WWII, the sexual revolution, women’s liberation—Ashford is more witness than participant; everything else changes, but she remains the same. Outside of a failed romance or two, her world is confined to the nursery: babies and toddlers, changing nappies and giving cuddles. It’s a solitary and frequently lonely life, but in typical “stiff-upper-lip” fashion, she continually assures readers she’s happy with her lot. Ashford doesn’t offer much self-reflection, instead presenting a fascinating look at the evolution of child-rearing practices, for better or worse. --Patty Wetli