A erstwhile nanny - who has counted immoderate of New York's biggest billionaires among her clients - has revealed nan chaotic excesses that hap down nan heavily-guarded doors of their multi-million-dollar homes.
In Wanted: Toddler's Personal Assistant, Stephanie Kiser lifts nan lid connected nan benignant of outrageous demands nan city's astir privileged parents make connected behalf of their making out children.
One mom moreover expected her to return narcotics that would origin her to lactate - truthful she could breastfeed nan baby.
'The mom didn't want to pump astatine activity but besides only wanted her kid to portion bosom milk,' explains Stephanie, 'so was seeking a nanny comfortable pinch induced lactation.
'She was hoping to find "help" consenting to effort things she'd publication that mightiness origin non-pregnant women to nutrient milk, for illustration hormone-mimicking narcotics aliases herbal medication.'
Stephanie Kiser has lifted nan lid connected nan benignant of outrageous demands New York's astir privileged parents make connected behalf of their making out children
Stephanie's experiences echo those of Scarlett Johansson successful nan Nanny Diaries
Stephanie wondered if nan petition was moreover legal, and took a difficult pass. But nan problem pinch off-the-books home activity for illustration this, she says, is that it is wholly unregulated, truthful often thing goes erstwhile it comes to nan occupation description.
And immoderate requirements are much palatable than others.
One interviewer asked her: 'Are you comfortable doing errands successful a Porsche? They're nan only benignant of cars we have.'
Naturally, nan reply was 'yes.'
Aged conscionable 22, and recently graduated, Stephanie grew to emotion nan first family she worked for. She soon sewage utilized to opinionated astatine nan schoolhouse pick-up alongside Steve Martin, Drew Barrymore, and Robert De Niro.
But erstwhile it came clip to move on, she discovered the altogether much bizarre aspects of nan industry.
A imaginable customer she calls Mrs Robertson - who lives pinch her aged erstwhile CEO hubby successful a $9 cardinal Upper East Side flat - was looking for a nanny to beryllium her 'eyes and ears.'
'Nothing should hap that I don't cognize about,' she told Stephanie.
Stephanie soon sewage utilized to opinionated astatine nan schoolhouse pick-up alongside Steve Martin (pictured) and Drew Barrymore
Robert De Niro was connected regular dada work connected schoolhouse trips pinch his daughter
'We person 1 to 2 nannies connected astatine each times. You will activity 5 days on, 2 days off. The 5 days connected will beryllium live-in.
'While connected duty, you will request to aftermath Frederick astatine 6.30am. Watch to beryllium judge he has brushed his teeth, packed his backpack, and applied deodorant. The cook has his meal retired astatine 7am, and he must decorativeness nan full thing. He needs nan nutrients for his engaged day.'
Her duties would besides impact ordering immoderate clothing aliases toiletries Frederick mightiness need, supervising his after-school activities, and ensuring he showered astatine night.
'You will tuck him successful for lights retired astatine 10pm sharp,' his mother instructed. But Stephanie's activity time wouldn't beryllium complete rather yet.
'Once he's settled successful bed, you and I meet to talk his day. You should beryllium taking notes passim it truthful you tin support maine up to velocity connected his moods, immoderate issues, concerns. It's each astir communication.'
She added: 'My boy has precocious started to rebel. He doesn't deliberation he needs nannies anymore. He does not want them…'
'Oh, no,' said Stephanie. 'How aged is he?'
Little Frederick was 17.
The occupation was paying $90,000 a twelvemonth pinch a $25,000 rate bonus, payable aft staying pinch nan family for 2 afloat years.
'As I've said, my boy doesn't precisely invited his caregivers,' his mother told her. 'He tin beryllium somewhat, say, dispute pinch them. But that's why I implemented nan prize system. A benignant of "survivor's prize" if you will.'
No nanny ever made it that far. Needless to say, Stephanie didn't return nan job.
In yet different 'nanny audition' - for a judge and his germaphobe woman - she had to protect 2 toddlers from interaction pinch nan extracurricular world.
Their apparel had to beryllium washed instantly aft they'd undressed. Neither kid had ever been connected a playdate, and nan three-year-old had ne'er had truthful overmuch arsenic a cold.
The children moreover took individual gymnastic classes to debar being exposed to different kids' germs.
Stephanie trialed pinch them for 3 agelong days - starting astatine 6.30am and finishing astatine 6.30pm.
'When nan mother asks maine to please sneeze extracurricular nan apartment, I determine to move on,' she writes.
Her adjacent escapade was pinch five-year-old Digby, a 'spiteful' kid who pooped his pants each day. On purpose.
Digby was a 'spiteful' five-year-old who pooped his pants each time - connected intent (stock photo)
'He has been potty-trained for 3 years, uses nan toilet erstwhile convenient, and is afloat alert that this behaviour is unacceptable,' writes Stephanie. 'But still, he keeps doing it, and his mother keeps making maine hand-wash his soiled underpants.'
'He conscionable is truthful smart,' his mom, Stefany, would coo. 'He can't extremity immoderate he's doing to go. He was truthful focused connected his LEGO creation that he virtually couldn't region to spell to nan bathroom.'
But erstwhile Stephanie asked if she could conscionable propulsion a peculiarly nasty brace of soiled underpants out, his mom barked: 'Absolutely not. These are linen boxers; do you cognize really overmuch they costs per pair? Put them successful nan descend and scrape it.'
Digby had already been sitting successful his poop for immoderate time, and parts had hardened onto nan cloth. Stephanie was instructed nan 'correct' measurement to region it was to scratch it disconnected pinch her bare fingernails.
Stephanie discovered bizarre aspects of nan industry
She handed successful her announcement soon aft - and nan nanny agency reacted pinch a resigned sigh.
'The past nanny we placed pinch them lasted moreover little clip than you,' they told her. 'One day she went connected a luncheon break and conscionable ne'er returned. Stefany thought she mightiness person been murdered aliases kidnapped, but nan woman told america she was fine; she conscionable couldn't walk a azygous infinitesimal longer moving for that woman.'
The family that invited her to activity successful nan Hamptons for a play seemed a small much promising - particularly aft a Google hunt of her caller boss, Mr Boyston, revealed he was one of New York's 105 billionaires.
However, nan conditions were moreover much punishing than her erstwhile jobs - 24-hour shifts over four days - and her last time successful nan Hamptons turned retired to beryllium nan past straw.
She and nan small boy were playing successful nan gait erstwhile Mr Boyston trotted up and asked his boy if he'd for illustration to spell to their docked yacht, a five-minute locomotion away.
'The boy shrieks pinch excitement, and past nan begetter calls out, "Felipe!"
'Within seconds a mini man pinch tanned tegument and surgery English appears. "Yes, Mr Boyston?"
'Mr Boyston directs nan staffer to bring a play cart around. Felipe disappears, past abruptly zooms up and loads Mr Boyston and nan boy onto nan cart.'
He pointed down nan elevation astatine immoderate invisible constituent successful nan region and told Stephanie: 'The boat's down there. You conscionable travel nan way to nan water. Just tally down and meet america there.'
Stefanie wasn't judge she understood, truthful asked if he meant for her to pursuit aft nan play cart alternatively than simply thrust alongside them.
'Yes,' he replied, 'so that you get location conscionable a small aft us.
'I can't watch him while I'm connected nan boat,' he said by measurement of explanation. 'I'm going to fish.'
Stefanie writes: 'I americium 60 seconds into moving aft a fat billionaire and his babe erstwhile I determine that coming is nan past time I will ever spot these people.'
Wanted: Toddler's Personal Assistant: How Nannying for nan 1% Taught Me astir nan Myths of Equality, Motherhood, and Upward Mobility successful America by Stephanie Kiser is published by Sourcebooks.