TV presenter and newsreader Fiona Bruce recently revealed that although her two children are in their teens, she still employs a nanny to take care of them. What is more she certainly isn’t the only one as there is a growing trend for busy parents to employ nannies to care for their children into their teenage years, or even for the first time if they have never employed a nanny before.
"I'm working a lot and my husband works a lot, too, and it's really important for me that someone is in the house when Mia comes in from school" commented Bruce. Indeed, as well as being there after school parents of teenagers who travel a great deal or who work long hours are finding they need someone to help with homework, ensure their teenagers eat well, take them to after-school and activity clubs and even, if needed, go to parents’ evenings.
Fiona Bruce is not alone in her certainty that teenagers still need as much care as younger children, as a study published in 2016 by The Children’s Society and conducted by the University of York found that teenagers are often viewed as more resilient than younger children but in fact actually still need dedicated care to meet their physical and emotional needs, to support their education and to keep them safe. The report also highlighted that although bringing up teenagers is seen by most as a challenge, there is little support available for parents. So this is where the ‘teenager’s nanny’ role can most help by offering parents and their teenagers consistency, routine and a safe pair of hands.
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