Can anyone remember this programme?

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

You know, the one where the 'old school', Nanny give parenting advice to modern wimpy parents. It was a big success at the time - maybe 10 yrs ago?? She also had a parenting book out.

Does anyone remember it? What it was called? I remember thinking she was great (pre having my own kids) and being a wimpy modern parent myself quite fancied reading her book.

[misdee]

supernanny?

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

Nope not supernanny, this one was pre Supernanny. She was a v e r y old lady, sort of Norland Nanny from the 1950's type. All starched uniform and kind heart.

[misdee]

hmmmmm

[swanriver]

Nanny Knows Best. Book by Nina something..She was called Nanny Smith.
She was lovely, an oldish lady. There was a big book with black and white pictures and lots of little hardback (ladybird size) about different topics.
She had routines, not necessary any good for bfng though, and was completely child orientated. She did not believe in controlled crying.
All the children she looked after she had looked after practically from birth.
A typical thing she might have said was
"no toys at the table". She never forced children to eat their food. She believed in children getting overtired. She believed in imaginary play. Her kids never watched telly, they just played. She believed in encouragement, but structure.

[swanriver]

Nina Grunfeld was an ex-charge who put the book together. It was a BBC series I think.

[Housemum]

Was it "Nanny Knows Best"? I bought a secondhand copy of her potty training book at an NCT sale as I thought I'd like the old-fashioned tried-and-trusted approach and I didn't actually get much from it - particularly when she suggested at 10 mths tying baby to cot railings sitting on the potty until they'd performed!!

If you want old-fashioned parenting in a more positive way, A Spoonful of Sugar is a good read, not so much on discipline but more on lifestyle.

[mymatemarmite]

Swanriver I was just about to post the same . Nanny knows best. Although saying that the bit that I say said it was 2005 (I think)

[Housemum]

Nanny Knows Best

The Amazon reviewer liked it so maybe the book of the series is better than the potty training one!

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

ooo great, thanks so much, will check the Amazon review now.

My kids are post baby age now - gruesome toddlers and I remember liking her approach, so will take a look and see if I still feel the same.

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

I don't remember the tying baby to the cot episode. Maybe a VERY BAD baby tho?

[Housemum]

The tying to the cot wasn't supposed to be bad! - it was to teach a young child how to stay on a potty - I think my wriggly child would just have peed sideways off the potty to get me back!

[lottiejenkins]

Really spooky I was thinking about this programme yesterday!

[swanriver]

Another thing I remember which was lovely was things like a playdate where a little girl would come to help wash the dolly's hair. Or setting up a few toys (like a teaset) so that the child would find them to play with first thing. Also never controlling the child's play or directing it, but somehow giving them the space to play, not hurrying them along with the next thing.
Not giving choices over meals or asking children what they wanted to eat on an everyday basis - if you ask they will just say, pizza, milk, sausages...
Another brilliant insight was how parents would ask her whether their child had been good or bad that day, and she would say rather pointedly, he hasn't been good, he's been happy, as if goodness or badness didn't come in to it.