A Spoonful of Sugar

Book excerpt: Brenda Ashford was a real-life Mary Poppins. Caring for over one hundred children during her lifetime as a nanny, her charges ranged from the pampered sons and daughters of grand estates or the tough offspring of WWII evacuees in London’s East End. Now, in A Spoonful of Sugar, Britain’s longest-serving nanny shares her endearing, amusing, and sometimes downright bizarre experiences turning generations of children into successful adults. Nanny Brenda says: “All mothers are quite brilliant in my eyes and nine times out of ten don’t realize the sacrifices they undertake or the powerful contributions they make.” “Little folk deserve a childhood that’s full of fun. It’s the single most valuable lesson in my eyes.” “Everyone knows you simply can’t retire from love. Children leave you; you don’t leave children. That’s the natural order of things.” “I have puzzled many times over the ingredients for a perfect recipe for a happy home. It needs to be a place with parents who worship their offspring. Throw in some stability, a dash of routine, and respect.”