really interesting and fun memoir about nannying for the 1%. the ideas were def well done as were the general concepts. thanks for the arc

This memoir is about a woman, Stephanie, who becomes a nanny in Manhattan out of financial necessity despite her degree and dream to write. She compares her own upbringing filled with struggles to that of Manhattan’s elite. Interestingly, motherhood appears to be difficult regardless of socioeconomic status. The assortment of families Stephanie nannied for was certainly entertaining in terms of parenting styles and name dropping. Stephanie’s stories were insightful, though several times I felt too intrusive reading about her processing her background. Additionally, sometimes the structure of the chapters was difficult to follow. However, some readers may appreciate that depth of vulnerability and detail in assessing her experiences. This memoir highlights the emphasis placed on education, the weight of student loan debt, and the value of friendship no matter one’s situation.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I flew through this one - maybe because I felt like I related to part of Stephanie’s memoir. I kept flipping through the pages curious what would happen next. The best part about this memoir is that it gives us a glimpse into two completely different worlds - the world of Upper East Side nannies and the world of working class paycheck to paycheck families. Stephanie straddles both. And yet she acknowledges that she is able to excell in the nanny circle due to some of her own privileges - being white and college educated. There’s definitely some social commentary here and a lot about why our education system and value system is corrupt. The debt from college is what plunges Stephanie into the nannying world anyway, because her liberal arts degree pushes her into entry level jobs in NYC that she can’t pay rent, her student loans and still be able to feed herself. There are also lots of tender moments here where we see her familial past as well as her relationship with the families she nannies for. I really enjoyed this and could see it becoming a talked about book like Educated. I’m glad Stephanie finally achieved her dream of breaking into writing!

In this memoir Kiser dives into her upbringing being poor and needing money she starts nannying for the 1%.
It’s written very frankly and openly.
Besides describing what it’s like to work 12 hours or more a day, she also delves into the differences and similarities in her upbringing and the families.
The book is written well and is accessible and easy to read.
It is rough hearing how hard that job is, and also discovers her privilege as a white young woman often treated better than her POC fellow nannies.
it’s jarring how the rich treat their staff.
I would definitely read other books by her.

Loved this one. I flied thru it, it was that good.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read the book.. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Stephanie Kiser moves to New York to be a writer. Instead, she becomes a nanny. The first in her family to go to college, she is nearly bankrupted by sizable education loans so the salaries offered by desperate city parents (six figure salaries, healthcare, vacations etc) are tempting. Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant describes several nannying jobs Stephanie held, detailing job responsibilities, the likeability of her small charges and the behavior of their one percenter parents.

That story has been done before. What makes Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant a captivating read are the contrasts between Stephanie’s early experiences and that of her employers. For instance, she notes the a yard full of cars in her Rhode Island hometown means poverty but in the Hamptons, having multiple cars in a driveway is a sign of wealth. She has left behind a home full of screaming arguments to enter a world of soft spoken families. Her childhood was full of struggles with both her weight and her grades in school. She wonders what her life would have been like if she were one of her charges. She never had designer clothes, lessons and after school activities. She never went to a private school nor was assured a legacy place at an Ivy League college. As she works for wealthy families, she discovers herself. She questions her beliefs, she reads to fill gaps in her learning and she becomes a writer at last. 5 stars to you, Stephanie.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Stephanie Kiser for this ARC.

Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant is a glimpse into another life. Family, work, and friendship are at the heart of Stephanie Kiser’s novel. I really enjoyed this look into the world of the Upper East Side. As a midwesterner, most of the assumptions I had about rich mothers seems to be true. Most are not really “mothering” but passing the job off to others. Being a mother is the hardest job and I think Kiser makes that clear when sharing her experiences as a nanny.

I really enjoyed this book (outside of the limited political talk surrounding 2016). The reflections of social class were really interesting and I was especially intrigued reading about the treatment of nannies that are not white. The COVID revelations were really heartbreaking to read about. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be in New York for the pandemic.

Kiser’s writing style was warm and easy to read. I look forward to seeing what else she puts out in the future!

I would add - trigger warning: abortion.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction), Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was a fun read following Stephanie in her career changes. The focus evolves around joining into the new York City Nanny world. We learn more about the hierarchy, racial discriminations, pay and so much more. We also see how Stephanie bonds with the families and connects with the children. Loved watching her progression into the nanny world and also when she recognizes its time to leave.

Wanted: Toddler's Personal Assistant, by Stephanie Kiser, is an eye-opening peek into the lives of Upper East Side families who rely on nannies and staff to function. I loved the name dropping and all the omg anecdotes. A memoir that reads like an updated Nanny Diaries. Highly recommend!!

An interesting, well written book the inside lives of very wealthy New Yorkers, as told by the author, who works as a Nanny.
Though other books have been written regarding the inside lives of the wealthy, and there are no surprising themes the reader isn't already familiar with, the book is well written and entertaining.
One underlying theme is what happens when people put off pursing their passion/calling in order to make a living.

Stephanie Kiser moved to NYC to be a writer but her entry level salary just isn’t paying the bills. However, nannying for the richest of the rich will, so welcome to life on the upper East Side.

The money and the perks are good but the twelve hour days and the knowledge of what really happens in some of the homes (not so much hers, Kiser has great placemats, mostly) takes the shine off the jobs, even as she comes to love the children and her employers.

Interesting book. Lots of name-dropping, which is always fun. Also a lot of comparison between the lives of the kids she is nannying compared to the life she led growing up…they are certainly very different. I enjoy these glimpses at different sorts of lives, and I liked this, despite the bad title. Recommended.