Living in the lap of the super-rich comes with serious perks, these nannies and former nannies reveal.
They’re taking to TikTok to lift the veil on the reality of au pairing for the super-rich — and to shed light on the luxurious perks that come with it.
Working holidays on private yachts, flying on a private jet, VIP access to theme parks and meals prepared by private chefs could all be part of the day’s work, they reveal.
An example is Ginger Rose Smith27, who recently shared a video about her experience as a nanny for a Middle Eastern royal family who spent time in Los Angeles. It taught her “how the richest of the rich live,” she reveals.
Ginger Rose, who is no longer a nanny, worked in this position five years ago to support herself while she did an unpaid internship in the city. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Ginger Rose says VIP access to ‘some of the most elite shops, events and shows’ was one of the biggest benefits of the role. She says, “We went shopping at the Nike store and they literally closed the store so we could shop there.”
Many nannies and former nannies of the world’s millionaires and billionaires use TikTok to share their experiences in the profession. Above is Ginger Rose Smith, who previously worked as a nanny for a wealthy family in Los Angeles
The most luxurious experience she had, she reveals, was when she accompanied the family on a trip to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. “I’ve seen the one percent attend these types of experiences,” she says, adding, “We had a personal guide (and) got to go to the front of the line.”
Ginger adds that when they took a ride at the theme park, no other park visitors were allowed on the ride at the same time. “That day was pretty crazy,” she says.
Another bonus was the “free stuff” she got. Ginger says, “I was cleaning out one of their guest rooms and they told me I could keep anything I wanted. I found a box full of gift cards and over $400 (£322) worth of quarters.’
And the meals prepared by the family’s private chef were another plus. ‘I went to work in the morning and their private chef asked me what I wanted to eat. There was always a million employees coming and going,” she says.
Chef-prepared dishes are a thing Sami Jean Williams also enjoys her role as a nanny every day – she regularly shares videos of these lunches and dinners with her 27,000 followers on TikTok.
Ginger Rose says when she visited Universal Studios Hollywood with a Middle Eastern family she was babysitting, the public wasn’t allowed to ride with them
Sami is originally from Prince Edward Island in Canada and has worked for very wealthy families for the past two years billionaires among her employers – in the U.S
In her videos, Sami, who currently works for a family in Miami, reveals that other perks of work include traveling by private jet, swimming in families’ private pools and vacationing with families on their private yachts. “Some families take you on vacation if they want you to help,” she explains.
A video she shared from a work hunting vacation – titled ‘life is good’ – has been viewed more than eight million times, with one user, ‘Bella’, labeling Sami’s role as a ‘dream job’. And ‘user423541’ commented: ‘Some people live incredible lives.’
Valerie DaBaldo documents her daily life as a nanny on TikTok. “The biggest benefit is definitely the endless adventures and events I get to experience,” she reveals
Another North American TikToker, Katrina Martinalso offered insight into the glamorous vacations that can be part of starring in a series of viral videos.
In one clip, which has racked up more than 3.2 million views, she admits, “My experience as a nanny was terrible to say the least, but the only interesting thing about my experience was when they took me on a family vacation to Turks and Caicos. We flew there on a private jet and we stayed in this crazy villa – I’ve never seen anything like it.
‘It was huge. The staff there later told us that celebrities like Drake, Rihanna (and) numerous Victoria’s Secret models all stayed there.”
And luxury travel is a perk that nannies also enjoy Valerie DaBaldo, 19, who is a college student and works as a live-in nanny during the summer. Greece, Florida and Long Beach Island on the US east coast are among the destinations she has traveled to as part of her role.
Describing how wealthy host families travel, she tells MailOnline Travel: ‘They don’t go on ordinary trips, it’s always top class… the biggest advantage is definitely the endless adventures and events that I (my host family) experience because they can afford to bring a babysitter.’
She adds, “I also get into restricted clubs and country clubs just by being their babysitter.”
And the houses she stays in as a live-in nanny are designed for a pampered lifestyle. She says: ‘Rich people have an endless supply of luxury technology and access to luxurious places. The house where I am staying now has two saunas, a steam bath, a home gym and a personal (masseuse) that we can always call.’
Valerie documented her life as a nanny on TikTok, sharing a video of herself enjoying the walk-in shower in her host family’s room. ‘$9 million (£7.3 million) beach house’ which has generated almost 40,000 views. Another shows her relaxing in their infrared saunawhile others show her sunbathing by the pool or on the beach during her spare time.
She also regularly shares outfit videos with her followers on TikTok, from bikinis for the beach to more relaxed looks for grocery shopping.
Valerie says that at work, she “spends most travel days exploring with (the family’s children), at the pool or on the beach.” She adds: ‘My role as a babysitter mainly occurs at night when they want to visit an amusement park or if they need a lift somewhere.’
Valerie documented her life as a nanny on TikTok and shared a video (left) showing her relaxing in her host family’s infrared sauna. She regularly shares outfit videos with her followers on TikTok, from bikinis for the beach to more relaxed looks for running errands
Valerie says: ‘The house where I am staying now has two saunas, a steam bath, (a) home gym and a personal (masseuse) that we can always call.’ Some of the destinations Valerie has traveled to in her role as a nanny include Greece, Florida and Long Beach Island on the east coast of the US.
Of course, this exposure to luxury also applies to nannies hired by A-list TikToker stars Rachel DiBease reveals.
She is now a model and content creator and has worked as a nanny for famous families in the US for several years. She tells her followers, “Being a celebrity nanny exposes you to a different kind of realm.”
In one TikTok video, she reveals how she received gifts, such as a Gucci bag, from one of her employers and in another she describes how one of the high-profile families she worked for “had an elevator installed (to their home), a bowling alley, a sauna, a games room with Skee-Ball (arcade machine)… just everything’.
What about the salary? New Jersey native DiBease worked as a medical assistant before becoming a nanny and admits the career change quadrupled her annual salary.
She says there are nannies in the US who work for celebrities and high-profile clients paid annual salaries which range from $75,000 (£61,000) to $175,000 (£142,000). “These are very high-paying positions, almost always six figures,” she admits.
This fixed salary is not the only financial advantage of the position. DiBease says, “I did a pilot with families who were open to giving me a living allowance if I lived in New York or California where the cost of living is very expensive… that’s something that a lot of families offer. ‘ Paid time off and a 401(k) – a retirement savings plan – are also common, she explains.
So how do you become a high-profile nanny? There are babysitting agencies designed specifically for wealthy families, DiBease reveals. Among them are agencies such as ‘The Nanny League’ And ‘Elite nannies’.
When it comes to interviewing for the role, DiBease notes that wealthy families are “really looking for individuality” from their nannies. It also helps if you’re bilingual, she adds.