Former Nanny Criticizes Princess Astrid's Parenting Skills - Apr. 2008

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by sgl

I don't mean to rehash this topic, but one of the earlier posters mentioned that perhaps Astrid was not a baby-person. I agree. I have never believed that Princess Astrid did not completely and genuinely love her children. Maybe she really wasn't a baby-person. I do not have children, but I love children. At the same time, I am not wild about babies. Maybe Astrid was dealing with some depression after each of her births, and this gave the nanny an impression that she didn't enjoy her babies. Either way, I think that it was not appropriate for the nanny to criticize Astrid the way that she did.

I am exactly the same way...I adore children and babies but small infants make me uncomfortable. I am not the least bit ashamed to admit that if I had had children and could have afforded it, I would have employed a baby nurse. I don't think that it's wrong as long as the nurse does only rudimentary, basic things(changing diapers etc) and leaves the real mothering to the mother...waking up at night when children are sick or afraid, supervisoring their education and religious upbringing, nurturing them, etc.

I have seen many photos of Princess Astrid with her children and there is not one that I have seen that suggests she was or is aloof with her children...ever since Princess Diana people seem to have gotten the strange idea that if one is not pictured drooling and fawning over one's children at all times they are an aloof or bad parent. Look what happened to Sarah Ferguson...she was savaged by the press as a bad parent when her children were young but in my opinion Beatrice and Eugenie are among the most balanced and well brought up kids in the BRF.

[Regina]

Originally Posted by biboquinhas

Nannies should't be there to raise children, nannies should be there to take care of them just for the time the parents are out! If there really was a trip to New York when the little child was only 10 days than Princess Astrid's obligation was to take her child with her!!!! Doesn't she brestfeed her?? Doesn't she miss her own daughter? Did we saw any other Princess working just 10 days after gaving birth? I don't think so!!! So maybe all these accusations are true! I feel very annoyed when I see all these royal kidsalways with nannies around them

Astrid most probably missed her daughter, but sometimes long trips are not good for small children. Remember that long flights are stressful and boring for children. And when babies and parents arrive to the place, babies won't be paying attencion to anything. They still don't have enough capacity to enjoy the visit. All they understand is that they are not at home.
I think nannies can be very useful to parents. Of course a mother is always The mother, but a helpful hand won't be a bad choise sometimes.

[Olyashka]

How I wish that story of Joachim waiting for his mother to kiss him goodnight is true... Although it is a very sad story, I still hope that it is true. I think it's a very adorable anecdote of him. Such a cute baby (he is like that to me until now xD

[Lee-Z]

Don't know if this was already posted, but i tried to find out if there was a followup to this old thread and found
België Nieuwsberichten ROYALBLOG
Google translate

[Olyashka]

Quoted from: Moomaiden23
For example I never see Philippe and Astrid being as affectionate with their own mother as they are to dowager Queen Fabiola who reportedly doted on them when they were children...

If that is true, then the late Queen Fabiola would’ve been close to Astrid’s children, too. I think she was because from photos I saw of her funeral, there’s one of Joachim crying and Maria Laura was beside him with swollen eyes (from crying). She looked devastated. Laetitia also looked sad. I haven’t seen Amedeo looking sad because I haven’t checked all photos of them from that day but I assume he was saddened, too.

Quoted from: Moomaiden23
…ever since Princess Diana people seem to have gotten the strange idea that if one is not pictured drooling and fawning over one's children at all times they are an aloof or bad parent.

Indeed. Lucky for Diana, her affection for her children got much photographed and taken credit of as she was a Princess of Wales while Princess Astrid is a Princess of Belgium/Archduchess of Austria-Este who was more private and doesn’t stir so much interest like Diana. I am sure if we’d go through the family albums of Astrid & Lorenz, we could say she’d been as good as Diana (or even better – look at how her children grow up!) As a fan of Diana, I read a lot of info and several books about her and I could say she also had some flaws in being a mother (which I don’t want to discuss about in this thread).

Hahaha, I’m thankful the nanny’s name has been mentioned. If I’d have the opportunity, I’d hunt her down and press for her to tell me all about Joachim, Amedeo, Maria Laura and Luisa Maria...yay if only I'd have that opportunity (-_-)

Thanks for that link, Lee-Z! btw, that news of the nanny apologizing for what she said has been mentioned in the 2nd page of this thread. Nevertheless, many thanks!!