Although nannies who cover more than one generation are rare, those like Veronica Crook - who looked after me and now looks after my four children - are pearls of great price. They provide a continuity and stability for a family that is of inestimable value for the child and, indeed, the man.

Family holidays and weekends are really brightly colored memories, full of my mother and father, rather than our nannies and au pairs.

People have nannies and big cars, and they want to go to Maui for Christmas. When there are those kind of stakes involved, people get ruthless.

I lived in Beverly Hills for years. I always had a line, 'I hate the rich.' From what I witnessed after living there for 15 years, these people just don't raise their kids. I used to see the lineup of cars in front of the schools and it was all the nannies.

People have nannies and big cars and they want to go to Maui for Christmas. When there are those kind of stakes involved people get ruthless.

One thing I've been happy as peach pie about - because I'm all about the children and the happiness of a woman because that makes the happiness of the home - is that nannies day cares and babysitters are all collapsing which is forcing moms and dads to raise their children at home.