“Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid – From A Nanny’s Perspective 

Unlike the other books written by nannies, or about nannies, I’ve been reading this summer, “Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid is a fiction novel and New York Times best seller.

“Such a Fun Age” follows Emira Tucker, a 25-year-old Black woman who babysits for Alix Chamberlain, a wealthy white influencer-mom who is progressive on paper but performs allyship harder than she actually lives it. Reid gets the dynamics so right it made me feel like someone had been reading my nanny group chats.

As a real-life nanny, I felt personally attacked (in the best way) by how accurately Reid portrays the weird, blurred boundaries between childcare and emotional labor. The awkward moments of “we’re kind of friends, but also I wipe your kid’s butt and don’t have health insurance?” Nailed it. The performative concern from the employer who wants to “empower” you but also low-key treats you like a lifestyle accessory? Nailed that too.

The book opens with Emira getting wrongfully accused of kidnapping the child she’s watching (a gut-punch of a scene that’s both absurd and all-too-real), and from there, it spirals into a biting, hilarious, and sometimes painfully awkward exploration of race, class, and power. As a nanny, I kept thinking: “Wow. So this is what it feels like when someone actually writes a nanny’s story without sanitizing it.”

And can we talk about the kids in the book? Reid clearly understands what it’s like to form real bonds with the little humans we care for. Emira’s connection with little Briar is sweet, genuine, and not played for laughs. That part? 100% real. You love them like your own, even when their parents resent you or don’t appreciate your help.

Now, if you’re reading this as someone who employs a nanny, I’ll say this with love: Read this book. Don’t skim it. Don’t quote the “important” parts at your next book club while your nanny is in the next room, making dinner for your toddler. Actually think about what Reid is saying.

And if you’re reading this as a nanny? Welcome. You’ll laugh. You’ll cringe. You might cry a little. But most of all, you’ll feel seen. Emira isn’t perfect, but she’s real. And for once, so are we.

Now excuse me — I have to go convince a four-year-old why they have to wear shoes when we go to the park. But seriously: Read “Such a Fun Age.”

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