When most people hear the term “governess,” their minds might wander to Victorian literature or period dramas featuring stern women in modest attire, teaching proper etiquette to children in grand estates. While the role has evolved significantly since Jane Eyre’s time, being a governess today still carries a distinct prestige and responsibility that sets it apart from other childcare positions.
The Governess Tradition: More Than Just Childcare
The governess role has deep historical roots in upper-class households where education at home was preferred over sending children to schools. Today’s governess continues this tradition but has adapted to modern family needs. A governess is typically a highly educated professional who lives with or regularly attends a family to provide comprehensive education and character development for their children.
What truly distinguishes a governess is the emphasis on education and cultural refinement. Unlike other childcare providers, a governess is primarily an educator who happens to provide care, rather than a caregiver who incorporates educational elements.
Governess vs. Nanny: Educational Focus vs. Developmental Care
The most common confusion occurs between governesses and nannies. While there is overlap, the distinction lies in their primary purpose.
A nanny is focused on a child’s overall wellbeing, development, and daily care. Nannies typically manage children’s routines, prepare meals, organize activities, and ensure physical and emotional needs are met. While many excellent nannies incorporate educational activities, their primary role is caregiving.
A governess, by contrast, has education at the center of her role. She often comes with teaching credentials, specialized subject expertise, or advanced degrees. The governess creates structured learning environments, develops customized curricula, and focuses on academic achievement alongside social graces and character development.
Many families who employ governesses also have nannies for younger children or to handle more practical aspects of childcare, allowing the governess to focus on educational matters.
Governess vs. Babysitter: Career Professional vs. Occasional Caregiver
The difference between a governess and a babysitter is even more pronounced. Babysitters provide temporary, occasional care, typically for shorter periods when parents have engagements outside the home. Their primary responsibility is supervision and safety, with entertainment being secondary.
A governess, meanwhile, is a career professional who forms long-term relationships with families. She is integrated into the household structure and plays a significant role in the children’s upbringing and educational journey over years, not hours. While babysitters might help with homework, a governess creates the educational plan that generates that homework in the first place.
Governess vs. Private Educator: Holistic Development vs. Academic Focus
Private educators or tutors are hired to address specific educational needs or subjects. They typically work with children for designated sessions focused purely on academic content, whether that’s mathematics, language acquisition, or test preparation.
A governess provides education but takes a more holistic approach to a child’s development. Beyond academics, she attends to etiquette, social skills, cultural exposure, moral development, and character building. While a private educator might teach French vocabulary, a governess ensures the child understands French culture, demonstrates proper behavior at a French restaurant, and appreciates French art and literature.
The governess sees education as encompassing the whole person, not just the intellectual faculties that traditional academics address.
Governess vs. Family Assistant: Child-Focused vs. Family-Focused
Family assistants or household managers help coordinate family logistics, manage schedules, and may assist with childcare among many other responsibilities. Their focus is on the smooth operation of the household as a whole.
A governess’s attention is specifically directed toward the children’s education and development. While she may coordinate with other household staff regarding the children’s schedules and needs, her role doesn’t typically extend to general household management or parental assistance unrelated to the children.
The Modern Governess: Who Seeks This Role?
Today’s governesses typically come from teaching backgrounds, often with specializations in early childhood education, special education, or specific subject areas. Many have international experience or speak multiple languages. A bachelor’s degree is typically the minimum requirement, with many holding advanced degrees.
Families seeking governesses are usually those who:
- Travel frequently and need educational continuity
- Desire personalized education tailored to their children’s specific needs and interests
- Value cultural education and refinement alongside academics
- Have children with special educational needs requiring specialized attention
- Prefer home education for philosophical, religious, or practical reasons
- Want their children to learn multiple languages from native speakers
Life as a Modern Governess
Working as a governess offers unique professional experiences. You might find yourself:
Teaching mathematics in the morning, supervising horseback riding lessons in the afternoon, and discussing art history over dinner
Traveling with a family to their various homes, ensuring educational continuity while adapting curriculum to incorporate local cultural experiences
Collaborating with specialists to develop comprehensive learning programs for children with unique educational needs
Introducing children to multiple languages, musical instruments, and cultural traditions through immersive experiences rather than textbooks
The role often comes with excellent compensation, travel opportunities, and the chance to form meaningful connections with families. However, it also requires significant dedication, flexibility, and the ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while living closely with employers.
Is Becoming a Governess Right for You?
The governess role suits educators who prefer intimate teaching environments over traditional classrooms. It rewards those who view education holistically and enjoy designing personalized learning experiences.
If you’re considering this career path, assess whether you have:
- Strong educational credentials and teaching experience
- Cultural refinement and knowledge across multiple domains
- The ability to design and implement customized curricula
- Excellent interpersonal skills and professional boundaries
- Flexibility and adaptability to family needs
- Comfort with possible live-in arrangements or travel
While the cape and corset of Victorian governesses have disappeared, the essence of the role, providing distinguished education and character development within a family setting, continues to offer a rewarding career path for qualified educators seeking an alternative to traditional teaching environments.
For families with the means to employ them, governesses provide an invaluable service that goes far beyond childcare, shaping not just what children know, but who they become.
