Nanny to the stars Paula Wagstaff reckons the only thing she could think of that would be more worthwhile than her job would he helping to feed starving people in the third word.

Living in her simple rented country cottage just north of Auckland, Paula, 47, says she's not driven by money, accolades nor any of the other normal trappings of a contemporary lifestyle…rather she just plain cares about raising good kids.

Her common-sense nanny style has seen Paula named "baby whisperer to the stars". In a 24-year career she has cared for children of all ages, across many cultures and countries and says her down-to-earth approach has never failed.

It was that unpretentious, caring attitude that has seen Paula work for Sly Stallone and Janice Dickinson, model Cheryl Tiegs, Burt Bacharach, model Vendela, George Hamilton and Frank Sinatra, and also care for Gregory Peck's grandchild.

She was once offered a job to mange Barbra Steisand's Malibu property, has mixed with Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett and Helped Christine Peters (former wife of hairdresser Jon Peters) raise her two adopted children.

She also babysat Rachel and rod's kids (Alannah Stewart originally tried to organize Paula to care for the couple's newborn child Renee after hearing Cheryl Tiegs rave about Paula).

Now back in Auckland, Paula is doing ad hoc assignments for politicians and others who need a hand to raise their kids.

A woman who clearly loves the career she fell into almost by accident, Paula's got a lost to say when it comes to the current "politically correct" methods of child-rearing… methods she believes are clearly failing.

"So many children are insecure, unhappy and angry," says Paula. "They whinge constantly, don't respect their parents and often aren't nice to be around."

Paula says where many parents go wrong is not setting firm boundaries for children and failing to take an authoritative role as a parent, often preferring to try and befriend and reason things out with their children.

"People need to parent their children," says Paula. "It doesn't matter what you look at in life, the same thing applies. If you plant a garden, you have to give it nurturing, get rid of the bugs, get rid of the weeds, prune the roses and then train them to get the best out of them."

Anecdote after anecdote spills out as Paul explains the things she dose that make her so popular with both the Hollywood high-flyers and ordinary mums and dads.

She talks about working for an American super yacht owner at previous America's Cup in Auckland. He came with her four-year-old daughter and a new baby. There was a baby nurse to look after the new child, but the nanny for his daughter only lasted a couple of days before she was fired."

"The agency called me in and when I got to the house the other staff warned me that I'd just have to try and tough it out with the little girl, who was apparently incredibly difficult."

Paula says it took her four days to get the situation straightened, helping the child's parents to set boundaries and create a happier atmosphere.

She'll also subtly step in to help shift family dynamics…maybe suggesting a husband do something special for his wife, or suggesting parents let children just chill out and relax rather than running from one after-school activity to another.

Paula says raising children is easy…it takes good old-fashioned common sense, wisdom, intuition and insight.

As a young woman Paula dreamed of being an air hostess, but instead worked in travel and fashion before beginning as a nanny in Queenstown. She's never had formal training, but quickly found she was a "natural" at the job.

Though she has been engaged twice, Paula has not married, rather finding herself in a permanent "wife" role to busy working parents.

"I've lived in beautiful home, traveled a lot with families, driven wildly expensive cars that came with the job, but none of that matters," says Paula. "It's just that I can't think of anything more worthwhile than helping to raise good happy children."

and never has that been more important than now, she says. "There are so many things coming at children…drugs, explicit television programmes, violence and war."

"I want to help give children a sense that they are secure, that they belong and that people really care for them."

Story: Kimberley Patterson

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