The Truth About Why Barron Trump Didn't Have A Nanny Growing Up

It would be laughable to deny that the Trump kids were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron grew up reveling in the privileges the wealth of their father, former president Donald Trump, afforded them. From living in a lavish penthouse to receiving Ivy League education (at least for some of them) to securing high-ranking positions within the Trump Organization, their upbringing was steeped in affluence. Even Donald himself branded them as "spoiled brats" in a 2004 "20/20" appearance. "But you know, they're basically good kids. And they've done very well. I've never been embarrassed by my children," he added.

If some say that the Trump children have a good head on their shoulders, it's probably because of their nannies, at least for Don, Ivanka, and Eric. Donald busied himself with expanding his empire while they were growing up, while their mother, Ivana, was occupied with projects and businesses of her own. As New York Magazine reported, much of the parenting fell on the shoulders of two Irish nannies that Ivana had hired: Dorothy and Bridget. "Dorothy is my second mother," Eric dished in Ivana's memoir.

However, Barron's upbringing was starkly different from that of his older siblings, as his mom, Melania, insisted on a more hands-on approach. While he reportedly was given the Trump treatment right from when he was born, including a floor all to himself, Melania was (and still is) at his beck and call, eliminating the need for additional help — or so she maintained.

While the Trumps are wealthy enough to hire multiple nannies for the youngest member of the family, Melania and Donald Trump insist that Barron doesn't need one. Melania is more than happy to tend to her son's every need, while Donald believes that outsourcing help may only hinder them from bonding with their kid. "I like to be hands-on. I think it's very important," Melania told People, with Donald chiming in, "We keep it [outside help] down to a minimum. If you have too much help, you don't get to know your children."

Melania reiterated this stance in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. She acknowledges that they have hired someone to take care of their food and other needs outside of parenting, but when it comes to all things Barron, it's all her. "I don't have a nanny. I have a chef, and I have my assistant, and that's it. I do it myself," she said. "You know, those hours with your child are really important ones, even if it's just the two of you, being quiet in the car together."

While she still pursues her own business, she prioritizes Barron above everything else. "I am a full-time mom; that is my first job. The most important job ever," she explained to Parenting. "I cook him breakfast. I bring him to school. I pick him up. I prepare his lunch. I spend the afternoon with him."

To be fair, Melania Trump never denied she sought help raising Barron. She once divulged that when her son was a newborn, she had hired a nanny named Clare Hollywood, although she preferred to do everything herself. "We're spending more time together. If [an event] is not important, I prefer to give the baby a bath and put him in bed," she once said, according to Boston 25 News. "I prefer that to some outing that is not my interest ... It's important to spend as much time with the baby as possible."

She changed her tune when Barron had grown older — if claims were to be believed. In the book "Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship With the First Lady," authored by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff — who claimed to be part of Melania's inner circle in the past — it was revealed that Melania delegated Barron's parenting to her mom, staff, and Secret Service. "Melania has perpetuated a myth that she never hired a nanny when Barron was young and that she waited to start her businesses until he went to school," Wolkoff wrote.

Nanny or no nanny, Donald Trump said that Barron is turning out just fine. "Barron's very tall — about six-eight. And, he's a good kid. He's a good-looking kid. He's a great student, very good student," he told Megyn Kelly in an interview, adding that his son is looking at attending Wharton as he did. Good for him!