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Kathryn Mewes does not meet bohemian, hippy parents in her line of work. Typically one, or both, of the parents she sees work in the City of London. “Professionals seek professionals,” she says. Originally a nanny, Mewes is now a parenting consultant, advising couples privately on changing their child’s behaviour, as well as doing corporate seminars for working parents. Her clients find they are unprepared for the chaos and unpredictability that having a child can entail. “Parents are getting older, they have been in control their whole lives and been successful. Suddenly a baby turns up and life turns on its head.”

Nicknamed the “Three-Day Nanny” because of her pledge to fix behavioural problems in children under the age of 12 within three days, she is filming a new Channel 4 television series demonstrating her techniques. The role of the parenting consultant – distinct from that of a nanny – has developed, she says, as people are used to buying in expertise, such as personal trainers or, in her case, parenting advice.