I was watching TikTok earlier today when a video claimed that 17th-century nannies used to give handjobs to their charges to quiet the children down at bedtime.

I thought no way is this true … no way, no how.

Oh, but I was wrong.

Apparently, seventeen-century nannies in Europe really would give young boys handjob as an “efficient” way to put them to sleep. The New York Times even wrote a story about it in 1973, called “The Unnatural History of the Nanny.”

• At bedtime, young boys under 10 years old will regularly have been given handjobs by the matron, governess, or the carer — so that the boys could have a better, more restful sleep.
• Young chambermaids (13 years old and upwards) were hired or taken on as normal house servants — as well as to serve as a sexual outlet for the older boys and the head of the household.

And there’s even a story about King Louis XIV and his nanny.

The very young Louis (aged about 2) was being very awkward. His nanny tried to persuade him to be a good little boy and behave, but initially without success. Then, like many a nanny until well into the 20th century, she masturbated him – except that this was all in full view of the court. The boy’s mood changed quickly and soon he was smiling and became very easy to control. However, it didn’t end there. Young Louis then beckoned to a young page-boy in attendance, who as commanded went up to his little master, who tried to put his hand in the page’s breeches and masturbate him! Everyone present hooted with laughter.

There was another man who told about a German nanny.

These things still go on. My grandmother, born in the 1880s in the USA was raised by an old German nanny who used masturbation to quiet down the children at bedtime. My mother and her sister were raised by the same nanny. My mother gave me suppositories to make me empty my bowel on schedule, before bedtime so no dirty diapers at night, as she believed all children were constipated. She controlled her own as tightly. She would put in the suppository and masturbate me until I produced, and then off to bed. It was always with subdued lighting. This was at 2 years old. So from personal knowledge I know such practices continued into at least the mid-1950s.

And now you too know the creepy history of 17th-century nannies.