Nanny or Daycare?

[quickstepstar]

In 1 year my older girls will be in school, and I am trying to figure out what to do about childcare: i.e. if I should put the baby into daycare or keep having a nanny. We currently have a nanny because it is way cheaper.

If you don't mind sharing please elaborate as to why you chose 1 over the other.

Note: 2 answers are allowed if you have a mix ex: 1 kid in daycare and 2 with a nanny, etc.

[quickstepstar]

From the math I have done, it sounds like it would actually be cheaper to go the nanny route (even with the employer taxes). I am just so done with hiring/firing/looking etc... We are likely going to move before the older 2 start school, so I am not sure if we will be able to keep the same nanny.

I think my best idea so far has been to get a PT babysitter for the older 2 (3-6) and then put the baby into FT DC, because then I wouldn't have to worry about whoever we find being able to handle 3 kids.....

[Deleted]

A nanny is more expensive here, it would cost me about 35K in salary, before employer taxes. Daycare is $17,000 a year. So it was a no-brainer for us.

That being said, I love our center and love the interaction DD has with her different teachers and all the different kids. Her class is very diverse and she is learning a lot. I don't see daycare being second best at all.

[ijack]

When it was just one she was in daycare and it was really good for her. When #2 came along it was a bit less expensive to go the nanny route (and I was working pt at first and no one does pt infant care here). Despite all the drama, I really do like having a nanny. I like not having to get the kids fed/dressed in the morning, I like that there is someone to pick up around the house and do laundry, etc. My oldest goes to preschool so she still gets socialization and now that our youngest we'll look for classes for her as well.

[Deleted]

This summer all 3 w/ nanny....last school year 2 in school, 1 at daycare. This coming year all 3 will be in school (youngest is only in Montessori Preschool for mornings & I won't work unless she's at school).

[egishere]

nanny for us. I never looked into day care because I figured it would be more expensive and there is no way I could make it out the door each day with all three (and a DH that travels a lot). Having a nanny has been great for us. Our current one is really great and I'm hoping she will be open to eventually going PT so the kids can go to pre school 2-3 days a week.

[caramia17]

We have a nanny due to our schedules. DH is out of the house most AMs by 5:30, leaving me to get ready and get up LO by myself. I leave for work at 7:30AM. He is home most days by 3pm. Nanny works 7-3. He takes call one day per week, in which case I am the first one home at 5:30-6ish and nanny works a long day, she usually leaves early on the post-call day (avg. 40hrs/week) Because I oversee residents, there are times when I have gotten stuck at work with no recourse. It doesn't happen often that MH can't cover, but when it does I am glad that DD has a long day in her home, with someone we trust. We have someone who has a degree in early childhood education, who is awesome and flexible and loooooves our daughter. We do have back up in my ILs if the nanny were to get sick/have an emergency, which makes a big difference. It is expensive ($29K plus employment taxes), but worth it for us.

[CloudBee]

I know it depends on location, but those of you with one child and a nanny, how much do you pay per week or month?

[ijack]

Jul 20, 2012 15:06:04 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

I know it depends on location, but those of you with one child and a nanny, how much do you pay per week or month?

in our area nannies take home about $10-15/hr.

[caramia17]

Jul 20, 2012 15:06:04 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

I know it depends on location, but those of you with one child and a nanny, how much do you pay per week or month?

I pay (approx) $2400 (gross) per month plus employment taxes. We pay her weekly and her take home is about $525. If she works > 40 hours, we pay time and a half for overtime. We also pay her when we are on vacation.

She gets 2 weeks paid vacation (1 week to be taken simultaneous with our vacation), 5 sick days, and 3 personal days (that must be scheduled with us > 1 month out). If she doesn't use her sick days, we pay her for them at the end of the contract year.

We also give monetary bonuses at Christmas/Bdays.

We will offer her a small raise next year.

[bubbles08]

In my area nannies usually make between $13-$18/hr, which is between $520-$720 for a 40 hour week, plus employment taxes, vacation, etc. Things like education, live-in vs. live out, experience can all be huge factors in a nannies salary.

By comparison, day care centers in my area are generally between $1800 - $2400 a month for infants.

[anna7602]

When DD was a baby, we had a nanny. I had a non-traditional schedule and it made more sense financially to have a nanny than daycare. We only paid for the hours we needed as opposed to paying for FT daycare when we weren't going to use all those hours. We will do the same thing again if we have another child.

ETA: Having a nanny also made more sense for us because we are raising DD bilingual. Everyone who has cared for DD is a Spanish speaker. Our part-time nanny when DD was in preschool (she only watched her 1 day/week) made playdates with other Spanish-speaking nannies and kids in the neighborhood. I loved that DD was not only exposed to more Spanish from her caretaker, but actually meeting and playing with kids her age in Spanish.

[Deleted]

I think a nanny plus preschool would be the best of both worlds in that your kids would be able to get that personal care from the nanny and still get the kind of socialization and learning that kids typically get in daycare in the preschool setting. I would imagine that having a nanny would also be more convenient for you in that you'd have this person coming to your house, you wouldn't have to worry about pick up or drop off times or what to do if one of your kids is sick and can't go to daycare, ect.

[GailGoldie]

3 kids- all in daycare part time. I could get a nanny MUCH cheaper than what i pay - but i have no trust in them -- so many horror stories on here, nest, IRL friends, etc. I know there are good ones- but i still don't have enough trust.

i also love that my kids get a full "school" experience when they are there... make friends, get to do things they can't do at home (dance class, soccer class, etc)