Twin Daycare

Sunshine620

My DH and I are expecting twins late August/early September and are having some difficulties with daycares. I have 8 weeks unpaid maternity leave, which would mean going back to work by early November. The daycares in our area keep putting us on wait lists, and unfortunately no one in either if our families is close enough to watch them. I've heard some suggestions for hiring a nanny, but that seems expensive.

Any suggestions? This topic has been stressing me out quite a bit.

Aurora1181

I would get on one of the lists and keep looking. Not to scare you, butmI ended up having my twins two months early, and I also had nine weeks of leave. I wound up taking two months unpaid because they came so early.

cookiesmac

in my area a nanny cost a bit less than 2 newborns in daycare

Meeeow

I feel ya.  I get 8-12 weeks unpaid leave (small company ... we don't do FMLA but I know they'll save my spot).  My MIL is actually moving (from IL to FL) to help us.  No way we could do it without support.  When there was a chance she wasn't coming ... I was stressed beyond belief.  A nanny was where we were headed since it was more affordable than daycare.  

Definitely get on a couple wait lists.  With schools starting in May/June ... some spots might open up as people are moving their older kids and then younger siblings around.

What do you an SO do?  With our first, we were able to change our schedules around to work total opposite shifts.  We never needed daycare.  Sucked to only have a day a week all together but our DD loved it!  lol  We are in different careers now so no way that'd work this time around. 

Good luck!  

legaleagles

get on the lists - you never know when a spot will open up.

Also, don't completely discredit the nanny - we have had a nanny for my twins since I returned to work when they were 5 months old.

She is a bit more expensive (about $300/month) BUT we don't have to rush in the mornings to get them to daycare, she comes early to help get them dressed, finish breakfast and plays with them so we can finish getting our preschooler (and ourselves ready for the day). We don't have to get bottles ready, food ready, because she's there and does it when it's time. She also tidies the house, does all their laundry (and my daughter's), can run to the store to pick something up for us if we need (like milk or bread, etc. - the grocery store is a short walk from us). I don't have to worry about daycare closing and running late, or hitting bad traffic. She often also starts dinner for us (even if it's preheating the oven, or starting the crockpot, throwing something in the oven, etc.)

When the boys are sick, we don't have to take time off work.

Also I live in an EXTREMELY HCOL area so daycare is super expensive anyways - a nanny was the right choice, because honestly with as busy as we are, if they were in daycare, we'd be hiring someone anyways to come in and help with household chores so we wouldn't be saving any money.

Just an FYI to think about - definitely investigate the nanny avenue to find the going rate in your area - and you might find that it's a bit more, but can definitely make your life easier.

And nothing wrong with daycare, my preschooler goes to daycare, but with the twins our nanny saves us!

Sunshine620

Thank you for the advice. One of the daycares in our area would charge $666 a week (and that's with discounts). We've stated looking into in home care and the going rate seems to be $15 per hour ish (Or at least that's the average according to care.com.) Both DH and I work in office settings (typically 40 hours a week, but could be more depending on what's going in)My work seems to be pretty antsy on when I get back and I'm just worried about having to use some of my maternity leave if I'm placed on bed rest.

CaliCarly77

We have a nanny, because it was about the same price as two newborns in day care. We had planned to move the girls to day care as soon as a spot opened up, but when a spot did open around 4 months of age, I felt it was too soon to switch them. Now we are leaning towards next summer at 2.5

I did get a surprise opening at a day care at around 4 months. I was not expecting that at all, so you just never know! 

We pay our nanny $14 an hour, so about $700 a week. When I started back, I would take one afternoon off a week, and that helped financially and gave me more time with the girls. I had unpaid leave, too, and I have student loans, so I couldn't not go back. I feel you, its rough. We do try to stagger our days, so I leave early, and DH is there till the nanny gets there at 8:30, then I get home early (6 pm) and he gets home later. So we both have some time alone with the girls, but it helps to avoid long nanny days.  

The long term savings are pretty good - for example, with day care you have to pay year round. With our nanny, we do not pay for xmas week or a week off in summer. (we do give her a little holiday bonus). We pay her under the table, so she is making a ton of money, so I don't feel bad not paying her those weeks. So in the long run, I think it shakes out to about the same. As the girls get older, the cost will go down at the daycare center, so it will make less sense to have the nanny. :S I will miss the ease of having a nanny!