- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Multiples
Nicholas Jacob born on 06/30/2009, 9.5lbs and 21 1/4" long
Joshua Scott 5.3lbs & Jonathan Matthew 6.2lbs, born 08/31/10
Nanny, in-home care or daycare ?
Forgive me for being so nosy and I don't know need to know the *exact* number, but how much do you all pay for the care that you receive? I'm going to have to go back to work soon and I can't imagaine having to pay for all 3 kids in DC. Someone had suggested to either get a nanny or dropping them off at an in-home daycare (I think that's what it's called?-where one lady/person takes care of 5-6 kids in her home). I love our DC that DS1 used to attend but it's quite expensive for us, it's $165/wk (food not included) and that's the cheapest in our area and they offer a 10% discount for the 2nd child only.
Let me know if there are any other options out there? TIA!
Nicholas Jacob born on 06/30/2009, 9.5lbs and 21 1/4" long
Joshua Scott 5.3lbs & Jonathan Matthew 6.2lbs, born 08/31/10
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Nanny, in-home care or daycare ?
After 2 rounds of IVF & 2 rounds of FET, we were blessed with identical twin girls!
a lot of MoMs use nannies b/c it's cheaper when you have 2+ kids.
I'm not a fan of nannies or in-home daycare... i like accountability and other adults around making sure things are going right.... i like the classroom type setting of daycare centers, and that all kids in the room are the same age - so i don't have to worry about some random 4y/o at an in-home daycare hurting my baby while the caregiver is in the bathroom.....
there are great nannies, great in-home daycares, great centers... and horrible ones, too....so it's all about finding a good one and what you want. I just don't have enough trust for a nanny (and I was one! A good one- i just don't trust other people, lol)... or an in-home person who has no other people around looking after her... at a center, as you know, there's a director, other teachers, video camera we can access online, etc.
My 3 boys are in part time and it's $2k/month... the twins only go 2 days a week and Griffin goes 3 days a week. it's crazy expensive for sure- my base salary goes right towards daycare- my only real income is bonuses and benefits... and the benefit of keeping my career and having some "me" time - otherwise it wouldn't be worth it for me to work.
do the math- sometimes it's not worth it to work and pay for care... when you factor in what you make vs. daycare costs, travel to/from daycare costs, food for you when you are at work, the cost of buying professional clothes, etc.
OMGosh, and here I thought I was paying a lot for DC. I'm assuming she prepares all their meals (BF & lunch) and takes them out for play (park, walks, etc) as well?
Yep! She's amazing. We love her like she is a member of our family. I never have to ask her to do anything, she just knows what to do and when. She even researches things for them to do and places she can take them. We will be so sad when she leaves us. The girls adore her and light up like Christmas trees when she comes in each morning.
After 2 rounds of IVF & 2 rounds of FET, we were blessed with identical twin girls!
That's why this decision is so difficult for me. The DC that N used to attend is a church DC, so I would like to believe the people are good people, but they have no video cameras so I never know what is going, plus it's not exactly a "teaching" DC more of like a babysitting DC, unfortunately. I do have a friend who currently has her DD in an in-home DC, and she loves it. It is very well regulated and the reports are always positive, but, again, she's expensive and will not have room until apx March. I guess IF I had to choose, I would rather either do a DC or an in-home...The only way I would do a nanny is if I knew her personally or if she came highly recommended. Where we live is not exactly the "safest" place to bring up kids and having someone I don't know in my house alone with my 3 boys would concern me greatly. It's very unfortunate, but it's just the way it is...Thanks ladies!
We are only paying $350/week for 3 days at a daycare center. This is below their standard rate and I was very lucky to negiotate the rate that we currently are receiving. The center has agreed to work with us and I provide for them any referrals or references as needed.
My DD currently goes there and LOVES it! I didn't want her to remove her from that environment.
My mom will watch them one other day at no charge and I am only working 4 days a week.
Katie: 1/16/08 2lbs. 15oz.
Abby & Emily: 12/31/10 6lbs. 2oz. & 5lbs. 7oz.
of course so much depends on COL wherever you are, you prob can't compare FL to so cal, etc.
we live in NC and pay $475/week for our 2 kids in a facility. we get 10% discount for the 2nd. it was a little over $500 when they were in the infant room.
Like goldie, i went with the facility b/c of oversight. I like that I can look at webcams, that there are multiple adults around, that there are standards that must be met (most in homes here are not licensed), and that they are group age appropriately & therefore getting age appropriate activities.
I debatedt he nanny route a lot esp after we had to miss a lot of work b/c of their sickness in the first several months, but kept coming back to feeling strange about someone in my house iwth my kids all day & frankly, the intimidation of trying to find one and then finally the decision of payment (under the table, with taxes, etc.). We're very happy with our facility, sickness aside.
GL!
I went with a nanny, but I agree with Goldie that there are great--and not-so-great--options in every kind of care. It's just a matter of deciding that you want and then finding the best care within that category.
My situation is a little weird in that my husband and I work at home. I went with a nanny because, 1) since we're here, the oversight issue is not an issue (I would have cared very much about that if I worked away from home). And 2) logistically it's amazing. I skip the work of having to get them wrangled and drive them to daycare only to return to my home to start my workday on time.
My nanny is amazing, loves my boys, and takes care of my house (dishes, laundry) when they're napping. It's been wonderful for us so far.
She's $400 per week for four days, and I consider that a very good deal. In my area, in-home care would be at least that price, probably higher. And a center would be way more ($300-$500 per week, no discount for four days).
EDIT: Meant to say that in my area centers are $300-$500 per week per child. In home care seems to start at $200 per week per child.
Our nanny gets $240/wk for 15hrs. I work 3 afternoons/wk, and my preference would be to be home FT. For me, I feel good about keeping my girls home and with one caregiver who they are bonded with and I know cares about them. At this age I could care less about structured settings. While we might or might not be due for a transition to a new person (b/c of another baby coming) I still like the nanny set-up.
I like having control over what they are fed, when they nap, how many naps, and in general how things are done. I also like that she takes care of baby laundry and keeping their rooms/toys organized. You can find some bad people in any DC setting, including nannies, so it's always good to get references. We had our nanny come for almost a month before I went back to work, so we really got to know each other. GL, daycare stuff is stressful
Agreed, but don't forget to factor in the other side of it. Health benefits, retirement savings, life insurance, etc. all factor in too. There's more to it than just your take home pay and anything out of pocket to make it work.
We pay $500/wk for in-home care for all 3 kids.
FWIW, I LOVE our day care provider. She was a stranger for all of 2 days. I got to know her, and her family, and they're extended family now. She watched DD1 overnight for us the night before my c-section. She loves my kids, and takes wonderful care of them.
There's a lot to be said for centers - the accountability is a huge one, as is physical security (our center for DD1 had a passcode you had to use to get back to the kid's area). But there's still much to be said for in-home and nannies.
We pay $330 for 3 days/week. I love our Nanny - she loves our kids to pieces, and they smile right back at her every morning! She reads to them, sings to them, takes them for walks, etc...and as a bonus, she does all of our laundry, and washes their bottles.
It's SO worth it for us.