Switch from DC to nanny?

drpayne

We are thinking about getting a nanny because we just can't take the day care germs anymore. DH and I missed so much work last month and something needs to change. I'm just scared to make the switch. I'm mainly worried my 2 yo will be bored after being in day care all of this time. Im worried I will regret my decision. Experiences? How important is the social interaction 2?

MammaBear81

We have in home  care, but our older kids go to part time preschool.  Would that be an option for you?  Also a good nanny will have your kids doing activities, art projects etc.

kendra223

She should be fine. Just make sure to set up some playdates and when she's 3 she can go to preschool.

cwm11985

We just made the switch and it was a GREAT decision for us (mainly because our new nanny is 1,000,000x better than the dc we were using).  I do plan to switch him back into a DC after he turns 2 because I think the social interactions are invaluable.

Iblamethebeer

We're doing the same thing (also because we're adding a third kid, but the germs issue and the amount of sick leave DH and I have had to take is just completely unsustainable... and this was our SECOND winter of it!)

I have enrolled both our will-be-2 and our will-be-4 year olds in part time pre-school, but if we weren't going to have a newborn as well, I think for our 2 year old I would be okay with telling the nanny to visit story time once a week, signing up for one baby gym class, and then maybe doing one other free/cheap activity where I knew there would be interaction with other kids.

thedash

DS is almost 2 and a half and has been with a nanny. For the past few months I have really felt like he would benefit from more interaction and structure. She has a schedule but since it's just him he never has to wait for anyone else or deal with other kids getting attention first. He's going to part time preschool this fall. I am hoping that there will be fewer germs than at infant daycare but I'm not so sure.

ChicagoWeded2007

I know how you feel, our DS missed 11 out of 20 days of daycare last month for being sick.  But I think he has to be immune to everything that's out there now and I hope he won't get sick again for a while.  Maybe you could give it more time?

NicoleWI

I really just don't buy into the whole "social interaction" thing. It's not like we're living in a cave in the wilderness. The kids see plenty of people. Anyway, we switched DD1 to a nanny when DS was born. I was just starting to like parts of daycare when we switched her, but it was a great change for us. She had been sick ALL the time, especially her first year (including, among many other times, Thanksgiving, our first trip to Florida, our first family vacation, her first birthday). Nanny makes things 100% easier for us as parents, too. It's good for us, but it's hard to find the right person. When we've had the right person, it's AWESOME. Right now, I'm at the end of a long, drawn out, difficult nanny search but I still feel like this is the only route for us right now. DD started part time preschool last fall and had no social issues.