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daycare versus nannyshare

Jenn30Jenn30
in Working Moms

For a 6-month-old and older infant, are there advantages to a daycare over a nannyshare?  Or is it really just a question of cost?

We are looking at daycare centers now (long waiting lists), and I'm just curious--I know a nannyshare may be more challenging logistically (taxes, working things through with the other family) but in terms of the actual care--what do you think?

Edited to add:  This would probably be for 4 full days a week, maybe 3 if we can swing it.

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Re: daycare versus nannyshare

  • jenny1980jenny1980 member

    We're pondering the same questions.

    My gut sense is that I would prefer a nanny share (if we can find the right situation) until toddlerhood. That said, we'll get on some waiting lists just to be safe.

     

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  • mrshutchmrshutch
    The university where I work maintains a list of families so I looked into it. The logistics and taxes sounded like a bit of a pain, but I'm sure once you figure it out it's fine. I know for some families I spoke with, one of the biggest advantages was being able to keep their kids in their own homes. This wasn't as important to me; I just wanted to make sure DD would be in a clean, safe space. I think I would've just kept her PNP at the other house with a few personal items. We ended up getting into the center we were on the wait list for, but I know we'll be revisiting the idea in the spring- daycare for 2 is expensive!
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  • jellybelly03jellybelly03 member

    We talk about this all the time.  Until I went back to work, I did not see the point in a nanny or a nannyshare.  Now, I'm DYING to find someone to share with.  I look at it like this: 

    If you were a SAHM, you would have a baseline amount of work that you had to do to keep the baby and house together

    Daycare makes MORE work than that baseline because you now have to pump (if you do that), clean pump parts, clean and prepare bottles, give your baby a bath EVERY NIGHT (because they come home dir-tay from daycare), pack food, etc. in addition to that stuff that you would normally have to do (clean house/do laundry/make dinner, etc.)  In my experience, it leaves you with very little time to actually enjoy your baby. 

    On the other hand, with a nanny, you have LESS work than the baseline because someone ELSE is doing all of those things listed above PLUS (usually) doing a little light housework, doing the baby's laundry, making the baby's food, buying the baby's food/diapers, etc.  In a nannyshare, you get a little bit less of the benefit because the nanny is not coming to your house every morning, but it's still much better than the daycare situation AND it works out to be about the same price as a daycare (or even a bit cheaper, depending on your situation). Not to mention, fewer kids=fewer chances for YOUR kid to get colds/ear infections/etc. 

    Anyway, I'm a total nannyshare convert.  GOOD LUCK!

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  • flyer23flyer23 member

    We were in a nanny share until DD was 12 months old, when we moved out of state. We're now in what should've been a "sort of" nanny share -- we take DD to a SAHM who was only watching her and one other little boy. The other little boy doesn't come anymore (his mom got laid off), so it's just DD right now.

    We loved loved loved our old nanny share. I did not see any benefit to daycare (over the nanny share) at that age. The way I see it, the main benefits of daycare are the social interaction and the ability to do fun activities that you'd never do at home (like, say, fingerpainting with a 6-month-old). DD got plenty of social interaction through her nanny share. Yeah, she didn't do quite as many activities, but at that age, I don't think it's a huge deal.

    We're not as thrilled about our current situation -- DD is a little older and I think she gets a little bored being alone all day. Still, I think there are some benefits. For example, we've done drop-in daycare with her a few times when her normal sitter is gone, and although she's gotten better, she naps a LOT less at daycare that she does with her sitter and at home with us. Some days she's super-tired and really NEEDS a 3-4 hour nap, or needs to go down at 10 AM instead of noon, and most daycare centers we've looked at don't provide that kind of flexibility. I think sleep is so important at this age and I'm glad she gets what she needs.

    We are looking into a part-time mothers day out/preschool type program for her, which would offer the best of both worlds -- maybe two mornings a week playing with other kids, then have her sitter pick her up for lunch and naptime.

    BTW, both options were roughly the same cost as daycare centers in our area.

    Mommy to DD1 (June 2007), DS (January 2010), DD2 (July 2012), and The Next One (EDD 3/31/2015)

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