1 child in DC and 1 newborn with nanny?

Mustardseed2007 · December 2013

So we just started DC with DS fairly recently at a center that starts taking kids at 18 months, and it is going well for us. Before this family watched him. I am now expecting a baby and the family options that held me over before we started DS with DC will likely not be there this time around.

There are 2 things that are making me think of doing a nanny for our new LO at least for a year.

First is waitlists, there are 5 centers in my area that take infants, only 3 I would want to go to, and all 3 have huge long waitlists so I'm concerned we wouldn't even get in when I need it.

Second is that of those 3 centers I'm not crazy about any of the infant programs. I kind of feel (this is just me) that a 3-4 month old doesn't benefit from the aspects of DC that an older child does and I strongly preferred the 1 on 1 care DS got when I had family watching him.

I have several concerns, though, the first being time. We drop DS off at DC at 8:15 am and we truly can't get to DC to get him before 5:30-5:45, then neither DH or I get home until 6pm-6:15pm. Would I need 2 nannies or would someone work from 8:15 to 6:15 everyday with the baby? Obviously that's more than 8 hours.

Then there is payroll. Is there a software system that everyone uses for that? Lastly is this too complicated to have 1 in DC and 1 with a nanny ? Does it even make sense to do it?

ETA: If you were doing a nanny share that involved 2 infants, would you have an issue with the nanny taking them both to pick up a 2.5 year old at 3:30 on some or most days as well provided that the nanny didn't have to get out of the car at the school?

emberlee3 · December 2013

We did a nanny share for DD for a year and kept DS in daycare. Our nanny's hours were 7:30 to 5:30. If we got home early or didn't need her for a day, she got paid regardless. You could also consider having your nanny pick up your older child.

jf198400 · December 2013

Don't know what childcare costs in your area, but where I live the cost of a nanny is about (if not more) than what I pay for 2 kids in a center. It would be cost prohibitive for me. I would consider having a nanny for both children and put the older child in PT preschool.

Mustardseed2007 · December 2013

@emberlee3 Are you doing nanny share with a friend? Or did you go out and find someone to go in with you. I do have 3 friends having babies right now but I know 2 of the 3 will not want to do a nanny (1 is a SAHM and 1 will almost certainly do DC). I may just drop a note to the other though... edit to add: the rest of my post. That was weird

Mustardseed2007 · December 2013

jf198400 said:

Don't know what childcare costs in your area, but where I live the cost of a nanny is about (if not more) than what I pay for 2 kids in a center. It would be cost prohibitive for me. I would consider having a nanny for both children and put the older child in PT preschool.

Yeah that is a really good point. I mean, we've looked at the cost and we CAN but it's true we probably shouldn't. Probably what we should do is either take DS to part time at the center and have the nanny pick him up AND/OR do a nanny share if I can make that happen. I have several pregnant friends so that may be a possibility.

traveltheworld · December 2013

We only have 1 child but this is what we plan to do if/when we have another - we will get a nanny for the infant and then send DS to part-time DC (either 3 days a week or 5 mornings/week if he is old enough for pre-school by then). In our area, full-time DC is very expensive but part-time pre-school is very reasonable. If we went with this plan, the cost would be a bit higher than if we were to have 2 kids go to DC, but not prohibitively higher.

I feel the same way you do in terms of infant in DC. I love DC for DS but in the first year, I'd rather have someone watch the infant one on one. I also think once the child is older, DC/pre-school is very beneficial so I won't ask a nanny to watch both the infant and the older child.

emberlee3 · December 2013

A colleague who lives in my vicinity approached me when I was pregnant with DD because she was looking to nanny-share. I had wanted a nanny because it's very difficult for me to take time off for sick LOs, but DH felt we couldn't afford it. To my surprise, he went for the nanny-share idea.

litzo27 · December 2013

We have done this arrangement with DS1 and DS2 and will do it again with #3. There are several reasons why we choose to do it that way but mainly because we want the kids with the nanny while they are little (less illnesses, more 1-on-1 time, establishing non-English as a primary language, etc.) but then we want the socialization aspect once they turn 2 or so. It is indeed the costliest arrangement (as opposed to having both in daycare or both with a nanny) but the benefits outweigh the costs for us personally. There is nothing inherently "complicated" about this set-up (except for the cost). There are other advantages such as - if the older one is sick and can't go to daycare, you don't need to take a day off or find back-up care.

Mustardseed2007 · December 2013

Thanks so much for the responses. Knowing other people have done it makes me feel better that it's something I want to pursue. I am going to try and find someone to do a nanny share and I know we can also switch DS to part time at his current DC. I really love his DC and plan to send this new baby there when she's old enough to go.

TheBorg7of9 · December 2013

We will be doing a nanny share at our house with DS 2 and the neighbors baby. She will also watch DS1, but take him to part time preschool in the morning 2-3 days a week

bcnoelle · December 2013

We will be doing this. The expense outweighs the illnesses of daycare. My son started daycare at 7 weeks and it was difficult. We don't want our son, who will be 3 when 2nd baby arrives, to be home with a newborn/infant and nanny all week. If we found a great nanny share situation we'd be open to it.

cedenton · December 2013

To your point about infants and daycare, I'm kind've starting to agree with you. I mean my son has been in daycare since 6 weeks, but it seems like it's really hard for them to get as much tummy/floor time as they need when at a daycare. Even our smaller one (he's in a new one now).

For safety reasons they have to limit it when the more mobile babies are out and about. I have a co-worker whose son is at our daycare. She has gotten really frustrated with her son not getting enough tummy time. In the month my son was in that room I never saw the little ones on the floor.

Now once they are more mobile, especially walking it's a whole 'nother story. I love my son's toddler room.

Mustardseed2007 · December 2013

cedenton said:

To your point about infants and daycare, I'm kind've starting to agree with you. I mean my son has been in daycare since 6 weeks, but it seems like it's really hard for them to get as much tummy/floor time as they need when at a daycare. Even our smaller one (he's in a new one now).

For safety reasons they have to limit it when the more mobile babies are out and about. I have a co-worker whose son is at our daycare. She has gotten really frustrated with her son not getting enough tummy time. In the month my son was in that room I never saw the little ones on the floor.

Now once they are more mobile, especially walking it's a whole 'nother story. I love my son's toddler room.

Exactly. My son just turned 2 and I really don't want to take him out of DC rt. now. Cutting back hours would be okay, but taking him out would do him a disservice IMHO. They just do so many enriching things with him in that Montessori program he's in.

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