Would you leave a toddler with a nanny overnight for 5 days?

[Anonymous]

DH and I are considering going on a romantic vacation without our 18 month old. It would be a 4 hour flight away. Her nanny has been working for us for a year, and DH feels comfortable having her stay at our house with DC by herself. In the past, she did a 2 day overnight with my mom here, and that went very well. My mom is no longer an option, so our nanny would need to provide solo care for any future child-free trips. Our nanny is very reserved so I don't feel like I really know her, and that gives me pause. I have no reason not to trust her, though. She's young, but mature with good judgment. And because she's very religious, I'm not worried about drugs/boyfriends/etc. Would you be ok with leaving a toddler behind with a nanny in this situation? Any ideas for what I could do that would make this feel better? I was thinking about setting up a wifi baby monitor in the play area so I could just check in once in a while, and a daily facetime. FWIW I also feel nervous when DH travels for work, leaving me alone with DC at night, so there is just a baseline level of anxiety.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why you *couldn’t*, but I personally would not.

[Anonymous]

That would be too long for both me and my child, but that shouldn't stop you from going if it's right for your family.

[Anonymous]

It’s asking for too much. You need a second person the spell her.

[Anonymous]

It seems like a good idea on the surface since nanny probably knows the child so well, but I think I would have to enlist a relative instead or in addition to the nanny.

[Anonymous]

Is this something she is willing to do?

[Anonymous]

Does nanny live in now?

[Anonymous]

I am a super laissez faire parent and did overnights early and often but… that’s way way too long. Like by 60%.

[Anonymous]

Sure. Wish I could afford it!

[Anonymous]

That's asking a lot for your nanny. Shorten the trip or use multiple caregivers.

[Anonymous]

Your kid is going to grow up thinking their nanny is their mommy.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't leave MY toddler. I would leave someone ELSE'S toddler. We take our kids and a nanny on vacations with us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going to grow up thinking their nanny is their mommy.

That's happening anyway. Just because kid calls one person "mommy" and the other person "nanny" doesn't mean they know what either word means. When they get older either nanny or mommy can explain it all to them and maybe they'll understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why you *couldn’t*, but I personally would not.

This, you leave her all day every day and she’s well cared for. I prefer to take mine on vacation.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the nanny!