Parents of twins/multiples how did you find childcare?

[Anonymous]

Raise your own kids! Or don't have any.

[Anonymous]

PP is right about LA nanny fees. My older cousin just finished 30 years of teaching at a public ES and is now commanding $40 an hour for 3 pre-school / school-age kids. 4 weeks vacation. Employer covers 1/2 her healthcare premiums. Good times! Pre-pandemic it was more like $30.

[Anonymous]

I think you should rethink daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have twin 9 month olds and a kindergartener and are struggling to find quality childcare (just like many others,yes). We have been ghosted the day before the job started when we thought we found the perfect nanny with great references. Right now we are managing with a part time college student babysitter who has been just decent, grandparents who live out of town visits and tag teaming while working from home. The twins are sleep trained and on a schedule so not extraordinarily difficult anymore.

I’ve interviewed and spoken with so many people from neighborhood groups, FB and friend referrals. Many are not interested /experienced with multiples, some only were interested in talking about salary and avoided actual care related discussions, only want cash and many were former au pairs that overstayed. Tried the au pair route but quickly realized that it wouldn’t be appropriate for babies.

I’m not willing to do daycare until age 2. The local daycare centers that we have checked out are not allowing parents inside and do not have cameras therefore it’s a nonstarter for our family.

The kindergartener is in camp full time and will be going to school in the fall but we need full time help with the twins. Any suggestions or tips on finding full time care? We are an AA family living in NOVA. We can afford max $25/hr and 2 weeks PTO. Thanks

Live-in nanny, and go through an agency. You won't have any issues finding great care. I'd suggest Susan at Nannypoppinz.

[Anonymous]

OP-I'm certain that I can help you find a great nanny within your budget (I run a local agency).

Please leave an email address (even a burner one) if you want me to reach out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should rethink daycare.

I agree. It would be about the same price or less than a nanny plus you would get more hours per week if you need them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should rethink daycare.

This.
Look around. I have an infant and a 5yo in daycare right now, and we are in NoVA (Loudoun). Our daycare policy for much of the past year has been dropoffs at the door for older children, but parents were allowed to carry infants to the infant room. After restrictions were lifted in June, all parents are allowed inside for dropoff and pickup again. We are required to mask inside and cannot hang out in classrooms, but we are certainly allowed in the building!

[Anonymous]

OP here back to report that we were able to find a reallly awesome nanny within our budget. Yes, I did compromise on a few things and offered additional PTO and more flexibility on hours. The timing of the start of the new school year was perfect because I had a hard time choosing between 3 really great candidates. Just offering some hope to other parents of multiples in a similar situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here back to report that we were able to find a reallly awesome nanny within our budget. Yes, I did compromise on a few things and offered additional PTO and more flexibility on hours. The timing of the start of the new school year was perfect because I had a hard time choosing between 3 really great candidates. Just offering some hope to other parents of multiples in a similar situation.

Can you give a broad outline of what you agreed on? You started out with $25/hr with 2 weeks of PTO for twins and maybe the addition of a random kid on off-days. What was the end result?

[Anonymous]

OP you are in a bind for certain. We used two HS students and paid them minimum wage. Then we let grandparents help us with preschool. We pieced it together. Because we didn’t have an extra $40K for full time nanny with paid vacation many paid days off. Many extras. We just didn’t have the $$ for that. Also we tried using a service and they sent us the worst candidates. Great nannies don’t use a service except for maybe the parents are very wealthy. GL.
PS we had twins. Twin extra everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here back to report that we were able to find a reallly awesome nanny within our budget. Yes, I did compromise on a few things and offered additional PTO and more flexibility on hours. The timing of the start of the new school year was perfect because I had a hard time choosing between 3 really great candidates. Just offering some hope to other parents of multiples in a similar situation.

Can you give a broad outline of what you agreed on? You started out with $25/hr with 2 weeks of PTO for twins and maybe the addition of a random kid on off-days. What was the end result?

This is what we agreed on:
$25/hr for twins, $35/all 3 kids
4 weeks PTO + 5 sick days

However, our parents come to visit often so she will be off during those visits and will be able to leave early if we finish early during the week.

[Anonymous]

I'm happy for you, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here back to report that we were able to find a reallly awesome nanny within our budget. Yes, I did compromise on a few things and offered additional PTO and more flexibility on hours. The timing of the start of the new school year was perfect because I had a hard time choosing between 3 really great candidates. Just offering some hope to other parents of multiples in a similar situation.

Can you give a broad outline of what you agreed on? You started out with $25/hr with 2 weeks of PTO for twins and maybe the addition of a random kid on off-days. What was the end result?

This is what we agreed on:
$25/hr for twins, $35/all 3 kids
4 weeks PTO + 5 sick days

However, our parents come to visit often so she will be off during those visits and will be able to leave early if we finish early during the week.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for you, OP.

TY! Much Appreciated

[Anonymous]

Read this entire thread and have to say I'm so happy for you, mom! You didn't get frazzled at all with some of those very personal nasty comments! Lol. Ppl need to get a life. Anyways, it was very helpful for me to read the posts and learn what to offer as I look for an after school sitter for my two boys who are in elementary school.