in-home daycare vs nanny share for 3yo

[Anonymous]

Our son had been in a lovely in-home daycare with 8 other kids until March, when we pulled him out because of the pandemic. He's been home with us since then, but now with school starting for our older kid in a couple of weeks we need to get him back into some sort of offsite care situation at least while she's doing remote school. (I am also working fulltime from home) We had been thinking a nanny share would be better since it's fewer families and thus ostensibly safer from a covid-risk-reduction perspective. We found a family with a kid close in age to our son and they have a nanny lined up. It would work, but we are really missing the set-up we had at the in-home provider. She's been open all spring and summer with 5 kids and they have put all the right protocols in place, and I know from talking with other parents whose kids are still there that they feel very safe - so now we are thinking of going back (assuming there is still space!). Just looking for some outside perspective on this since I think all the risk/benefit calculations have muddled my mind. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Go with who you trust. Do you know the family & nanny are taking great precautions to avoid covid? The in home daycare will be required to to have covid policies and procedures in place and likely had required training.

[Anonymous]

I asked a friend (an immunologist) and his wife (who studied public health) about child care options. We were deciding between a home daycare with fewer kids and a center with more kids (but more precautions). They basically said that while fewer kids is probably less risky, there's not a lot of evidence on the difference in the risk.

They said since early childhood development is really important, we should choose the option we thought was best for her development. This is all predicated on the fact that none of us are high risk (now that she is in daycare she only sees my elderly parents outside and at a distance).

In your situation I would definitely go with the trusted, licensed in-home daycare. Vetting a nanny and a nanny share family and managing conflicts in the time of Covid sounds like a nightmare to me. At the very least, you know the in-home facility is physically safe because it has passed inspection.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We regularly see my parents who are healthy, but in their 70s. In either instance (nanny share or in home daycare) should we stop having an open door policy with my parents? In other words, are both of those situations the same in terms of possible risk of exposure to my parents? If so, then I would opt for the in home. It's all the unknowns and logistics of the nznny share that's giving me pause. Thsnks again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We regularly see my parents who are healthy, but in their 70s. In either instance (nanny share or in home daycare) should we stop having an open door policy with my parents? In other words, are both of those situations the same in terms of possible risk of exposure to my parents? If so, then I would opt for the in home. It's all the unknowns and logistics of the nznny share that's giving me pause. Thsnks again.

Yes. With the nanny share, unless you would know for sure the other family is isolating strictly (parents don't work outside the home or shop at crowded stores, child doesn't go to other people's houses, ), I would be very careful with visits with elderly family. Partly that is because my parents, while healthy, are very anxious about covid (they are also in their 70s). We do visits on their patio but they don't pick up DD (which is hard, especially for my mother). Covid is very dangerous at their age and I would not forgive myself if we exposed them. You could also check with your doctor?

[Anonymous]

Also you'd need to know if the nanny is isolating

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We regularly see my parents who are healthy, but in their 70s. In either instance (nanny share or in home daycare) should we stop having an open door policy with my parents? In other words, are both of those situations the same in terms of possible risk of exposure to my parents? If so, then I would opt for the in home. It's all the unknowns and logistics of the nznny share that's giving me pause. Thsnks again.

It's your parents choice too not just yours. They have a say in their risk exposure. They aren't little kids! Nor is it black and white to see/not see. You can do things that reduce transmission risk like meeting outside vs eliminate risk like never seeing them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We regularly see my parents who are healthy, but in their 70s. In either instance (nanny share or in home daycare) should we stop having an open door policy with my parents? In other words, are both of those situations the same in terms of possible risk of exposure to my parents? If so, then I would opt for the in home. It's all the unknowns and logistics of the nznny share that's giving me pause. Thsnks again.

Unfortunately the pandemic is forcing us to make some difficult choices. So yeah, you get the open door policy with your parents or you send your kids to daycare/nanny share. You can't have both. This isn't to say that you can't visit with your parents, but be responsible- outside only, no hugs.

[Anonymous]

He’s 3 so I would go with the familiar setup for this year. Chances are he will start pk4 which is a big transition next year and then k (another big transition) so I’d keep him where he knows people and feels comfortable for now.

[Anonymous]

Unless the nanny share was gonna take all the precautions that the daycare took I would not put them in a nanny share. It’s unlicensed daycare.