Anonymous wrote:Look into an au pair. Around $18K a year.

I am the mom above who said I have many spreadsheets etc. I have looked into this and the reality is I don't have enough time to make it a fun/positive cultural exchange opportunity. Thats a huge element of the program people just throw out the window.

Camps for 3 kids while wipe our any "savings" . Trust me. I am also a mom of 3 who's has done MANY spreadsheets on various childcare scenarios. Also the mental anxiety of rushing about during snow days and sick days is AWFUL. Just swing it. Cut preschool if you have to and just do library groups with the 3 year old.

Look into an au pair. Around $18K a year.

[quote=Anonymous]OP here - yes we could juggle the pick up and drop off. The downside would be summer care cost and then sick days/ days off etc. What do you do for summer care typically with 3 kids? Just curious what everyone does ?
TIA[/quote]

You send the kids to camp. Even with three of them, it will still be cheaper than $35k.

I mean, at 35k you are already paying your nanny on the lower end for DC so I’d let her go so she can find a better paying position and put 3-year-old in FT preschool.

If you and your spouse can cover sick days, you can find a college aged nanny for the summer who will be much more willing to take the $15 per hour pay.

OP here - yes we could juggle the pick up and drop off. The downside would be summer care cost and then sick days/ days off etc. What do you do for summer care typically with 3 kids? Just curious what everyone does ?
TIA

Look at total costs as by the time you do before/after school care for the older kids, summer camps, backup care it may be a wash.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is there anyway you can stagger your schedules so one can do drop off and one can do pick up? I feel you on the drowning in costs. We have twins so 2 in private preschool (12k/year) twice a week plus a fulltime nanny around (45k/year). We're giving up our nanny this summer and sending our kids to a fulltime preschool/daycare which will cost us 3k a month. I'm looking forward to the extra money. [/quote]

OP this is my exact scenario just about ... my two in private elementary don't have the option for public right now due to some issues but maybe they will soon. But what will you do when they are sick PP? what is your back up plan? [/quote]

I think this depends on OP's job flexibility/sick leave plan (for example, I get a lot of sick time and I can use it for my child, so this isn't a huge issue) and[b] honestly, how well her children typically are.[/b]

I stayed at home until I started Kindergarten and I made it from K to 6 with perfect attendance. Not because I went to school sick, but because...I just didn't get sick much and my mom was pretty aware of this by the time I was 5 or 6. Obviously an extreme case, but you get the drift.

[/quote]

Oddly, this is a good point. My kids hardly ever get sick. I don't think they missed any days last year at all and same with the year before. One did miss a day this year so far. Of course this could change but they are in 1st and 4th with full time daycare before that and sick days haven't been even close to an issue.

do you have flexibility to work from home when kids are sick or take the day off? can you guys stagger your schedules? My DH works 7 to 3 so he can pick up our son after school and I do drop off in the mornings. We both work from home in the evening if necessary since DH has a hard stop at work in order to be able to pick DS up.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is there anyway you can stagger your schedules so one can do drop off and one can do pick up? I feel you on the drowning in costs. We have twins so 2 in private preschool (12k/year) twice a week plus a fulltime nanny around (45k/year). We're giving up our nanny this summer and sending our kids to a fulltime preschool/daycare which will cost us 3k a month. I'm looking forward to the extra money. [/quote]

OP this is my exact scenario just about ... my two in private elementary don't have the option for public right now due to some issues but maybe they will soon. But what will you do when they are sick PP? what is your back up plan? [/quote]

I think this depends on OP's job flexibility/sick leave plan (for example, I get a lot of sick time and I can use it for my child, so this isn't a huge issue) and honestly, how well her children typically are.

I stayed at home until I started Kindergarten and I made it from K to 6 with perfect attendance. Not because I went to school sick, but because...I just didn't get sick much and my mom was pretty aware of this by the time I was 5 or 6. Obviously an extreme case, but you get the drift.

[quote=Anonymous]Is there anyway you can stagger your schedules so one can do drop off and one can do pick up? I feel you on the drowning in costs. We have twins so 2 in private preschool (12k/year) twice a week plus a fulltime nanny around (45k/year). We're giving up our nanny this summer and sending our kids to a fulltime preschool/daycare which will cost us 3k a month. I'm looking forward to the extra money. [/quote]

OP this is my exact scenario just about ... my two in private elementary don't have the option for public right now due to some issues but maybe they will soon. But what will you do when they are sick PP? what is your back up plan?

Keep the nanny. Who will take care of the kids when they are sick? Off school? In the summer? Camps will be $400/week per kid. Send your kids to public school and keep the nanny.

Is there anyway you can stagger your schedules so one can do drop off and one can do pick up? I feel you on the drowning in costs. We have twins so 2 in private preschool (12k/year) twice a week plus a fulltime nanny around (45k/year). We're giving up our nanny this summer and sending our kids to a fulltime preschool/daycare which will cost us 3k a month. I'm looking forward to the extra money.

If you like her, I'd try to keep her no matter what--great nannies are so hard to find, and I think your need even grows in terms of transport as kids get older. Maybe consider reducing hours and helping her get hours with another family (maybe a SAHM who would like someone to relieve her during the preschool hours?)

we have 3 children, two in lower elementary school and one just turned 3 years old. Right now have a full time nanny that picks up two in lower elementary school and cares for 3 year old full time. the 3 year old is also in preschool just two short mornings a week. Two in school are in private school so need transportation. We are drowning in costs between private (12 k each) and full time nanny (35k) thinking of putting 3 year old in full time daycare but worried about sick days and when school closed and summer care etc. Both parents work full time careers. How do these type of families juggle?
tia