Life once child is old enough for preschool

[Anonymous]

How do you handle childcare once your child is old enough for preschool? I am interested in what people do if the preschool is half day. Do you hire a full time nanny? Part time nanny?

[Anonymous]

If you want the nanny there when your child doesn't go to school, you need a FT nanny. You can ask her of she'd like to cook or whatever when your child is at school.

[Anonymous]

A couple of things to think about before you decide if you need a full time or part time nanny.
Who will take care of your child when they are sick, there is no school, or there are snow days? Some preschools have a lot of days off (Jewish nursery schools for example) and you have to think about coverage for those days. And what about field trips or special days at school? If you can't participate, would you want your nanny to go in your place? As a former preschool teacher, children do notice when they do not have anyone there for them.
While the child is at school, the nanny could be doing the child's laundry, grocery shopping and running errands for the family, making snacks and meals for the child for that day or the next, cleaning toys, organizing children's clothes and toys, planning activities for the child.
Yes, there will be times when the nanny will have some free time for herself in the mornings, but I would prefer having someone there for those times when you need her instead of having to scramble for childcare when your little one needs to come home because the school sent them home due to illness.

[Anonymous]

I'm a full time live in and my charge will start preschool in the fall. It's a 3 day/week half day program. Ironically enough I was just hired as the preschool teach so I'll get to go with him.. BUT if that was not the case, my MB/DB still would keep me as "full time" and I would just do grocery shopping/whatever else to help out while he goes to school.

[Anonymous]

PP here...I meant Preschool teacher** wow haha, great word to misspell.