Rising kindergartener - when to start nanny?

[Anonymous]

My son has been in daycare for five years, but we already know we want to get a nanny to care for him and his 18 month old sister when he starts kindergarten. We won't get into before/after care and can't handle the logistics of dropping the kids off at two different places. My question is should we hire a nanny to start in June after his Pre-k graduation or should we wait until September? His daycare offers a camp program over the summer with fieldtrips. If our nanny started in June I would sign him up for swimming lessons and some half day camps the nanny would have to drive him go. I worry a out him being bored at home, but I also think having the nanny start early would give us a chance to get used to things before the big starting elementary school transition.

[Anonymous]

He won't be bored at home. Good grief. We all survived summers at home with parents or sitters who interacted very little with us and we made our own fun. Your kid would have a nanny to take him on outings, do projects with, build Legos with, read to etc. He'll be fine if you hire the nanny in June.

[Anonymous]

I would hire in June so he has time to adjust to a new nanny and then school instead of both at the same time. Activities during the summer are fine but don't over do it, let him have some down time. Also a good nanny will keep him entertained

[Anonymous]

Start your new nanny in June. Is your 18 month old currently in daycare? I think it would be better for everyone to spend the summer getting used to the new normal and so that your older child will feel happy and secure when Nanny picks him up from his new school.

[Anonymous]

I agree with starting the nanny early and minimizing the number of significant changes that happen simultaneously.

And yes, don't worry so much about him being bored. Letting the nanny come up w/ some activities for them to do over the summer could be a terrific way to build their relationship and really bring her into the fold quickly.

[Anonymous]

I would also go for a nanny starting in June and sign up for a pool membership or a zoo membership. That plus story time at the library and play time at the park should be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has been in daycare for five years, but we already know we want to get a nanny to care for him and his 18 month old sister when he starts kindergarten. We won't get into before/after care and can't handle the logistics of dropping the kids off at two different places. My question is should we hire a nanny to start in June after his Pre-k graduation or should we wait until September? His daycare offers a camp program over the summer with fieldtrips. If our nanny started in June I would sign him up for swimming lessons and some half day camps the nanny would have to drive him go. I worry a out him being bored at home, but I also think having the nanny start early would give us a chance to get used to things before the big starting elementary school transition.

I have an AP (not nanny) because I don't want my kids to keep the exhausting hours that we do as a working family. There is no spin on 40+hrs of "camp" (AKA daycare, let's be real) you can make that can say that is preferable for a young child over a relaxing summer. Schedule camps (we do those for sure for sure!) but we do half day camps, not full day ones that are basically glorified babysitting wrapped around some sort of specialized activity.

I'm not sure how your son would be bored at 5yrs old. My kids play outside in the summer, go to the pool a few times a week, go to the parks, go to the zoo, museums, swim lessons, art classes... the list goes on an on. Plus my kids often have fun just playing in the basement with their toys---alone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He won't be bored at home. Good grief. We all survived summers at home with parents or sitters who interacted very little with us and we made our own fun. Your kid would have a nanny to take him on outings, do projects with, build Legos with, read to etc. He'll be fine if you hire the nanny in June.

Who is "we?" I don't remember any summers at home with mom or sitters. I went to La Petite daycare or later YMCA camps. Odd that you assume everyone had the same childhood as you.