Nanny vs. daycare for a 28 month old

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I am moving from NYC to DC next month. My daughter aged 28 months (she is pretty verbal and a social child) has had a nanny since she was born however now we are facing the choice on whether we should put her in daycare or stick with the nanny option. We are familiar with the cost difference and also due to the flexibility of our work are not super concerned with sick time (two arguments usually made for/against each option). We just need advice on what is good for our daughter. Please help!

[MooiI]

If she has all the immunization vaccine, go to daycare.

[Anonymous]

MooiI wrote:If she has all the immunization vaccine, go to daycare.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I am moving from NYC to DC next month. My daughter aged 28 months (she is pretty verbal and a social child) has had a nanny since she was born however now we are facing the choice on whether we should put her in daycare or stick with the nanny option. We are familiar with the cost difference and also due to the flexibility of our work are not super concerned with sick time (two arguments usually made for/against each option). We just need advice on what is good for our daughter. Please help!

What's best for your daughter is what's best for you family. Do you need the flexibility of a nanny? How important is socialization to you? If it's very important, you may need to pay for classes on top of a nanny - can you afford that? You child is nearly preschool age -will you send her next year to preschool and still keep the nanny or would daycare with a preschool curriculum work for you? What kind of care does she have now?

[Anonymous]

You might not even be able to get into daycare. Wait lists are long here.

[Anonymous]

A great nanny is $20-30/hr. That may be higher than NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A great nanny is $20-30/hr. That may be higher than NYC.

lol, no its not.

[Anonymous]

I'd go with daycare at that age. A good nanny can make up a very busy social calendar as well, so it's not a bad option if you need the flexibility of some one coming to you and taking care of the kid's things for the day, but if your work schedule allows for it, kids want to be in a social setting all day at that age anyway. It's already there in a daycare. With a nanny, you're relying on her to be exceptionally good to make up the difference.

[Anonymous]

I would go with a nanny at her age. A good nanny can give her the security that she needs as well as the socialization but taking her to story times, play groups, structured classes and lessons to get her best prepared for preschool. It is like having a private tutor vs taking a class. Plus, the rigid schedule of daycare and long days are hard on a child who has not been in daycare since birth. Getting a child that age packed up and ready for daycare everyday no matter what is also a major hassle.

[Anonymous]

At two, I could see that my child was wanting more daily instruction - what's this letter? how many are these? what letter does your name start with? By two & a half, she needed it. Now that she's three, I can't imagine her not having it every day, for several hours a day.

Can a nanny provide that? Sure, but how many nannies design preschool curriculums or will follow the one you provide? Will your kid enjoy it as much in the format of one-on-one instruction vs at a big table of friends?

Even if you kid isn't yet on you to teach her these preschool skills, she will be in a few months. Since you're doing a big transition now anyway, I'd just go with the transition that will work from now until kindergarten, rather than have a nanny now and then need to find her a new preschool a year from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A great nanny is $20-30/hr. That may be higher than NYC.

Ignore this crazy poster, OP. Average nanny rates for one child in DC are $16-18/hr. DCUM is filled with fictional nannies with big imaginations.

At this age, OP, your child is ready for more of a preschool environment than most nannies will provide, so daycare is a better option. Your child will also have more socialization opportunities and a rich environment to prepare her for PK3 next year.

[Anonymous]

If you find either a good, educated nanny or an excellent daycare - either option will work for your daughter. Our nanny was a preschool teacher so she arranges DD's day, 2.5) with structured classes and scheduled events that I have set start/end times for DD to get used to preschool. When DD starts drop off preschool this fall for three hours (9-12) Nanny will be able to do drop offs and pick ups and be available for all sick days and teacher holidays. Plus our nanny handles everything related to DD - laundry, cooking and baking for her, cleaning her room and bath and I simply do not want those chores back on my plate again -- so for many reasons a great nanny works best for us. However, I have friends with kids who are doing great in excellent daycares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you find either a good, educated nanny or an excellent daycare - either option will work for your daughter. Our nanny was a preschool teacher so she arranges DD's day, 2.5) with structured classes and scheduled events that I have set start/end times for DD to get used to preschool. When DD starts drop off preschool this fall for three hours (9-12) Nanny will be able to do drop offs and pick ups and be available for all sick days and teacher holidays. Plus our nanny handles everything related to DD - laundry, cooking and baking for her, cleaning her room and bath and I simply do not want those chores back on my plate again -- so for many reasons a great nanny works best for us. However, I have friends with kids who are doing great in excellent daycares.

+1 The key is to find "great" in either option. A nanny or daycare as simply making sure that your child is safe is not enough at your DD's age. Daycare will be harder on you and DH however regardless of how great it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I am moving from NYC to DC next month. My daughter aged 28 months (she is pretty verbal and a social child) has had a nanny since she was born however now we are facing the choice on whether we should put her in daycare or stick with the nanny option. We are familiar with the cost difference and also due to the flexibility of our work are not super concerned with sick time (two arguments usually made for/against each option). We just need advice on what is good for our daughter. Please help!

How about montessori school and hire a part-time nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I am moving from NYC to DC next month. My daughter aged 28 months (she is pretty verbal and a social child) has had a nanny since she was born however now we are facing the choice on whether we should put her in daycare or stick with the nanny option. We are familiar with the cost difference and also due to the flexibility of our work are not super concerned with sick time (two arguments usually made for/against each option). We just need advice on what is good for our daughter. Please help!

How about montessori school and hire a part-time nanny.

+1 Best of both worlds. A good 2+ preschool program in the morning and a nanny in the afternoons (and to cover sick days and school holidays) and your DD will be able to relax in her own home for nap time. No daycare that I have ever heard of in DC is as good as the best preschool.