Post-daycare help vs. Nanny?
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Anonymous
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Hi Everyone,
I posted this in the expectant parents section and discussion got locked. It was my first post and totally my mistake, sorry! Now that I think I'm in the right place... My husband and I are expecting our first in December, and our favorite choices for daycare close at 6:00. Unfortunately, I work until 5:45, and two nights per week until 9:00. Unfortunately, this is pretty non-negotiable. If I wanted to hire someone to simply pick up our LO from daycare and be with them for 2-4 hours, how much would I expect to pay? Would I need a part-time nanny or could I try to hire a college student with extra time? At this point would it be more cost effective/less of a headache to just look for a FT nanny and deal with this when LO goes to Pre-K? Any advice for a clueless FTM is truly appreciated! PS DH would love to be part of this schedule jigsaw but he works undependable hours. Sometimes he'll get home before me, other times he needs to be at work until 11PM or later. Since we can't guarantee his schedule, it's easier to plan around mine for childcare purposes. |
Anonymous
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Congratulations on your baby!
Try to get some recommendations from your neighborhood list serve. I would not hire a college student for a newborn. |
Anonymous
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I think being juggled between a full-time daycare and a part-time nanny would be too much for such a little one. By the time you pay for daycare and a part-time nanny, you may as well hire a full-time nanny. It will allow you more flexibility.
It sounds like you'll definitely need care for over 40 hours per week, which means that you'll have to pay your nanny OT. Part-time nannies are harder to come by and tend to be less reliable. I wouldn't hire a college student to care for your baby. You can find a good, reliable, experienced nanny for $16-$20+ dollars per hour. It is customary to offer at least 2 weeks of paid vacation and 3-5 personal days per year. |
Anonymous
| Don't be foolish, PP. Decent nannies cost way more than $16/hr. |
Anonymous
| care.com, you can fnd someone that wants to work 2 days a week for $15/hr. There are 1000s on there. All highly qualified. |
Anonymous
All highly qualified? You're joking, right? |
Anonymous
No, I found our nanny on care.com. Over a decade of experience, kids adore him, I trust him to manage everything without my intervention, couldn't be happier. |
Anonymous
OP I think you are going to want a FT nanny, at least for the first year or so. For one thing, you won't need to prep food, commute or worry about the clock constantly. Moreover, piecing stuff together will be a really stressful headache for you. You're going to go through a lot of people because that's just not the type of job anyone keeps for very long, particularly if it's until 9 p.m. some nights. |
Anonymous
| If I had the financial choice, I would absolutely hire a nanny. It will cost more, especially with overtime, but it will be highly beneficial for your child and your household. Congrats OP. Also, I think that you can find a qualified college student, but you will want someone with infant experience. |
Anonymous
| No way an experieced nanny will take $16/h with a less that full time schedule. You may find someone full time for that rate but not just evening |
Anonymous
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I am a highly experienced nanny and currently work for a family with an infant. I work 45 hours a week. We agreed on $14 per hour, $21 for any hours over 40. It's a little less than I usually charge, and if I was working part time, I would have requested a higher wage, but this family treats me very well and I agreed the wage was fair. This is a temporary placement as they wanted her to be able to stay at home as a baby, so that was a factor as well.
It really is going to depend on what nannies there are in your area, but it certainly isn't impossible to pay less than $16. |
Anonymous
Don't know what you mean by highly experienced, or what kind of experience/education you might have. But it sounds like they hit the jackpot to find someone as generous as you seem to be to them. Glad they appreciate your kindness towards them. |
Anonymous
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Could you look at nanny shares? That would probably be less expensive than daycare plus evening help and would definitely be better for a little one than shuffling back and forth and still not even getting mommy/daddy time at night sometimes. You could also look for a nanny who has her own child and is willing to accept less money in exchange for having her own child with her all day.
If you could swing it, a nanny is definitely a better plan in the scenario in terms of family happiness and may be similar in price range, although nanny costs vary widely and of course you want a great nanny. But for the first year, you will be much happier if your baby is in a quieter, more responsive environment, and the logistics, especially if you have your own nanny, are much easier. Nannies typically help with baby's laundry, keep babies things tidy and manage things like baths and bottle prep that daycares just won't do. |
Anonymous
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I think a full-time nanny sounds much more doable than daycare + part-time evening nanny care.
The logistics would be so much easier for both you & your little baby. I also concur not to hire a college student for a new infant. I would prefer an older person who preferably has her own children so that person will have actual hands-on, actual 24/7 life experience caring for babies. Congratulations on your baby news! 
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Anonymous
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OP here,
Thank you guys so much for all the advice, I really appreciate it! Since baby will only be 4 months when I go back to work, DH can't really be counted on for reliable hours, and the excellent points having fewer moving parts, and how much nannies can add to the family, it looks like we'll be looking for a FT nanny in the near future. Definitely a new adventure! Thanks again! |