If you have a nanny, what do you do when your child is 2-4?

[Anonymous]

I have a son who will be 2.5 next fall. I’m expecting a second baby next summer. I’d like to have a nanny take care of both kids, mostly for ease of life for me and my DH, so we can keep up better with work. So far, my son has been in a very good daycare, with lots of special activities and 3 teachers for 8 kids (often only 6 kids). I want to know how people use a nanny for a 2-4 year old. How many outside activities or how much preschool do you use in addition to the nanny? What do you think is the best setup for the older child?

[Anonymous]

Nanny takes and picks up our 3 yr old at morning preschool and is with the baby all day. She has activities for both kids every afternoon.

[Anonymous]

I was a nanny for 2 kids. 1 and 3 when I started. The older one was in preschool 3 mornings a week and I would take her and pick her up. She did 3 days a week when she was 4 and then when she was 5 she went 5 days (mornings) a week and he started at 2 mornings a week. The days there was no school we did swim lessons and other classes, playgroups, play dates, trips to playground etc.

[Anonymous]

For a child who has been in daycare, continuing with daycare is best. Look for a nanny share for your second.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a child who has been in daycare, continuing with daycare is best. Look for a nanny share for your second.

A nanny share will not make life easier for OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a child who has been in daycare, continuing with daycare is best. Look for a nanny share for your second.

My son will have to transition to new teachers in September in any event. I do think he is used to the routine of daycare. But my point is that he has to make a change anyway.

[Anonymous]

I would suggest at least preschool at least 2 mornings a week and even 5 is not too many, preferably one that has some rotation of special classes (music, gym, whatnot) built in or that can be added onto the school day so you don’t need additional mommy & me type classes. I didn’t put my 2.5 year old in preschool this fall when I had a second baby and i’m kind of regretting it. Either the baby’s naps get messed up because she’s being dragged to something for the toddler, or the toddler has to amuse herself for longer stretches and skip play dates/classes because of the baby. I know it’s “fine” but I would just be happier if each had some time dedicated to their own needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a son who will be 2.5 next fall. I’m expecting a second baby next summer. I’d like to have a nanny take care of both kids, mostly for ease of life for me and my DH, so we can keep up better with work. So far, my son has been in a very good daycare, with lots of special activities and 3 teachers for 8 kids (often only 6 kids). I want to know how people use a nanny for a 2-4 year old. How many outside activities or how much preschool do you use in addition to the nanny? What do you think is the best setup for the older child?

You want a nanny because you're lazy At least you're honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a son who will be 2.5 next fall. I’m expecting a second baby next summer. I’d like to have a nanny take care of both kids, mostly for ease of life for me and my DH, so we can keep up better with work. So far, my son has been in a very good daycare, with lots of special activities and 3 teachers for 8 kids (often only 6 kids). I want to know how people use a nanny for a 2-4 year old. How many outside activities or how much preschool do you use in addition to the nanny? What do you think is the best setup for the older child?

You want a nanny because you're lazy At least you're honest.

Oh, God, shut up. You never have anything but vitriol to add and it’s getting boring. Go haunt some other forum.

[Anonymous]

Our girls only did one "semester" of preschool - the spring before kindergarten. So that was at 4+. Before that, each morning they did an activity - museum, aquarium, nature center, park, playground, story time, etc. Then home for nap. Then maybe a tumbling or dance class, or local playground, or meet up with a friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a son who will be 2.5 next fall. I’m expecting a second baby next summer. I’d like to have a nanny take care of both kids, mostly for ease of life for me and my DH, so we can keep up better with work. So far, my son has been in a very good daycare, with lots of special activities and 3 teachers for 8 kids (often only 6 kids). I want to know how people use a nanny for a 2-4 year old. How many outside activities or how much preschool do you use in addition to the nanny? What do you think is the best setup for the older child?

You want a nanny because you're lazy At least you're honest.

Yes, wanting to be able to work at one's job is soooo lazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a child who has been in daycare, continuing with daycare is best. Look for a nanny share for your second.

My son will have to transition to new teachers in September in any event. I do think he is used to the routine of daycare. But my point is that he has to make a change anyway.

My point was that he’s used to the routine of daycare. Asking a child at that age to adjust to not only a new sibling but also a switch from daycare to nanny is foolhardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a son who will be 2.5 next fall. I’m expecting a second baby next summer. I’d like to have a nanny take care of both kids, mostly for ease of life for me and my DH, so we can keep up better with work. So far, my son has been in a very good daycare, with lots of special activities and 3 teachers for 8 kids (often only 6 kids). I want to know how people use a nanny for a 2-4 year old. How many outside activities or how much preschool do you use in addition to the nanny? What do you think is the best setup for the older child?

You want a nanny because you're lazy At least you're honest.

You're right. The OP should just let her toddler and baby roam in the forest while she and her spouse work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a child who has been in daycare, continuing with daycare is best. Look for a nanny share for your second.

My son will have to transition to new teachers in September in any event. I do think he is used to the routine of daycare. But my point is that he has to make a change anyway.

My point was that he’s used to the routine of daycare. Asking a child at that age to adjust to not only a new sibling but also a switch from daycare to nanny is foolhardy.

Foolhardy to have a child adapt from a group care situation outside the home to a 2:1 care with a dedicated provider at his own home? Oh, please! The opposite move could be challenging but no child is going to be hurt going from daycare to their own nanny.

[Anonymous]

OP, I would definitely recommend your older child go to a part-time preschool, such as 2-3 mornings or even 2 full days a week, since he’s already used to being with groups of kids and he’ll benefit from the continued socialization, especially since kids start developing peer socialization skills around 2 or 3. It’ll also be good for the nanny to have regular blocks of time when she has only one child to care for and if they coincide with naps, she can take care of child-related home chores. If she’s with both kids all the time and they have different nap schedules, there’s a limit to how much she can help out beyond straight-up childcare. I’m expecting a baby and my older child is older than yours, but this is what I would have done with the age gap you’re going to have.