Reply to infant twins+3 y/o - successful childcare arrangements for 2 WOH parents? (cross-post)

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[quote=Anonymous]To the original poster:
This is a totally reasonable set up, once the twins are on a schedule.  How long is your maternity leave?

For an example, if your maternity leave is two months, then I would have the nanny start about six weeks in.  Keep your toddler in daycare until twins are about three months old. That gives you six weeks to just deal with the chaos of having two, two weeks overlapping with the nanny for her to learn your preferences and parenting style and for her to begin to see patterns in the way your children are sleeping.

The following month, the nanny's goal is to get the twins on a consistent and mutual sleep schedule.  A nanny with infant/twin experience should be able to handle this task.

At 3 months, the toddler either stays all day with the nanny, or does half-day preschool.  The nanny could probably manage all three, but preschool would likely be better for DC1, as it will be hard for the nanny go on fun outings with three until the twins are a bit bigger and drop to 2 naps each day.   Even three mornings a week would mean that DC1 has some fun and exciting days mixed in with quieter days at home with the babies.

Having to pick up DC1 mid-day should be managable, provided you are open to that throwing off the twins' bedtime if it interupts afternoon nap.  The closer the better, and walking distance would be perfect because if it does end up being during a naptime, nanny can just let them nap in the stroller en route, but be sure it's also walking distance for the toddler!  If DC1 isn't having an essential nap or "rest time" in the mid-afternoon, then you might consider doing afternoon preschool.  The typical nap schedule fof a young, three-nap-a-day infant will be ballpark 9-10, 1-2/3, and a short one around 4-5.  If nanny had DC1 in the mornings, they could do cooking, art, games, imaginative play, etc. during morning nap, then all 3 could walk to a neighborhood park or play with toys, etc during the babies' longer wake time, preschool drop-off then afternoon nap/ housework while DC1 is awake and DC1 would be at school during the babies' more tired, demanding afternoon hours.  But if DC1 still needs a daily nap, that might blow your bedtime routine to hell, so go with morning in that case![/quote]

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