Nanny Vs Daycare – Which is the Better Choice?

When your newborn reaches 3 months, most mummies will have to go back to work. This is a heartbreaking moment and you would like to put the little one in the best hands for their development. The challenge now will be nanny vs daycare. Which one is better? 

What is better Daycare or Nanny

There are a lot of factors like the environment, besides cost to decide between daycare or nanny is better for your newborn. Daycare will be a structured classroom type of environment with lessons designed for different stages of your newborn life in school.

Your newborn learns to interact with others at a young age and maybe more disciplined due to peer pressure. Some downsides will be the attention given will be diverse and spread among a few babies in the classroom.

Even more, it is easier for sickness to spread in a classroom setting. In contrast, Nanny most of the time will only be taking care of either 1 or 2 babies at home. So they will provide undivided attention to your little one. Furthermore, a nanny may also help with some household chores like washing baby clothes or any instructions from you.

Daycare may not be able to follow specific instructions given from you as they have to attend to multiple babies in a class. Your little one is also less likely to fall sick with a nanny as there are fewer chances of viruses and germs spreading among many babies. Depending on the situation, a nanny most of the time cost more than a daycare center.  

Nanny

The main role of the nanny is to be responsible for the well-being and development of the baby on a full-time basis. Besides just taking care of the baby, they may need to be involved in other activities like children’s laundry, cleaning of their toys and rooms, feeding and bathing. Check out also 19 Best Baby Bath Products with pictures for first time parents.

Do nannies do housework

This will really depend on your arrangement with the nanny. Most of the time the housework done is related to your baby like washing of baby laundry or cleaning of toys. They may not be involved in general household chores like washing the toilet or ironing of your clothes.

What skills should a nanny have

A nanny must preferably have some or all of the below mentioned skills

• Infant care experience
• Past child-care employment experience reference
• Infant/child CPR-certified
• First aid training
• Experience planning activities and interaction for infant/child

Do nannies live with the family

Most of the nannies live in with the family. You may have to provide weekly salary, room and board. And benefits like insurance and taxes. All these little things add up to your cost. 

Can a guy be a nanny

Yes.a guy nanny is named as manny.  More parents are open to the idea of hiring mannies to act as an additional role model for their kids like playing sports. Some kids are even specifically requesting one from their parents. (Source)  

How old are nannies

The mininum age of nannies is 18 years old. The nanny can be stay in or a day nanny.

Is nanny share cheaper than daycare

Having more than one kid and using nanny share can sometimes be cheaper than daycare. Check around your neighbourhood if there are any families with kids nearby open to doing a nanny share arrangement with you. This may help to reduce your cost.

Difference between Nanny and Babysitter

Nanny is more professionally trained and certified to take care of infant/baby on a full time basis. A babysitter can be anyone who is able to take care of the baby on a temporary basis. It can be as simple as just a few hours while the parents are out running some errands. 

Effect of Nanny on child development

Nanny provides social support for the baby when parents are not around. Nanny and parents together help the child to build a trusting relationship and confidence.

Frequent interactions between nanny and the baby also help to build their language skills from small. They provide updates to the parents on daily developments of the little one and acts as an additional role model for the baby in the family. See 8 Tips to Reach Infant Developmental Milestones by Month

Nanny agency

It is sometimes easier to find suitable nannies from agencies which can match one to meet your requirements. Here are some questions you can ask to find a good nanny.

• What is your infant care experience?
• Do you have child-care employment references?
• What kind of activities and interaction would you provide during the day?
• Do you have a clean driving record?
• Are you infant/child CPR-certified?
• Have you had any first aid training?
• Are your work hours flexible?
• What might you do if a baby was crying inconsolably for a long period of time?
• What is your hourly rate?

Daycare

Start by researching your child-care options while you are still pregnant(somewhere in the third trimester). It probably seems very early but does note that some areas of the country may have a long waiting list for daycare centers. You’ll want to explore several possibilities and choose the best one that feels right for your family

Make appointments and visit several daycares. Strike off those you feel does not meet your requirements like environment or cost. After doing your research, discuss with your spouse and go with your gut instinct

Questions to ask Home Daycare or Day Care Center

• Is your day care licensed?
• What are the experience level and training process of your staff(pedagogical education, first aid, infant/child CPR-certified,etc.)?
• What is the infant-to-care provider ratio?
• How much do you charge?
• What does the cost include?
• What are your visiting, dropoff and pickup policies?
• Do you have a sick child policy?
• What is a typical daily routine for an infant?
• What kinds of activities and interaction will my baby be exposed to?

When should I put my baby in daycare

It will really depend on your situation. According to a study, putting them in by 2 years old and spending 35 weeks a week helps to build positive effects on children’s socio-emotional development(Source) Daycare environment helps to build your child social and interaction skills with others.

Is daycare good for infants

Infants in daycare are more prone to sickness due to their young age. There may be also fewer class activities suitable for them as infants. However, it can be still a cheaper option as compared to hiring a nanny.

Is daycare good for child development

The following are some ways daycare is good for child development

• They make your kids more self-disciplined
• Daycare makes your kids smarter(Source)
• They are more likely to get college degrees in the future
• It helps to build a stronger immune system(Source)
• Daycare prepare your child for school
• They become more efficient communicators(Source)

What are the disadvantages of daycare

Some disadvantages of daycare include lack of convenience where you have to send your kids and fetch them based on school time. You may not receive daily updates from the school of your child and he/she may fall sick more easily.

Does daycare affect attachment

It is recommended for parents to spend more time with their kids after school or on weekends. It can be time spent cuddling, talking or playing with them instead of just putting them to bed. Every minute of your undivided attention helps to build a stronger relationship.

Nanny vs Daycare costs

The following are some common FAQs relating to the cost of hiring a nanny/babysitter as compared to using daycare.

How much is Daycare for a newborn

The average cost of center-based daycare in the United States is around $12,000 per year ($1000 a month). Depending on your area or hours put in the daycare, the prices can range from $3,600 to $19,200 a year ($300 to $1,600 monthly). You can also check out what resources are available to help with childcare costs where you live.

How much does daycare cost a day

Daycare cost depending on your area can range between 40 – 70 dollars each day.

Is it cheaper to have a nanny or daycare

Daycare is most of the time cheaper than hiring a nanny unless you are able to find nanny sharing to lower your cost. If budget is a concern for you, you may need to start early to hunt for suitable daycare near your neighbourhood.

What is the average amount to pay a babysitter

The national average amount for a babysitter is around $16.40 an hour. The min amount is at $13 an hour. You can use this free calculator to see how much to pay your babysitter

Do Nannies charge per child

They normally may charge abit more if you have more than one kid. It will depend on your arrangement with them as more child means more work. It is fair to add an additional $1 or $2 per hour to the nanny.

What is the rate for a Nanny per hour

According to the 2018 care survey, the rate for a nanny is around $14.50 but it will depend on what additional tasks are included which may increase the rate.

How much does a Nanny cost per day

It should cost somewhere between 100 to 120 dollars a day.

How much do you pay a nanny

The payout is normally weekly and on average should cost you 580 a week. The rate would be higher if it is a stay in nanny. It will also depend on the number of hours the nanny work for you per week.

The final tip for Nanny vs Daycare

When considering your childcare options, Nanny vs Daycare, one of the best ways to check for quality is by word of mouth. Post a question on your local or mothers’ group forum.

Ask for recommendations or ask them to share any good or bad experience. Chances are if you hear many people giving glowing reviews for a nanny or childcare, you will be more confident in making the right choice. Do you choose Nanny or Daycare for your little one? Drop a comment below. You may also be keen to find out whether Cloth or Disposable Diapers For Newborn is better