Hire a Nanny or Find Daycare?

This seems to be the question at the top of the working mother’s mind. Parents want to ensure that their child is well cared for, and that the expense is justified. Whether to hire a nanny or find a quality daycare can be a tough decision. This article explores some of the top issues that affect this decision and provides analysis on whether a nanny or daycare is the more effective option.

Issues Affecting Your Decision

• Quality of care.

Nannies can provide personalized care for your child, and as the employer, you determine the rules and have control of your child’s routine. Daycares often have set policies and procedures that your child may have difficulty adapting to, and they typically cannot provide your child with individualized attention. While parents do find daycare to provide a stimulating, social environment for their child, it is also one in which illnesses spread easily.

• Costs.

In general, nannies are more expensive than daycare, but if you have more than one child, the nanny may actually be cheaper than the daycare, since nannies charge by family and daycares charge by child. There are other costs to consider with a daycare as well, such as gas prices and registration and/or activity fees. Explore average nanny and daycare costs in your area, as location may also be a factor.

• Safety.

Children at home are safer than they are at daycares. Pedophiles target daycares, which is a direct risk to your child. Furthermore, the higher child-to-caregiver ratio at daycares means less supervision, and you cannot always be confident that daycare staff are experienced and trained according to expectations.

• Convenience and flexibility.

Many people overlook the convenience factor. How long is your commute to the daycare? Nannies will prevent you from being late to work and will work with your schedule if you work long or untraditional hours. Daycares, on the other hand, may charge you additional fees for picking up your child late.

• Family Support.

By cleaning up after your children, helping to run errands, and providing parenting advice, your nanny will end up providing more support than you anticipated. Nannies care for the family rather than focusing solely on the children.

Other than cost, nannies fare better in all categories. Consider using an agency to find a nanny rather than independently searching for one, as agencies hire the best and most experienced. Houston, for example, has a wide variety of agencies that thoroughly investigate their nannies. If you are looking for Houston nannies, try starting with an agency to set your standard.