Nanny or Daycare, You Be the Judge

Staying at home with the kids is not a luxury that every family can afford, or that every family wants. After having kids, parents are faced with a huge dilemma—do you hire a nanny, or enroll in a daycare?

It’s a tough decision to make because each comes with their own set of pros and cons. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, as every family is different. The best way to decide what will be a good fit for your family is to identify the pros and cons associated with each option. Here are some pros and cons to consider for each:

Nanny
Pros:

• Your child will get individual attention that is not always possible at a daycare
• You don’t have to worry about getting everything ready ahead of time for your kids because the nanny can take care of that
• You have a little more flexibility in your schedule vs. the standard hours of operation that daycares have

Cons:

• Finding a nanny that fits in with your own personal ideals and values can be difficult and time-consuming
• It can be very expensive to pay someone to come to your home and watch your child each day
• You can’t always know what happens once you leave the house each morning

Daycare
Pros:

• With your child being surrounded by other kids everyday, they have an increased chance to make new friendships, learn more quickly and have more stimulation than by being at home all day with only the nanny to interact with
• Daycares come equipped with good, quality teachers that are trained to help teach your kids the things you may not have time to do, such as potty-training, counting, the alphabet, etc.
• There are certain safety and sanitary requirements that daycares must adhere to

Cons:

• Being around other kids all day exposes your own kids to more germs
• Less of a chance for individualized attention due to class size
• You will have to get yourself and your children ready every morning, as well as make sure that they have all the necessities accompanying them, such as food, diapers, etc.

Conclusion
When it comes down to it, you have to pick which one will fit in with your schedule and your budget. There is no right or wrong answer to the question of nanny vs. daycare—only what’s right for your family.

Have you used a nanny and/or daycare? Share your experiences by commenting below, or on our Facebook or twitter pages.

Content in this blog post was written by Nancy Parker who was a professional nanny and loves to write about a wide range of subjects such as health, parenting, child care, babysitting, nanny tips, etc.