What would you pay for convenience?

Let’s talk share nannies. This is an arrangement that is highly efficient and wonderful for families but is not utilized enough! For those of you who aren’t quite sure what a share nanny is, it is a nanny that is shared by two or more families, with two or three families being the usual. Navigating a share nanny situation may seem like it’s challenging, but it really comes down to having an open line of communication and some flexibility. Having a share nanny offers many benefits especially for your children. Below you can see the average full time cost per month, for one child for various childcare options. Every childcare service offers both drawbacks and benefits, and ultimately it is whatever is best for your family.

I know many people who place their children in daycare or an in-home daycare because they are really seeking socialization for their children, especially if you only have one child. With this comes high ratio’s, meaning 6 kids per one adult, less flexibility, more illness and exposure to illnesses such as the flu, lice, hand, foot and mouth, etc and the turn over rate is higher in centers. Which can be challenging for a child who has created an attachment to the caregiver..

Hiring a nanny is more expensive but for good reason. Having a nanny offers your family the most flexibility, smaller ratio’s, individual attention and specialized care for your family, convenience, less illness, more parental control, stronger attachments for your children, and consistence. When you hire a nanny, this is what you are paying for.

Having a share nanny combines the positives of children attending daycare and having a nanny into one cost effective dream. This allows children to socialize with a small controlled group of children, exposes them to germs, which encourages immune systems to develop, offers families flexibility, parental control, stronger attachments, consistency, and develops social skills like sharing, playing nicely, listening and patience. Another amazing part, it costs the same as sending your children to daycare.

A share nanny doesn’t always have to be with a family you already know, in fact many share nannies connect neighborhood families! In plenty of instances the other family becomes an amazing resource. Being able to go to them for advice, weekend playdates, since your kids will be BFF’s, or just maybe a wine night watching the bachelor. This is something our agency is great at, just let us know you’re interested in finding another family to do a share with. We can help navigate it and make the process effortless.