Help! Another childcare dilemma

[InfiniteGerbils]

Nanny or nursery - WWYD?

We have three children of 3.5, 2 and 16weeks.

We have a three days a week placement for the older two in a nursery close by.

We have just been told “there is no space for your youngest to join us in Jan 2020”.

As of Jan 2020 both DH and I will be working FT.

This means our youngest needs a place for 5 days a week in childcare.

The older two need two extra days (not guaranteed to be provided where they are).

We can:

Have the older children in nursery three days a week
Have a nanny for all three the other two days
Have a nanny for all five days for the youngest

(900/month)

Find a three day week nursery place for youngest
Keep older two on their three days at present nursery
Hire a nanny (share?) for two days

(775/month)

Hire a nanny FT for all three and withdraw children from nursery

(600/month)

The oldest starts school in Aug 2020

Both nurseries are en route to what her school will be.

We are lucky in that money is not the primary decision-swinger here.

I am a big fan of the social interaction and learning the children get at their (very good) nursery, and I wouldn’t want our youngest to miss out on that.

However I feel that a nanny would provide consistency and as the oldest will be at school in a year could do school pick ups instead of having to plonk DD in after school club.

WWYD????

Yep is hard, and the guilt, the guilt- you have it regardless!

See I would still be tempted to get a full time nanny (seduce them with your gorgeous baby). All the nannies I mixed with as a parent were very sociable and their charges had loads of interaction with our DC every day.

Youngest could go to pre-school when older. After they have 2 older siblings so not the same as an only child...

Perhaps speak to the agencies about 2 days now and get a feel?

We've used Nannies once the children started school (Nursery prior) to take the edge of the evening routine. It's really hard with two full time working parents to stay on top of homework, school lunches and after school activities and do a few chores and a load of washing or two. At least you can come directly home from work instead of multiple pick ups and the kids are already bathed, fed and homework done.

Nanny - if you get the right one then it makes your life infinitely easier. Then if possible get the eldest into the pre school for his school, or keep him in nursery?

Although it seems like another change you’d be introducing a nanny anyway? So a nanny 5 days would probably give the most stability long term ( always more tricky to find/keep part time nannies). My dc adapted to their nannies ( we had 2 - one is now a life long friend) very quickly. Good nannies also ensure interaction and socialising etc. Plus all the little stuff a nanny does - clothes, cooking and tidying. Means you usually have a reliable babysitter as well.

My two are now both in school but if I could afford it ( partic as a single parent) I’d still have a nanny 🤣. They are in after school clubs now unfortunately - but it’s a long day and much more stressful with making pick up. They both still talk about their nannies and would much prefer to still have a nanny to come home with now.

Hi where do you live if you live in the North East near Gateshead/Newcastle I can look after them for you and we can sort out a price

Ahhhh thank you but I’m in Scotland

I grew up with nannies and did preschool as well. I’d love to have that set up for my DC. Essentially I ended up with three people in my life who loved me like parents. (We see my first nanny when we can nearly 40 years later).

Oh, and the preschool will possibly take the 15 free hours (ours does).

Nanny is much the easiest for you and provides the most consistent childcare for the DC. Your oldest child can go to preschool for a few sessions a week.