2 under 2 - nanny?

[Lockdownmummy]

I have 2 under 2 and just thinking about when I return to work.

DS went to nursery 4 days a week while
I was back at work and pregnant and still goes 2 days a week now I am on maternity leave. He's settled in so well and they are great. The nursery is 5 mins walk from home and both DH and I will be hybrid working so the plan is that one of us is always WFH to do drop off pick up etc.

DD has her name down for a place and I had just sort of come to terms with the money we'll be spending on nursery until the funded hours kick in for DS (which is about a year) It's likely we'll have to dip into savings to pay but we are lucky to have it there. Neither DH or I are keen to be a SAHP and also thinking of the longer term once the nursery years are over we will be more than OK!

Talking to some people they can't believe that we are not considering a nanny. Does anyone have any experience of this? Does it make much of a difference money wise? I'm not sure about the whole tax/being an employer thing and if it's worth it. My job is quite full on so don't really want a time consuming responsibility. Are many nannies OFSTED registered to allow for tax free childcare and then to use the funded hours with them?

We are a SE London surburb to give a context for prices.

Lots of nannies are Ofsted registered, you can use tax-free childcare to pay a nanny, but you can't use the funded hours with a nanny.

Nanny is unlikely to be cheaper than 2 in nursery unless you're able to find a newly qualified nanny or maybe a nursery nurse who wants to get into nannying.
You're probably looking at £12 an hour +, with employers NI, payroll costs and pension on top.

Nursery better imo.
If you're relying on a nanny and she's ill/has car trouble or whatever, you're screwed, especially if your job is full on.

@Lockdownmummy

I have 2 under 2 and just thinking about when I return to work.

DS went to nursery 4 days a week while
I was back at work and pregnant and still goes 2 days a week now I am on maternity leave. He's settled in so well and they are great. The nursery is 5 mins walk from home and both DH and I will be hybrid working so the plan is that one of us is always WFH to do drop off pick up etc.

DD has her name down for a place and I had just sort of come to terms with the money we'll be spending on nursery until the funded hours kick in for DS (which is about a year) It's likely we'll have to dip into savings to pay but we are lucky to have it there. Neither DH or I are keen to be a SAHP and also thinking of the longer term once the nursery years are over we will be more than OK!

Talking to some people they can't believe that we are not considering a nanny. Does anyone have any experience of this? Does it make much of a difference money wise? I'm not sure about the whole tax/being an employer thing and if it's worth it. My job is quite full on so don't really want a time consuming responsibility. Are many nannies OFSTED registered to allow for tax free childcare and then to use the funded hours with them?

We are a SE London surburb to give a context for prices.

I can't believe you're not thinking about cutting your hours and looking after your own children if money is such a non issue.

A nanny is unlikely to be cheaper, but may be comparable/only slightly more expensive. Lots of people prefer a nanny because of the convenience, type of care and additional jobs a nanny will do.

But you do have the responsibility of being an employer and you don't have the all year cover you would with a nursery.

If a nursery works best for you, stick with it.

We have a part time nanny (21 hours a week term time), she does four school pick ups, and two drop offs for our 5yo on her full two days with our 3yo. 3yo is still in nursery three days a week but we can use the free hours for those days and they can cover if they have space when our nanny is ill.
A hybrid set up might work for you, too? We wanted different childcare options to call on!

I had 2 under 2 and we both worked full time. While on maternity DD1 still went to nursery 2 mornings a week rather than her usual 2 full days and DD2 was with me, then I went back to work full time, both in nursery 2 days a week, then with grandparents 3 days a week. In September we will get funded hours and it will be a relief, but we've just muddled through

The benefit of a nanny is they come to your house where all the toys and things are. You don’t have to drop off children on your way to work or pick both children on your way home. It’s so much easier if you have a good nanny. Finding the good nanny can be the tricky bit. Definitely worth it!

But you do have the responsibility of being an employer and you don't have the all year cover you would with a nursery.

Holidays can be arranged so they match with yours. Typical is they get to to pick half and you get to pick half

Thanks for the helpful comments. I am very happy with our nursery, but was having a bit of a wobble and wondering if I was missing something!

@Mo1911 not sure how you've concluded money is a 'non issue' and heaven forbid I should want a career and a family!

@Mo1911 What a nasty and unnecessary comment.

Ignore the troll! You sound happy with the nursery and (in general) it's great for them to do some hours from around 3 so I would not unsettle DS for the sake of a year. I'd carry on as you were unless you become unhappy with it.

We've never used nursery, but we love our nanny. She comes to us every day and works longer hours than a nursery would. It wouldn't have been possible for me to get home in time for pick up from nursery. She also drives the kids to play dates etc and it feels more relaxed for them in the school holidays, rather than spending all their time in clubs/nursery. She also looks after the children when they are unwell, whilst nurseries tend to say you have to keep the children at home, which could cause unexpected problems with work. The nanny also sorts out the kids laundry and rooms - and I just have limited time to do all of this around work. When she's not here I spend the whole of the weekend doing chores rather than spending time with the kids. I assume with a nursery you still need to do all of that. A nanny works great for us anyway!

I think nanny would be tricky if you're both sometimes WFH

I costed it up and found that nanny had more expenses that I hadn't considered - e.g. food and activities for the children (food and nappies included at our nursery), travel costs for getting to activities, it also seems to be expected that you pay for the nanny's food during the day, etc

I have three children. The first two went to nursery and when I went back to work after the third we hired a nanny. So I have a lot of experience with both options. In terms of pros and cons:

• Nanny is definitely more expensive than nursery for two children (in our case it was more expensive than nursery for three, although we paid a premium for a nanny who could drive, had their own car and was willing to mind three boys - nannies have their preferences where families are concerned too)

• Pro: they come to your house. After 3 years of trying to get children ready and prepared and out of the house in time in the morning to drop them off it was absolute bliss to leave all that to the nanny and just have to ready myself and get to work. Ditto in the evening - shorter commute as I didn’t have to go via the nursery.

• Sickness - an OP above said she preferred nursery as if the nanny was sick/unavailable she didn’t have to organise alternative childcare. I had the opposite experience in that my kids were sick a lot more than the nanny was, and the stress of trying to organise back up childcare or leave work when they were ill in nursery was immense. With the nanny I could leave them at home and check in during the day. That being said I had an amazingly reliable nanny - I have had friends who had ones that were flaky and would call in sick all the time, and that was very difficult.

• Child development: Based on my own experience I would definitely ensure that when your children reach two they are in some form of Montessori or preschool for at least a few hours a week. I waited too long to put my third child into preschool as we had the nanny and he was far less socialised and prepared for school than his brothers who had been to nursery were. It was a big mistake which I regret.

Also meant to add - I second the other poster above on the additional heating costs etc with a nanny. The wear and tear on your house is also much higher when the kids are home all day.

There’s always one 🙄

Nothing wrong with having a career and having childcare

Sounds like nursery works for you.

Nannies not likely to be cheaper

And if one of you always at home working , much easier to have no children about