I need your advice to help me make a childcare decision!!

[PhDMumof1]

Hello all, would appreciate your input on this one.

I have been accepted on a PGCE course starting Sept 12th. We have had a nanny for this year while I was finishing my studies but she is abandoning us for more ££ in London.

I have been interviewing and have found a lovely Kiwi nanny who would live in, for £220 pw. She would work 40-45 hrs, mainly sole charge, some light housekeeping (family laundry & cooking). We also have a place for DS (2 yrs) at a college nursery (9 kids only so v nice), which shuts at lunchtime. So nanny will do housekeeping 2 mornings pw when doesn't have DS.

I will be out of the house 7.45am-5.30pm most days, although some weeks will be Uni based so less demanding. I will also have school hols off. We are trying to negotiate that nanny takes some unpaid leave (she is Kiwi so wants to traval a bit). All in, this option (nanny + nursery) will cost us £13500. My bursary is £6000. DH can make up the rest.

I have now been told by the CHildcare Officer at Uni that the new uni nursery is likely to have a place for DS, but they won't be able to confirm until late July. This will cost £5500 for the year, as it is part subsidised. I have not been able to visit this nursery as they don't do visits unless you have a place there, as they are overwhelmed with enquiries.

My questions are:

If money were no object, what would you choose?
Given that I have looked at about 12 CV's, and interviewed 4 nannies in person and this is the only one we all clicked with, how on earth do I keep her on board until I find out about teh nursery?

Having been down both the nursery and nanny route, would also go for the nanny option.

PhDMum:
"money no object" a nanny would be my pick, almost a no-brainer. Almost the only advantage of a nursery is the cost.

Is your DH starting his MBA this Sept too? Will he be doing it p/t while working f/t, in which case you could do with all the help / ease in life you can get. Or will be be doing it f/t, unsalaried and paying his own course fees, in which case your financial situation will change dramatically.

Note to Uwila: this is a university nursery. They have (I exagerate a bit) about 5 places and 500 people wanting one. They can't show 500 people round for the 5 places, and typically have a complex allocation system. They will show PhDMum round when (if) she's allocated a place, at which point she can chose whether to take it up or not.

if money no object I'd go with the nanny because at 2 you will on occasion have stressful days getting out the house with him, and also if he's sick (mildly) and you would be happy to leave him with a nanny chances are that the nursery wouldn't take him

plus a live-in nanny offers baby-sitting on occasion

I'd go with the nanny - she sounds lovely.Definately.

SoftFroggie - MBA not happening until next yr (eg SEpt 2006). We had wanted to be students at the same time, with all the drinking, hanging around in cafes and existential conversations that would have allowed us time for but unfortunately the DfES have just announced that they will be charging top-up fees for PGCE's come 2006 , what a bunch of idiots!!!

I am firmly decided on the nanny option having looked at the transport / length of time it will take to get to school by 8.40am (nursery JUST about feasible as long as DS is being co-operative, but there will be no time for leisurely kissy huggy drop-offs.)

Now I just need to track down the elusive Kiwi on her Contiki tour of Europe ... have left emails and phone messages since Monday and no joy yet ... she is undoubtedly enjoying the many charms of old world Europe as I type ...

Presumably the MBA will be FT, then? Not much time for ahnging out in cafes or existential conversations if doing MBA PT plus working FT, IME not much time for anything other than work and study (DH did the MBA, not me, but I felt that I lived it!). He waited till I finished my PhD before starting his MBA, we couldn't face stressful studies at the same time. FT MBA is probably a quite different experience, but we couldn't face the income drop that would have entailed, or the huge fees. Proably also quite dependent on where you study.

Good luck with finding your nanny now you've found her.

yes, the idea of hanging out was more ironic ... any hanging out has been curtailed severely since the arrival of DS!

I don't think I could have coped with PhD or "executive" MBA with a kid as well: hat off to you and DH!

I think we're mad personally

you sound like you have found your perfect option for chidcare i have met many kiwi and ausi nannies they are normally great fun and fantastic with kids and so easy going !.I nannied for 16 yrs having very little time off in fact was in job for 8 yrs 5 days off ill!.At least if your son is ill your nanny can look after him.

Another vote for nanny here - even though my ds is in nursery and has thrived there it is a real b*gger when he's ill and can't go - one of us has to take time off. And their rules about illness are quite strict. Fair enough, I wouldn't want ds exposed to other children who are ill either, but it is difficult when you are working yourself - and that's why he's in nursery! If I could afford a nanny, that's what I'd choose. Sounds like you and ds will get the best of both worlds - activities with lots of other kids in a couple of nursery sessions plus the flexibility of a nanny.

Glad you've gone for the nanny. I did my pgce with taking dd to a nursery. When I was on placement I would be literally waiting for the doors to open at 8 o'clock, to make sure I got to school in time. Not so stressful on uni days as we didn't start till 9.30. The idea of NOT having to do all the chores is blissful, when you have assignments/marking/studying to do. Clean clothes, tidy house,dinner- you are doing the right thing!

Should have added that I took dd out of nursery in the Feb of my course, as my lovely next door neighbour went back to childminding after maternity leave, and dd went to her instead. So much easier to pop in next door instead of loading up the car. And she still goes 10 years on, though we're not next door to each other anymore. Not quite as good as a nanny, but as close as I'll get.