Seeking Advice About Nanny Vs. Daycare.

I send my son to daycare. When I moved here a year ago... I was in the same situation. DAYCARE OR NANNY? I figured it makes common sense that children need to be around other children. It teaches them so much more than a Nanny. Plus the school I take my son to is great. They take walks and trips. I feel he is so safe. I take him in the south loop he is almost 4 now. I think for you it is ultimately what you think is right. I understand with an infant it may be a little different then with my son. Maybe with an infant a nanny would be better. They can take walks and an infant really doesn't need a park.. but i suggest as your child gets older that they get the quality of a daycare where they learn strong social skills and sharing. Good luck! Congrats!

Hi J.

A very reputable nanny service is www.helpersabove.com I and a friend have used them. They give u an application, and match up nannies according to your preferences. Then u can interview them and decide. They are extremely professional. There is a fee for the nanny search done by the website (Colleen) but I think it's totally worth it.

I started to use their services and have even honed on a few nannies, only to find a cheaper babysitter who lives 3 min from us, so I put that nanny service on hold. I'd use them again if this babysitter didnt' work out or something.

We were torn between deciding to use a nanny, home babysitter, or daycare. We decided on a home babysitter, for many reasons. First, during the first few months babies don't really care to interact with other babies. Also, they are the most vulnerable to sicknesses so we didnt' want that so early on. We liked the idea of a babysitter coming in our home, so we didn't have to worry about dropping or picking her up somewhere (we both work full time). We like the luxury of waking up in the morning and the babysitter is already in the house.

We did find a good daycare in the burbs, and we plan to enroll her part time probably as she nears being 2 yrs old and more excited to meet other kids. For now I have her at Gymboree, playgroups and I take her out a lot on weekends to have that social interaction.

It all depends on what you prefer, so good luck!

We had a Nanny for my son's first year and then she moved and we had another child so we interviewed public and in-home daycares. We found a licenced in-home family daycare that is run by two sisters. I like the fact that my two kids are together all day (3 and 1 yrs). They learn a lot from the older ones and my 1 yr old has picked up so much already. As far as sickness, they have less kids then a public and with two women there they have plenty of one on one time.
I hope you can find a similar situation near you we are very happy. My pediatrician also recommended less exposeure when they are small, but as soon as my son turned 3 they wanted him to have lots of social interactions.

Actually, I had my son with a friend of my mom's from church when he was three months old just until about 2 months ago (he just turned 3) when I put him in daycare. Before I loved that my son was at someone's house and there were usually a few other kids there and he got a lot of attention, but once he started getting able to walk and talk and develop more, there was no structure to their day (other child care providers do activities, my sitter just didn't). I was very excited to put him in daycare because they have a very structured day incorporated with preschool (and potty training too). As much as I agree with you and the others about daycare (being held, tummy time and the getting sick more often) I totally am for daycare now. In fact, my daycare actually has cameras so I can log in during the day and check on my son and what he is doing. So, if you find one that you like, check it out and spend some time there to see how it works. And, if you decide to go with a home child care provider, you can go to www.babysitters.com - I think they also list sitters who are willing to work full time and possibly at their home. Living in the west loop, I'm sure there are a lot of great options for you to choose from, you just need to figure out what is right for you and your family!

Hello J.,
You must be so very excited about your new little one's arrival. Congratulations!!! It such a wonderful and amazing time. I am a mother of a very active 2 year old boy, but i also happen to be a nanny. I feel so very fortunate that i have been able to be with him- i know what a tough decision you need to make. There are both pluses to a nanny and daycare. It is such a very personal decision. I am looking for a new family to help and bond with and I would love to speak with you further. Please contact me if you would like. Thanks alot ~M.

Hello! I just wanted to give you some advice on daycare. We absolutely LOVE the daycare that our daughter goes to. She has been in the daycare situation, since she was 3 months old. The only problem with daycare, is that they tend to get sick more often than they would if they were home with someone. The other thing that we love is that they are ALWAYS there. If for some reason, your nanny is sick or takes vacation you would have to find another alternative as far as someone watching your baby. This was another big reason that we put our daughter in daycare. We don't have anybody else to fall back on. There are definately pros and cons to both situations and you will figure out which you are more comfortable with. Good luck on your search!!!

Hi J.~
I have been in the same situationas you-I have a 3 year old boy, with another on the way in the end of winter. I personally have done both-a nanny and a daycare. The daycare is good because they interact with other children their age, and they are also in some-what of an educational environment. However, if you find the right nanny, you can get the same results from that also. I plan on doing childcare out of my house again once I have my baby. I have done it previously, and one thing I personally make sure of, is that I have age appropriate activities/learning supplies for the age group of child(ren) that I will be having at my house. If you do go the route of a nanny, I would make sure to ask what other aged children she has, and also, if once the age is there, if there will be any educational activities going on also. As long as you find a nanny that you are comfortable with, and feel your baby will be successful with, then that is the way to go. I would definitely stick with the nanny myself, but I had a very successful time with that. If you are still looking for a home daycare, I will be starting it again March once I have my second baby, and you can feel free to contact me, if you desire.
I hope this was helpful!!
J.

Just a little something else to add. I agree with all that's been said. There are definite pros and cons to all types of child care. Financially speaking, for one child, a nanny would be the most expensive route by far, then day care center, then home day care. I don't know if you have considered home day care, but it's an excellent medium IF you can find somebody you really trust. Less kids, so less sickness, but still social interaction. I have worked at Chesterbrook Academy and nannied and now I do home day care, having 2 of my own kids, and I LOVE it. I think it is the best of both worlds for the kids. Along as you can find somebody with close to the same outlook as you, it's a great thing. Any route you choose, it's worth checking out lots of options, as there could be drastic differences between. Hope this helps and best of wishes to you!

Hi J.,

We have a nanny and that situation has worked out really well for us. I was worried about my daughter not being "socialized" enough and my pediatirician really discouraged moms groups and daycare. Mainly because the need for socialization as we think of it isn't necessary until they are 1-2 and beacuse they are exposed to so many germs. Our daugher loves our nanny and has developed socially the same as any of my friends who have kids in daycare. And, she's only had one cold and is nearing 20 months. It's a very personal decision and I see lots of moms love their daycares...just my two cents on what worked well for us. Best of luck!