The Pros And Cons Of Daycare Vs. Nanny

Most busy parents prefer childcare in the form of a daycare or a nanny. Both these options have their own advantages and disadvantages, with a discussion of the pros and cons of each form of childcare making one well informed to make the right choice.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of daycare vs. nanny:  

Childcare by a nanny is more expensive than in a daycare; it involves the costs of recruitment from a nanny agency. In addition the weekly salaries for nannies are 2 to 3 times the cost in a daycare.

A daycare center must meet the minimum state safety and sanitary regulations, with the child's care provider in a daycare being well supervised with many adults present. There is no surety of security in childcare by a nanny unless you get a reliable nanny. We all must have heard of stories of abusive nannies in which case it becomes difficult to entrust one’s child with.

Next you can maintain your privacy in a daycare as opposed to nannies where there is a lack of privacy with having a stranger at one’s home all day. In the case of live-in nannies there is a lack of privacy even in the evenings and weekend hours.

A nanny provides one-on-one care for your child, which is desirable in the infant years when the baby is to be held more often and comforted when he/she cries. Also the child is cared for in the familiar and comfortable environment of your home. This is not the case with a daycare where parents have to dress the child, pack baby supplies, and bundle kids up in the winter that could be very time consuming. However a child gets an opportunity to socialize with other children in a daycare.

There are less chances of illness that is going around in case of childcare by a nanny, with parents not required to find sick care for their child or to take as much time off to care for a sick child. It is more likely in a daycare and a child is not allowed to attend the daycare when the child is sick requiring the need to find back up care or be prepared to take days off from work.

It is challenging to find the right nanny, with some families facing a high turnover of nannies until they find the right match; it is difficult on the children and the parents. This is also true of arrangements for a back up care when nanny is sick or takes vacation time. However even daycare centers could have this defect if low wages are paid to the staff and they leave.

If your work hours are longer than the standard hours of operation for the daycare center, you will need to arrange for drop off and/or pickup by someone else. This is not the case in case of nannies that is ideal for parents that need to leave early in the morning and cannot return by the standard closing time of a daycare center.

All said and done appointing a nanny or sending your child to daycare is purely a question of one’s own priorities.

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