| Childcare in the Big City | | | | placing a private add in the newspaper, and a variety |
| If you ever are in need of childcare then you know | | | | of nanny finding websites. Their pay scale will vary per |
| how hard it can be to find the right kind for the right | | | | person and will depend on their experience level and |
| price. Finding childcare really depends on the age and | | | | hours that you are looking for. You and your nanny |
| type of child you have. Here are a few options and | | | | should discuss in advance how she would like to be |
| how they compare: | | | | paid, on the books (which require paperwork to be |
| Daycare Center: | | | | done by you) or on cash basis where she is |
| Typical Care Hours: 7am - 6pm Monday through | | | | responsible for declaring what she makes and has her |
| Friday | | | | own healthcare etc. Since a nanny is technically an |
| Cost: between $40-$70 per day | | | | employee of your family, you should sort this out first |
| Daycare centers can be good for toddlers from ages | | | | before beginning her employment. I find that a good |
| 2-4. It teaches them how to play in a group and helps | | | | starting point for a nanny is about $ 100 per day with |
| them learn valuable social skills such as sharing and | | | | possible pay increases the longer she remains under |
| communication. Most Daycare centers have a variety | | | | your employ. But then again I don't live on the Upper |
| of activities for the kids to do throughout the day with | | | | East Side. |
| a naptime somewhere in between. There is usually a | | | | Things to pay attention to when looking for a nanny |
| good ratio of kids to supervisors and some centers | | | | are her age and English skills. If she is older, you may |
| have started including video feeds from their web site | | | | want to consider her level of energy with taking care |
| so you can see your tot while he is away from you. | | | | of a toddler. She may or may not have the ability to |
| Daycare centers take kids as soon as they are potty | | | | chase after your newly running tot while he is plowing |
| trained and can keep them up until they reach pre k. | | | | toward a major intersection. If she is younger, she may |
| Some even have public pre k classes funded by the | | | | or may not have the patience to handle a screaming |
| state. | | | | inconsolable infant. The same thing goes for language |
| Some possible downsides of a daycare center are | | | | skills; you may not want a nanny with limited English |
| that your child may not get the personal attention that | | | | skills paired up with your toddler who is just learning |
| he was getting from Mom. This can sometimes be a | | | | how to speak. The call is yours but always go with the |
| rude awakening combined with temper tantrums at the | | | | person who you trust the most to act in your babe's |
| daycare door or refusing to let go of your leg. Let me | | | | best interest. |
| assure you, this shall pass and, if you can stand your | | | | Live In Nanny: |
| ground, he will be having a good time by week's end. | | | | Typical Care Hours: Full Time 40 hours a week Part |
| With the good children there are always the bad, the | | | | Time 20 hours per week. Usually Monday - Friday |
| biters, the yellers, and the downright mean. You may | | | | Cost: between $250 - $600 per week including living |
| have to contend with these precious pumpkins if they | | | | expenses like food, a room, possibly a cell phone, extra |
| have a stab at torturing your little one. The key to | | | | cable line etc. |
| handling these situations is to do it diplomatically and | | | | A Live In Nanny can be one of the most cost |
| without losing your temper. It is as important that the | | | | effective ways of caring for your kids if you work full |
| biter learn to be kind to others as it is for your baby to | | | | time or have irregular work hours. They live with your |
| get his apology. | | | | family in your home and take care of the kids during |
| My daughter attended a local Kew Gardens daycare | | | | hours that you work or are away. The benefits of |
| from ages 2-5. During those years she made some | | | | having a Live In Nanny are that you have all that a |
| friends who she still has at age 10 and learned some | | | | Nanny has to offer but without the crazy price tag. |
| early reading skills from some very qualified teachers. | | | | They really do become a part of your family and your |
| She was also bitten, fought with, and got sick from | | | | children can become very attached to them. I have |
| every child who picked their nose and wiped it on the | | | | had a Live In for 4 years and have made it work for |
| walls. The choice is yours. Here in Queens, Daycare | | | | our family. She is available 24 hours a day and there is |
| Centers are hard to find and sometimes not a good | | | | never a chance for lateness or not showing up. |
| alternative due to the proximity of them. I was lucky to | | | | There are some logistics to sort out before you make |
| have one close to my home but that is sometimes not | | | | the choice to have a Live In Nanny, living arrangements |
| the case. | | | | being number one. You should have a room or |
| In Home Daycare: | | | | basement area that is livable and clean. Our nanny |
| Typical Care Hours: 7am - 6pm Monday through | | | | lives in our third bedroom and shares a bathroom with |
| Friday. This can also be negotiated with the daycare | | | | my daughter. You will have to adjust yourself and your |
| Cost: between $35-$50 per day and usually includes | | | | family to the notion that you now have a roommate |
| meals | | | | who deserves her own privacy and respect. If you |
| An in home daycare is run out of a private residence, | | | | can accomplish that you can have a very long and |
| usually by a mom with her own kids. There are not as | | | | successful relationship with a Live In. |
| many children in this type of setting and can | | | | Then there is the topic of pay and living expenses. |
| sometimes be catered more towards babies and little | | | | You can work this out with your Nanny and come up |
| ones that are not potty trained. The caretakers are | | | | with a scenario that you both feel comfortable with. |
| usually very loving and your child will become part of a | | | | We pay our Nanny $400 per week and that includes |
| more cozy care environment similar to a family. They | | | | her room and food. You can negotiate a smaller |
| will do activities with the kids but it is much less | | | | weekly pay and give things like a cell phone, a metro |
| structured than a center. You should ask what | | | | card, and other incentives that are not that expensive |
| activities and schedules they keep so that you have | | | | beyond what you would normally be spending. This |
| some idea of what your baby is doing during the day. I | | | | situation is not for most but it can offer you certain |
| would recommend this type of care for a small baby | | | | freedom within your home if that is desired. |
| or young toddler. | | | | Au Pair: |
| In Home daycares are often not regulated by the | | | | Typical Care Hours: Full Time 35 hours a week Part |
| department of education or health. This means that | | | | Time 20 hours per week. |
| you will have to be continually conscious of how clean | | | | Cost: between $160 -$350 per week including living |
| and safe your child's environment is. You should also | | | | expenses like food, a room, possibly a cell phone, extra |
| be able to develop a quick trusting report with the | | | | cable line, schooling etc. |
| caretaker since she/he will be the only eyes on your | | | | An Au Pair is another word for a mother's helper. |
| child every day. I am a big fan of the at home | | | | They live in your home and usually work on call if you |
| daycare. It usually has all of the good aspects of a | | | | have to go to the store would like some free time. |
| larger center as well as a cozy setting. I am also a fan | | | | They are usually young girls from abroad who would |
| of craigslist which is where you can find many listings | | | | like to experience living in another country. They can |
| for in home daycare services. | | | | also come from inside the United States but are |
| Babysitter: | | | | usually from small towns. A good resource for looking |
| Typical Care Hours: Negotiable | | | | at au pairs and hiring people who are U.S citizens is |
| Cost: between $ 9 - $15 per hour | | | | with Great Au Pair. They have a free search engine |
| A quick note on pricing and budgeting for a sitter. If you | | | | and you can pay to begin contacting people if you see |
| use a babysitter while you are at work, make sure to | | | | anyone you would like to interview. If you would like to |
| calculate your travel time as well as actual work hours | | | | hire someone from abroad, you legally must go |
| into your budget. Also try to add a few extra hours for | | | | through an Au Pair agency. They charge a fee and |
| date night or just plain running behind in traffic. | | | | assist you in doing the paperwork and preparing for an |
| Babysitters can come from a wide variety of sources, | | | | Au Pair. The agency fee and paying the Au Pair in |
| babysitter services, craigslist, and word of mouth to | | | | cash usually works out to about $350 per week even |
| name a few. The goal is to find a babysitter who lives | | | | though you will have to pay some of that in lump sums. |
| close to you. The closer they live, the more flexibility | | | | Some families, like mine at one point, hire Au Pairs |
| you have with their schedule and higher likelihood that | | | | instead of nannies to save on costs. But the reality is |
| they will be on time. If a sitter who has to commute to | | | | that Au Pairs are not nannies. They can be as young |
| your home is running late, you will be stuck waiting by | | | | as 18 years old and have very little experience with |
| the door, not fun. Having a babysitter is a good part | | | | childcare. They also will be experiencing a new local |
| time solution for evenings and weekends. Unlike | | | | culture and language at the same time that they are |
| nannies, babysitting is usually not their full time job. They | | | | trying to care for your children. All of this is not |
| can be students or waitresses trying to make some | | | | necessarily bad, but it does require some extra effort |
| extra money. For this reason it is nice to have the | | | | on your part. You will be taking on the responsibility of |
| names and numbers of a few babysitters in your | | | | a person who may need some advice and help |
| phone just in case one is not available. | | | | navigating your local system. |
| Trust is a big issue when picking the right sitter. Since | | | | Your Family: |
| they will be with your child one on one with little to no | | | | Typical Care Hours: Flexible |
| supervision, you must be able to trust them implicitly. | | | | Cost: Free - you can't beat that. |
| That is a difficult thing to do with any virtual stranger | | | | In the days of a recession, two working parents, and |
| but you must rely on your parental instinct to guide you | | | | still not enough money to pay the bills sometimes one's |
| through picking and trusting the right person. As a | | | | own family is the only option for childcare. I find that |
| backup to parental instinct, getting their social security | | | | when soliciting help from your family, it is important to |
| number, driver's license number, and emergency | | | | spread out the responsibilities if you can to avoid any |
| contact info should go a little way in setting your mind | | | | one person from feeling over burdened. An example |
| at ease. | | | | of this would be asking for 2 days a week each from |
| Live Out Nanny: | | | | your parents, siblings, cousins, and friends. This way |
| Typical Care Hours: Full Time 40 hours a week Part | | | | one person may only have to commit 2 days over the |
| Time 20 hours per week. Usually Monday - Friday | | | | course of 10 days depending on how many people |
| Cost: between $600 - $1200 per week depending on | | | | you can ask. This ensures that the people who are |
| factors that I will discuss. | | | | watching your precious little muffins are rested and |
| A Live Out Nanny is probably the most expensive child | | | | prepared to care for them in the best way possible. |
| care option for your home. A nanny has made a | | | | Do not assume that family will go the extra mile just |
| career out of taking care of children. Some of them | | | | because they are family. |
| have degrees in child education and are CPR certified. | | | | The city is a wonderful place to raise kids with all of |
| They can cook, clean, play games, and have good | | | | the options you have at your fingertips. Those options |
| knowledge of child safety. They are good for children | | | | also apply to childcare. There are mothers groups, |
| of all ages whether it be taking small babies on long | | | | nanny sharing, and services of all kinds available to you |
| walks or picking the older ones up from school. You | | | | as a parent. It is up to you to decide which one will be |
| can hire a nanny from nanny agencies, craigslist, | | | | right for your family. |