Typically a family of two or more is involved in a nanny share. The families work out an agreement to split payments in order to afford her salary. Most nannies will arrange to watch over all the children at one given place,while some will stay at a different house each day of the week (Family A gets Mondays and Wednesdays;Family B gets Tuesdays;Family C gets Thursdays). Together the families will work out a deal that benefits all of them and be able to afford a nanny.
We have discussed nanny shares with four different moms to gather their opinions on how and why they choose a nanny in order to form a productive nanny share that works for everyone.
Some Advantages To Nanny Shares
1. You get wonderful care at a decent price. “Basically we get the benefits of having a nanny but at a lower price,” a mother in located in New York says. Nanny share prices vary according to regions. However in this location a nanny share costs a little more than a typical daycare. Stacey King Gordon located in Oakland California,is a mother who for three years shared a nanny and reaped the benefits for extra socialization for her daughter. Not only that,but her child care bill was cut in half.
The nanny watches multiple children,and each child is more likely to get more one-on-one attention than they’re typically use to at a daycare center,most children get to stay in their homes,this may appeal to most parents. Children may be given the opportunity to develop a relationship that nurtures.
2. Flexibility is key. Most of the parents that were interviewed who were looking for flexibility,found that the nanny shares appealed the most. A daycare center usually have policies that are strict and these apply for holidays and sick days as well as for hours. A nanny share allows you to create your own policies and come to an agreement with what works for you and the nanny.
3. Kids and Socialization. The parents who we contacted talked about how well their children had behaved with other kids in the given share. “The kid’s built relationships and learned how to respect each other and share,” Ellen Shahan from Hopkins Minnesota says.
Developing Successful Nanny Shares
1. Do Your Research. When deciding who to negotiate a nanny share with,take your time getting to know the families you intend to share with as well as the nanny you may choose to use. To make sure everything checks out alright,arrange to have background checks done on the members of the family and the nanny. It may help to share a nanny with a family or other families who share the same philosophy of raising kids. Most importantly,make sure the kids get along well.
2. Get Everything In Writing. Be sure to record everything from hours of work,conditions that apply for sick days and any details you want the nanny to be aware of when taking care of a sick child. Schedules in regards to holidays,pay days,what the children can and cannot eat,activities the kids can or cannot participate in,where and when kids go to bed,supplies needed and who pays for what. Be smart and design a contract that works for you and the nanny,make copies after you both sign it in case anything ever comes up.
3. Communication and The Ability To Stay Flexible. After everyone has agreed on every detail,be sure to keep communicate often and avoid drama as much as possible. If you choose,maybe agree to have weekly meetings to asses how everything is going and mention things that need changing.
4. Come to Expect Changes. Despite having advantages,a nanny share can have its disadvantages as well. Though not many,it pays to do research prior to considering a nanny share. A nanny share can be unpredictable in some ways. Such as one family deciding to option out of the nanny share. If this worries you,you should also discuss how to handle situations when someone decides to cancel their part of the share.
A little effort pays off. After doing careful research you can insure that your child gets the one on one time that he or she deserves while providing quality care for your child at an affordable price that works for you and the other families who share the same idea.
