Decisions, decisions.... To hire a nanny is such a big thing to think about. Trusting another person with your precious little child/children can be such a stressful and scary thought, I can definitely see why some people decide not to do it and stay at home. However circumstances like finances, mental wellbeing and other factors may impact your decision so the need for someone to care for your child becomes a necessity.
I believe if you have a good recommendation with some background checks and references it would be worth it, especially if you have screened them yourself and seen how they are with your child/children as a test run.
It is really important to see how your potential nanny is with your child as a test run to see if this new working arrangement would actually work, but there are also some things to think about....
What are the reasons to why you are considering a nanny;
Do you believe it is necessary due to your circumstances ?
Can you afford to have a nanny ?
Can you actually manage without one ?
How often do you need a nanny; day times only.. evenings, weekends, full time or part time ?
Would you want a live in nanny or non live in ?
If you would like to have a live in nanny, do you have the space for one ?
what task would you need a nanny to do ?
How long do you need a nanny for ?
There has been some cases where nanny and parents clash due to each others personal takes on parenting but once both parties have established a routine it can really benefit the child.
These are some of the things to consider when deciding, however considering a nanny is a very personal decision and it's important to figure out if this is actually right for you.
Daycare is also a good alternative as your child benefits from social interactions, a wider variety of toys and play activities. The only downside are things such as potential illnesses unlike with a nanny you would have more control and your child will be given individual attention, one of the the downsides to this is if your nanny is also unwell you may have to arrange a a back up.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, these were some of the options I was considering when I eventually returned to work, I thought about having day care as an option but due to my location of work to where I live this wouldn't had worked out if I had to physically be in the office as I would not make it back to the day care on time to pick up my daughter but thankfully I am able to work from home otherwise a nanny option would have been my next option or look for another place of work closer to home.
If you are financially capable of considering both, this can also be worth your while as your child is able to benefit from both aspects of care, from being in a controlled environment with a nanny and also the additional social interactions at daycare.
Having considered all the factors I highlighted above, let us know what you decided was best for you?
Sewa Adebayo
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