Trying to talk about your parenting choices — no matter what those choices are — is guaranteed to ruffle some feathers and Why Hiring a Nanny Was the Best Choice for Our Family ruffled some feathers.
Breastfeeding vs. formula.
Cloth vs. disposable diapers.
Going back to work or being a stay-at-home parent.
Taking them to daycare vs. hiring a nanny.
The list goes on, and no matter what you do, even if your kids are happy, healthy, and cared for, someone will tell you you’re doing it wrong.
In the interests of peace and maintaining our sanity, we will ignore all of them.
Trying to juggle two girls, a husband, and my career proved too much for me to manage.
Let me tell you why hiring a confinement nanny was absolutely the best choice for our family.
Table of Contents
She Fit Our Schedule
Scheduling, in general, has been weird the last couple of years, especially as we lived through a global pandemic.
Sometimes we’re in the office.
Sometimes we’re working remotely.
Schools are open or closed or only opened halfway while they teach classes virtually the rest of the time.
Having a nanny during these crazy times has been a lifesaver.
Nannies generally work set schedules but building a good relationship with your nanny often means that they’ll be willing to shift their schedule for you as necessary.
She Was More Cost-Effective
Hiring a nanny was the best option for us because she was more affordable than sending both kids to daycare though that isn’t always the case.
You do need to remember that if you’re hiring a nanny, you effectively become an employer, so you’re responsible for managing payroll, remitting taxes to the state, and even offering insurance/benefits in some parts of the country.
That said, even the overtime I’ve paid when she’s been willing to stay late or help with other tasks hasn’t persuaded me to change my mind on this statement.
She Was Good for the Kids
I love my girls, but getting them to sleep anywhere but their own beds — whether it’s for naptime or on a trip — can be an exercise in frustration.
I’m always having to pack their pillows, blankets and favorite stuffed animals when we go on a trip to try to create an air of familiarity in what might be a strange place.
Having a nanny at home, especially during daytime naps, enabled them to rest in their own beds and wake refreshed instead of fighting not to sleep because they weren’t comfortable with their surroundings.
She Was Flexible
I cannot count the number of times when having a nanny around — especially one who was willing to go out of her way to help out wherever she could — saved my bacon.
One instance comes to mind.
The four of us, plus the nanny, were all at home.
The husband was doing something in the garage, I was working remotely and our nanny was minding the girls.
My loving, sweet, caring, devoted husband managed to put a nail through his hand.
Instead of bundling everyone up in the car and trying to manage two young kids at the ER, our nanny was more than willing to stay with the girls while I took him to the hospital, even though it meant she’d be working much later than her normal scheduled hours.
It might not have been a life or death situation, but she definitely put my mind at ease while we had other things to worry about.
She Helped Out
Now, let me preface this by saying that nannies are NOT generally housekeepers.
This is not a Mary Poppins spoonful-of-sugar scenario.
That being said, some nannies are happy to help out around the house as part of their job description.
Make sure that this is something that is discussed ahead of time before you agree to an employment contract.
Don’t go into it expecting your nanny to scrub floors or wash laundry.
Discussion is key here, and for any chores that don’t directly relate to the kids, you may find yourself paying extra.
She Kept the Kids Healthy
So much of the last two years revolved around doing whatever we could to stay healthy and protect ourselves from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We stayed homes, we wore masks when we went out and as soon as it was available, the adults got their vaccines.
The girls, unfortunately, weren’t able to be vaccinated until recently, making staying healthy and safe even more important.
Having a nanny working with us meant that our bubble stayed small and we didn’t have to worry about whether a daycare was sanitizing surfaces and vetting children properly.
It made it easier to stay home and safe throughout the last two crazy years.
She Became Invaluable
Hiring a nanny was, by far, the best decision that we’ve made for our family.
While technically our employee, she’s also become part of the family and is absolutely invaluable in our day-to-day lives.
If you prefer daycare or aren’t a fan of nannies, that’s entirely your prerogative.
I’m not going to judge you for doing what is necessary to take care of your family.
For us, though, our nanny was a lifesaver, in more ways than one which is Why Hiring a Nanny Was the Best Choice for Our Family.
