Pros and Cons - Day Care vs. Nanny

Charlotte started attending day care when she was 19 months old. She had positive progress throughout her one year attendance and I thought that day care was for me (and my kids).

But when I didn't enroll Emmett into a day care centre when I was about to start work simply because the day care centers in Puchong are much more expensive compared to the one I sent Charlotte to in Cyberjaya. I was extremely reluctant to send him to a nanny simply because I had many bad experience while visiting and interviewing a few nannies before. 

Thank God I managed to find one that charges within my budget and Emmett had been in good hands so far.

So I would like to share my personal view on this matter.

Nanny Pros:

1. More Parental Control: With a nanny, I get to have a say on what to let my child eats or what his schedule should be like. Emmett's nanny also records his daily activity on a daily log that I provided so I get to know what's going on throughout his stay at the nanny. Sometimes the nanny would also send me pictures of him.
2. Individual Attention: Emmett's nanny is currently only taking care of him. She has 3 school-going-grandchildren but that doesn't affect her at all. In fact, the kids are very helpful and love to play with Emmett. She would also update me on Emmett's development which I'm really grateful for. 
3. Attachment: The nanny is now Emmett's primary attachment figure. He can rely on her for secure and comfort.
4. Flexibility: I can send Emmett to the nanny anytime of the day because I know that she will be home. She is also fine with me if I need to send him early or pick him up slightly later. She sometimes even asks me to send him during school holidays or public holiday without extra charge. 
5. Consistent Care: Unlike turnover at a day care center, the nanny is always there to care for Emmett, which is important for Emmett's emotional development.

Day Care Pros:

1. Helps Build Social Skills: Baby gets to develop critical skills by interacting with others, both adults and children.
2. Variety of Resources: Most day care centers offer a wide variety of toys, books, games and play equipment. They might also provide opportunities for creative play with art supplies, educational games, dress-up outfits and building blocks. These are usually included in your monthly fee so you don't have to pay extras.
3. Multiple Teachers: Children will be supervised by a group of teachers and form relationships with more than one individual.
4. Cost: The price of daycare tends to be more affordable than a nanny since you are sharing the cost with other families. The price varies based on location and type of facility. Charlotte's day care in Cyberjaya cost RM700 per month while the day care centers I've surveyed in Puchong cost at least RM1200 per month.

Nanny Cons:

1. Parenting Style Conflict: I interviewed many nannies before I found the right one. The reason I turned down most of them was because of parenting style conflict. I have some specific and reasonable requirements which I wish the nanny would follow such as not using the walker and less screen time but sadly not all are on the same page as me. Some even questioned me back, "Huh!? No walker!? Cannot one! Later start walking slower than the others, how?". I explained my reasons and concerns but not all are open minded. This current nanny's who's taking care of Emmett is not the case, thank God! She respect my parenting style and tries to follow as much as she could. 
2. No Sick Time Coverage: Unless you can get others to help or find a back up plan, if the nanny is sick or needs to leave town, you will need to take leave from work as well.
3. Cost: Nanny costs vary depending on location, the number of kids, and other factors. And generally, Chinese nannies charge more! I am not being racist here but I really think that some Chinese nannies are just too calculative. Some even told me that they will charge me extra if I pick up 10 minutes later. I understand that work is work and extra time should be paid for. But being too calculative just sets me off. Again, I am very very very lucky to have found one who is not calculative and charges me at an affordable price.

Day Care Cons:

1. More Germs and Illness: Charlotte had Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD), Influenza A and Influenza B within a year of attending day care. Well, she basically falls sick every 3 weeks. I guess it's something hard to avoid with kids sharing so many toys, wiping their noses and touching the toys again. 
2. Sick Policies: Some day care centers have strick sick policies. You have to take off from work or find other childcare arrangements when your child has an illness. Further, if your kid gets sick at daycare, you will have to come pick them up and keep them home until they are free of the illness. I had to take unpaid leave for almost 3 weeks when Charlotte was down with Influenza B as I've used up all my Annual Leave back then.
3. Inflexibility: Daycare centers run on specific hours so if you are late picking up your child, it is probable that you will be subject to an extra charge. I was charged RM10 once for being just 3 minutes late, even though I was usually one of the few parents to pick up the child early.

It's not easy finding the right child care for your kid. I thought I'm the pro day care mom but I have a different view now because I am so so so so lucky to have found the right nanny for my son. To know what suits you and your family, my advise would be to sit down and list down the things that is important to you (eg. supports breastfeeding) and be honest with the things you need and want. Also think about things that may upset or frustrate you (eg. talking in baby language, the use of baby walker, etc.). Make visits to potential child care provider and don't rush into making a decision. I've interviewed more than 10 nannies and visited more than 7 day cares before choosing the ones for my children. Remember that no decision is permanent and you can always change your situation based on your needs or your child's needs.