Nanny: 6 Reasons to Hire One for Summer
Nannies aren’t just for toddlers, and they don’t have to be employed for the entire year. For numerous reasons, many parents are skipping traditional summer childcare for their school aged children and instead choosing to hire a live-in nanny for the summer. Below are six great reasons to skip a teen babysitter or a daycare center, and instead choose a nanny for your kids.
1. Limit Learned Knowledge Loss
According to the experts, kids lose a good amount of learned knowledge over summer break. Babysitters and daycare centers don’t usually focus on education over the summer, but a nanny could. Limit knowledge loss by hiring a caregiver who can go over reading and math skills on a daily basis with your kiddos. Learning doesn’t have to be homework style either, instead buy some inexpensive flash cards, educational games, or fun workbooks for your kids and caregiver to use together.
2. Provide Nutritious Homemade Meals
If your school aged kiddos are home for the summer, either alone or with a teen babysitter, you may be tempted to let them order pizza, eat whatever is in the fridge, or deliver fast food to them on your lunch. This is bad not only for your wallet, but also for their little tummies. Daycare centers are famous for serving sugary drinks, pbj, and chips because it’s easy when feeding a large group. Having an adult caregiver in your home means that there is someone there to cook or serve a homemade nutritious lunch and to make sure that your kids aren’t living off of pizza and sugar for the summer.
3. Keep the Kids from Being Cooped Up
Staying in the house all day every day isn’t good for anyone, and most parents wouldn’t trust a teenaged babysitter to take the kids out. When the kids start feeling a little stir crazy, your trusted adult nanny can get them out of the house for a little fun. Your children can go to the park, to a playdate, or the library while you’re at work. If you (and your nanny) are feeling really brave, he or she could even take them to a movie, the mall, a waterpark, hiking, or anywhere else the two of you decide. They get out for a day of fun while you’re at work, and you can relax knowing they have proper adult supervision.
4. Can Make Sure the Kids Aren’t Glued to the TV/Video Games
Chances are that your kids would sit in front of the TV or play video games all day every day if you’d let them. Even in a day care setting, your kids are likely to spend at least part of the day watching a movie and most centers have gaming systems for the older kids. Having a nanny means that there is someone with your kids that knows your policy on electronics. Your nanny can limit tv, computer, and video game time, or if you choose, not allow it at all. Having your children cared for in your home means that your rules are still followed, just as they would be if you were the one caring for your kids.
5. Provide 1 on 1 Attention
In a daycare setting, there are several children for each adult. While infants and toddlers groups have a smaller adult to child ratio, older kids have a much larger child to adult ratio. Make sure your child gets the 1 on 1 attention they need (and proper supervision) by skipping the traditional daycare setting and choosing personal at home care with a professional nanny.
6. You Have Control over who is With Your Child
In a public childcare center, your kiddos are likely around several adults throughout the day. While you may have met their main caregiver, you never really know who or how many different people are around your kids on a daily basis. When you hire a nanny, you are in charge. You can make sure a proper and thorough background check is done, you can drug test, check multiple references, make sure who you’re hiring has all the proper certifications (CPR, first aid), choose someone that fits in well with your family, and someone that meshes well with your kids. This option gives you 100 percent control on who is around your family, which you don’t have with a childcare center.
