The answers to these questions will
help you figure out how many days a week you need help. If you work five days a
week, or more, in a traditional office, you may want a nanny all five days who
can get to your child with plenty of time for you to get to work, and who will
stay until you get home at night.
Think about what those hours will really be.
If you have a nine to five job, you will want a nanny
who comes in at 8 a.m. and leaves at 6 p.m. Now, remember that this is a ten-hour
day. And it’s not at their home – it’s at their place of employment, so that
even though you see the job as a series of easy chairs, sofas, televisions,
well-stocked pantry and fridge, this is a job for the nanny and it’s a long
day. By day five, she’ll be ready for the weekend.
If you have an easy child who
adapts to new environments and situations easily, then a five-day a week nanny
may work for you, but also consider a few alternatives:
More Than One Nanny
Two nannies can work four days and two days, respectively,
or three days and two days, respectively – or any combination you want. The
advantage of this is that you have nannies that aren’t as “burned out” by the
job, and if one of them does get sick, you have a back up you can call that
your child knows well.
The disadvantages of this situation
are that your nanny may take a second job to make more money and get even more
burned out than if she was at your one job. Your child may prefer one nanny
over the other nanny.
The disadvantages of this are that you lose some of your
privacy in the house. The nanny must have her own bedroom and bathroom, but
will most likely share your kitchen, and may either eat by herself, or share
meals with your family. This can be awkward for some families. It also blurs
the lines between the employer and employee relationship and may set up a
rivalry between the mother and the nanny for the child’s attentions. This can
also be an extra expense in terms of a separate phone line for the nanny, if
you choose, and food bills.
