Keeping Nanny On When the Kids Go to School

In the nanny world, it’s not unusual with parents to hire a nanny when their first child is born and keep her on until their last child goes off to school. Having a consistent, long-term caregiver is, mind you, one of the many benefits of hiring a nanny.

However, once the last child of the family starts kindergarten, saying goodbye to a long-term nanny isn’t easy. Many parents have come to rely on their nanny as a constant source of support, a real parenting partner and a trusted advisor on all things parenting and as a result, more and more families are opting to keep their nanny employed.

But that decision is more than an emotional one. For parents who are used to having a full-time nanny, the thought of having to secure and pay for childcare due to school closings and holidays, summer vacation and school breaks, not to mention for before and after school care and for when the kids get sick, is a real concerning one. For this reason, many parents feel justified in keeping their nanny employed full-time even if during the school year full-time childcare isn’t required. Not having to worry who is going to pick-up a sick child or deliver a forgotten lunch can make paying the nanny for on-call hours more than worth it.

Since parents can’t be in two places at once, having another adult who is ready and able to transport children to afterschool lessons and activities can be a real lifesaver. Those extra sets of hands and wheels can mean the difference between children participating in activities and not, not to mention having a little help assisting with homework and getting dinner started for the children.

And as children get older, many nannies also naturally transition into the role of household manager. With the children in school part of the morning, a nanny who is willing to take on a household management role can grocery shop, take the cars in for service, schedule and supervise home maintenance and repairs, organize closets, run errands and tackle other household related tasks can become a real asset to their work family.

So while you may have been thinking about letting your nanny go once your child enters school, you may want to reconsider those thoughts. While you may wish to explore part-time and occasional childcare alternatives, in many cases the convenience and comfort of keeping a full-time nanny on can be worth any savings sacrificed.

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