Today we’re talking about childcare. One of the biggest decisions parents make is figuring out who’s going to watch their children when they’re at work or just need an extra hand. 

So we turned to an expert for advice on what factors you should consider when planning for childcare and how to find a great nanny.

ASK THE EXPERT: Finding the Right Childcare for Your Family

Dr. Sarah Nadimpalli is the Founder/Creator of Same Team Childcare. It’s an online platform that helps parents search for, hire, and work with a nanny. Nadimpalli created an online course for parents and nannies to take together, to make sure it’s a good fit. 

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First off, a lot of parents, especially moms, feel guilty about handing over their child to a nanny.  Any words of wisdom so they can let go of that guilt? 

I had to get over an enormous amount of guilt when I first hired a nanny, and this was even before I started my job. I was hearing messages from my family, and my husband’s family, that ONLY family should take care of your kids. But I got to that desperate point and knew I needed someone to physically take the wheel for me. It’s an unreasonable premise that one or even two people should do this 24/7 alone.

Historically, we’ve always had a lot more help, right? 

We have less of a village now, probably than ever. Throughout history, people relied a lot more on their extended family for help. But now people are moving all over the country and not living near family. So these in-home caregivers can help fill in the gap. 

What advice do you give people when they are trying to figure out their best childcare options? 

The first question people need to ask is what is their budget. And then see what the options are. What will your budget allow for? How many hours do you need? What are your biggest wishes and needs? And then figure out how your ideal situation can match your budget. 

A lot of parents debate between sending their child to daycare vs hiring a nanny. What factors should they consider? 

I had a neighbor who said to me– there are daycare families and there are nanny families. My neighbor liked the structure of the daycare. It is more straightforward. You drop your kid off. There are other children there. Not only that but there’s someone else doing the employee paperwork. There’s a system of support built-in, in terms of hiring and firing and dealing with sick days. 

How is that different from a nanny? 

A nanny is a one-to-one model. So you can customize the day, know what’s going on, and have great communication. Especially with infants and their big needs, you’re not wondering about their day, if they’re crying, etc. You have the comfort that this is someone, one-to-one, who is taking care of your child. 

Unlike with daycare, as you mentioned, if you hire a nanny, you are the employer and have to manage the employer/employee relationship, which comes with its own potential issues. To start, how do you make sure you’re offering the right salary? 

You should figure out the comparable rates for nannies in your area. You can call a local agency and ask the going rate for a nanny with your requirements. One thing to remember: there’s something called “guaranteed hours.” If your nanny is signed on for 40 hours a week, you are obligated to pay them 40 hours a week, regardless of how many hours you need them to work that week. 

What’s the best way to handle vacation time and sick leave? 

We usually recommend two weeks of vacation. One trend used to be that the nanny would pick one week, and the family would pick the other. Now, many nannies are asking that they pick the two weeks, which makes sense. Remember to review nanny industry standards and domestic worker laws in your state to make sure you’re following the law. 

You can sign up for the Same Team Childcare course online. And also connect with Dr. Sarah Nadimpalli on Instagram. And check out her latest blog post, “The Big Hairy Secret Among Working Moms.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sarah had so much great advice we’re going to bring you the rest of her interview next week. She talks about what questions to ask when you’re interviewing a reference, and the BEST way to tell if a nanny will be a good fit for your family.