There are a lot of options available for families looking for childcare today. You can use a babysitter (maybe a teenager in another unit of your Toronto loft), book your kids into a daycare, use other family members to help out, and so on. One option that is increasing in terms of popularity is the use of a nanny in Canada. Nannies can be hired in any number of different roles; they might look after your kids on a daily basis, be live-in, or just provide some relief work. In this article, we will take a look at some factors that can help you decide if hiring a nanny is the right move for you.
The work situation
The most important factor will be your household work situation. Both single parents and parents who each work regular jobs will be able to benefit from the stability that a nanny has to offer. If you live in a household where one parent works part time, maybe doing office work at a Scarborough realty office, though, or someone works at home helping people calculate their research and development credits, a nanny might not be the most economical choice (although with the price of daycare a nanny might still be a viable option).
Age of your children
At a certain point, children outgrow the need for a regular caretaker. In most cases that age is around 12 or 13, but each child will be different and the parents will have to judge for themselves. Moreover, just because one of your kids can take care of him or herself does not necessarily mean she can take care of siblings. If you have children below the age of 12, a nanny might still be a good choice for you. While you may trust an older child to look after your other kids at home for a couple of hours, a nanny can allow your kids to go out and experience things to do in Ontario without you worrying about their safety.
Money
Nannies are employees, and they do expect to be paid. That said, hiring a nanny can be a lot more flexible in terms of price and situation than a daycare ever could. You don't want a nanny to make the work pointless due to pay, but take a look around at daycare costs to see if hiring a nanny might be a better deal in the long run. If your job involves travel, maybe you sell steel benders to factories across Canada or are trying to expand your company selling brochure printing online overseas, a consistant person in your home is probably much easier and cheaper than moving your children from day to night time caregivers.
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