nanny vs creche

Wow you guys sound like you all have it so waxed. I also prefer for Jude to rather go to nursery school from around 2.5 or 3 years. I'm just worried about it at 17 months. Potential illnesses at a young age bothers me

I have a nanny and it was the best decision I could have made for my kids. In our area, play school or creche costs around R 3000 + pm. We pay our nanny R 2500 pm and then she looks after two kids. And cleans my house. So it works out much cheaper that way for us. I work 2 km from home, so can be at home in a flash if there is a problem, but there has never been a problem.

I am in the fortunate position that if nanny is off (doesn't happen often) I can bring my kids to school with me. Its a major disruption but less of a disruption than not having a teacher in front of the class at all.

My nanny doesn't have kids of her own and therefore she doesn't have preconceived ideas of what works and what doesn't. She does everything I tell her. I often go home at odd times to fetch something and she is always stimulating them, reading stories or playing on the floor when I pop in.

Being a teacher, I am at home during school holidays so I arrange for her to take leave during these times.

In the April school holiday, Stefan was still happy at home, but during the winter break, I noticed that he is starting to get bored. I think it was mostly due to having to stay inside because of the cold weather, but I do think its time to start thinking about nursery school. So I am planning putting him in a nursery school from next year. He will be 2 and a half then. Claudia will probably also go to school in the year that she turns 3.

Yes, I must say I do have to take Jude OUT once a day and everyday is a what will Jude do today thing.
I do have to drive to the destination, hence my drivers issue. And with a nanny there would be less money for the kinda of things Jude is use to. It is much more expensive.

But on the other hand I will have to check out just how much 'activities' are provided at the creche. Or he will get just as bored there. There are 4 classes that are rotated outside playtime as they do not all ever play together. (I am talking about a specific school that I found that is best) I worry that the 'babies' get the least outside playtime? Surely the bigger kids would be allowed to play outside most as they also get to go out first.

Just also want to add, Lonie, this would have been a much easier decision for me were Jude even just 6 months older.

I think nannies are over rated really.
I have had more friends with nany issues than friends with creche issues!

I had our son in creche from 4 months old - I had to go back to work and we are not a high income house and cannot afford a nanny so that was our only option.
Honestly the only issue we have is when to book leave in December! THe creche is open during school holidays other than December break from about the 15th, if a teacher is sick another steps in for the class, my son has never had an issue of no attention, classes are small enough in a good school, he has never gone without or had a bad day there, he is Mr Popular and has been from the beginning, he is thriving there and I love the place and all the teachers and prinicpal. It has been an absolute godsent.
Even last year when I lost my job they allowed me to keep him there for free! How many nannies would work for free? So at least I could go to interviews when I needed to etc.

Way too many people put this guilt trip on you for choosing a creche over a nanny - there are some who cannot afford a nanny and have no choice but creche, or some who just choose creche. Either way if you are making a good choice with the creche (checking it out etc etc) then there should be less issues than having a nanny.

A nanny you have to trust with your kid, alone at your house! Unless you know her from before that is a huge thing! Then you have to trust that she will do things with the child, activities etc, some nannies cannot even read! Then what do you do if she needs leave or is sick, or just doesn't pitch?

Honestly I have never regretted going to a creche with my son, this baba no.2 will also go to creche.

I would say that it goes both ways, you get daycare and then you get DAYCARE! Same with finding a Nanny.
I prefer Daycare as I am so scarred that if we had a Nanny she would open the door for someone and they would hurt my child..
I went to many daycare / creche around our area, and some of them are just terrible..
I love the discipline at the creche, my little one sleeps every day at 12:00 and something I am not good with. Sometimes I would get there and they would be busy reading a story, and she would be sitting still along with all the others (as if she would sit still at home..) I also love the activities she can participate in, at the moment she is doing playball, and her ball skills are coming along very nice (for a 2 year old)
Her teacher is an absolute darling, on by BBM list, and updates on her immediately available if need be..some days I get the odd photo of her doing something cute..She's got a little book recording how she ate (breakfast and lunch) amount of nappies, activities they did for the day.. Also somehow she eats her veggies at the creche and not at home, so + point there.
I suppose there a nanny with a drivers license can also be nice, taking them to swimming, horse riding, whatever.. but I would feel very uncomfy with my child in the car with someone else, except for my parents and hubby.
Finding that special nanny or creche (with the loving teacher) is the difficult part..

Misses mom, your nanny is quite fab.. (If she was the one at the moomie day) very fancy
The little school I'm still considering is only 6 in a class. The food they are offering is what also bothers me a bit. Fish fingers and mac and cheese.. I will still be sending lunch for J I suppose. Also my child is considered underweight' yet the lady that owns/runs this creche couldn't believe that my child would be going into the baby class she said he is HUGE.

Hi Memo

My son was with my sister till 18 months and then he went to a small daycare. They have 6 kids in his class. My child was also VERY spoilt when he went. In fact, when he started he would not go down to sleep without his teacher laying down next to him (which she then did for the first week or so). He cried for about a week and then was fine. If I ask him now does he want to stay at home or go to school, he says school

He has got sick a few times (colds etc) but not overly so. He is a very social child though.

For me, the key thing in both situations would be:

If you get nanny, go with your gut. Do the references and pop by on odd occasions if possible, especially in the beginning. My friend had a nanny and her neighbour called her to say that she hears the child crying all day at home, so for me, a big issue was, what they actually do with your child when you are not there? On the plus side, chances are they will get sick less, and if they are sick they can stay home with nanny. They get individual attention.

From a daycare, you need to be very careful about the teacher-student ratio, again go with your gut. It is not always the fanciest schools that are the best. For me, the biggest drawing card was the teacher, we just got along. Her views and the way she spoke and approached my son made me comfortable. On the downside, they may get sick more often. A child may not enjoy the environment.

With the daycare I use, they have a general timeline but you aren't forced to adhere to it. They will normally tell me e.g. he didnt want to sleep/play/run today etc so he sat with teacher etc etc

Good luck!