Pros and Cons of Childcare Options for Today’s Dynamic Families

What do you do with your kids when you need to work? It can be a struggle for many families, mine included. Not all families have the same options due to financial, logistic and all kinds of differences. If you are lucky enough to have options, they may include stay-at-home, work-from-home, babysitter, daycare, nanny, Au Pair or even grandparent or other extended family members. Here, I will detail the pros and cons of several options used by the ever-changing American family.

Stay-at-home
Pros

• No cost to family
• All-parent-time bonding opportunities
• In-home-safety component

Cons

• Relies on one parent for income needs, not an option for every family
• Can be exhausting for parent at home
• Social outings limited by parent desire, interest

Work-from-home
Pros

• No cost to family
• All-parent-time bonding opportunities
• In-home-safety component

Cons

• Work-from-home income may be limited, not an option for everyone
• Can be exhausting for parent at home
• Can be hard to work productively with kids underfoot

Babysitter
Pros

• Relatively low-cost to family
• Possible flexibility in scheduling
• In-home safety component (unless at sitter’s home)

Cons

• Potentially lower skill set for lower price, putting kids at risk
• Possible inflexibility, requiring more than one sitter to fill gaps
• Non-family safety component (did you pay for background check?)

Daycare
Pros

• Higher skill set expected at daycare setting, including background checks
• Potential for socialization, making friends
• Possible homework help

Cons

• Higher-cost to family, especially with multiple kids in daycare
• Potential for germ-sharing, frequent illness
• Limited flexibility for scheduling off-hours

Nanny
Pros

• Potential higher skill set, homework help
• Potential flexibility in scheduling
• In-home safety component

Cons

• Potential higher-cost to family with no guarantee of training, experience or skill
• Flexibility in scheduling limited to Nanny’s needs, preferences
• Potential for socialization, outings limited by Nanny’s interest, desires

Au Pair
Pros

• Skilled, trained, experienced in childcare and safety
• Support of Au Pair agency and legal contract in a program regulated by US Dept of State
• Flexibility determined by family’s needs
• Cost remains same for all children, all ages, all duties
• Varied potential for homework help, socialization, cultural learning, lifelong friendships

Cons

• Potential higher-cost to family
• Potential for miscommunication or personality conflicts
• Potential for socialization, outings may be limited by Au Pair’s interests or use of vehicle

Grandparent or other family
Pros

• No or low-cost to family
• Possible flexibility in scheduling
• In-home safety component (unless at grandma’s home)

Cons

• Limited flexibility determined by grandma’s schedule
• Potential for socialization, outings may be limited by grandma’s interest, energy level
• Potential for conflict in parenting philosophy, leading to family conflict

Deciding who cares for your child while you work might be one of the most important parenting decisions you make. Not every option outlined will work for every family. Today’s American families are incredibly dynamic, with traditional married families, single parents of either gender, gay and lesbian parents, bilingual families, working parents, at-home parents, multi-generational families, and more. What works for my family may not work for yours. Most importantly, always take steps to ensure your children are in the care of a responsible, dedicated, skilled and loving person who will communicate openly with you and engage your kids in varied, stimulating activities.