What Is a Nanny Share and How Could It Benefit Your Family?

Every family goes through the pros and cons of their different childcare options like hiring a nanny vs. going to daycare. But what if there were a way you could have the best of both worlds - the personalized care of a nanny with a price that’s closer to daycare? If you’re searching for that middle ground, a nanny-share arrangement could be the perfect fit.

What Is a Nanny Share?

A nanny share is a unique arrangement in which two families share a nanny. The nanny cares for both families’ kids and the families split the cost of the nanny’s fees. Nanny shares can be either for full-time or part-time nannies.

Two Options for a Nanny Share

How exactly do two families split the care of one nanny when they have a nanny-share arrangement? There are two ways this typically works: shared care time or split care time.

Shared Care Time

Most nanny share arrangements work through shared care time: the nanny cares for the children of two families at the same time. This is particularly common for two families who each have one child because they both want the personalized in-home care of a nanny but they can’t justify the cost of a nanny for just one child.

Where your nanny cares for the kids will be up to you and the other family. You might take turns with the nanny watching the kids at one family’s home one week and then at the other family’s home the next week.

Split Care Time

The other option for a nanny share is to split the care time between the two families. In other words, the nanny watches each family’s kids separately for an even amount of time. For example, the nanny might be with one family on Mondays and Wednesdays and the other family on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This is less common because many families in this situation will just hire their own part-time nanny. It can be helpful, though, if you know another family who’s looking for something similar and would like the flexibility to be able to adjust and split the hours between the two of you.

Benefits of a Nanny Share Arrangement

Many parents aren’t familiar with a nanny share and don’t realize it’s an option, but it offers plenty of unique benefits.

Dedicated In-Home Care

The top reason families want to hire a nanny in the first place, rather than sending their kids to daycare, is that they want consistent in-home care from a knowledgeable professional who can get to know their kids and engage them. They want a childcare expert who isn’t splitting their attention among several kids of varying ages and needs. A nanny share arrangement gives you that high standard of care you want for your child.

Affordability

While a nanny share arrangement gets you the personalized care you want, you’re paying half as much as you would for a nanny that only works for your family because you’re splitting the cost with another family. For families who are on the fence between hiring a nanny and taking their child to daycare, this option can be the perfect middle ground.

Socializing Within Limits

When families weigh hiring a nanny vs. daycare, one factor they sometimes think about is the social aspect. You might like the idea of your child getting more social exposure in a daycare, but at many daycares, there are so many kids that it’s overwhelming.

A nanny share with shared care time could be a perfect choice. Your child spends their days with kids from another family so they’re getting some social time but there aren’t so many other kids that it’s intimidating or overstimulating.

Challenges with a Nanny Share Arrangement

There are plenty of advantages to a nanny share arrangement, but what about the challenges? This mostly depends on your relationship with the other family. You’ll need to be able to communicate with them effectively to make sure you’re both on the same page.

Before that kicks in, though, a challenge many pairs of families face is hiring a nanny share nanny that meets all the needs of both families. Fortunately, you have Tried and True Nannies and Sitters to help! Our Nashville nanny agency has a reliable network and strategies for finding the best nannies to suit multiple families so you can get the right fit for everyone.

Finding the Best Nanny Share Nanny for Your Family

Interested in sharing a nanny with a friend or family member? We can help! Contact Tried and True Nannies and Sitters today and let’s chat.