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The age old question, “Nanny or child care?” has been debated and re-debated as more parents decide to balance work with family life. On the one hand, nannies are a popular choice for parents that want one person who will be completely devoted to their child. On the other, child care centers are appealing to many parents who want their children to interact with their peers.Obviously, we at North American Montessori believe thatour child care facilities provide wonderful opportunities for many children that nannies cannot provide. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why we think your child will have a better experience at a child care center than with a nanny.

Finding Good Centers vs. Good Nannies

As a caring and responsible parent, we understand that you want the best possible caregiver for your child. Whether you are searching for a nanny or a child care center, it’s important to leave your child in safe hands.

Time Commitment

Feeling secure with any child care service means putting in the hours to find the right fit. How much time are you willing to put in to find the right caregiver for your child?

Though you may find the perfect nanny in the first one or two tries, most likely you will need to interview quite a few before you come across one that fits you and your child. Finding the right child care center is easier and quicker due to the larger volume of information. Online reviews, discussions with parents whose children are currently enrolled, and, later, interaction with staff and students can reassure any qualms you may have about a child care center.

Building Trust

It takes a great deal of trust to allow another person to take care of your child. Unlike a nanny who is the only witness to what goes on during the day, child care has checks and balances between staff members. All responsibilities are made easier at child care centers because you have the help of a community to ensure your child is getting the care they deserve.

Redefining Convenience

While many parents choose a nanny as their child’s primary caregiver because they are “more convenient” than centers, consider some child care center conveniences that nannies cannot offer.

Keep Consistent Hours

Even though having one nanny may mean you get to schedule your child care around your work hours, it can have some unforeseen side effects later on. When a nanny has a doctor’s appointment, a family emergency, or any other time-off event, you can be left in the lurch. At child care centers like North American Montessori’s schools, there is always a stand-in substitute for an absent teacher. In addition, you never have to worry about us changing hours from 6am-6pm on weekdays except for national holidays. This consistency means no more unexpected inconveniences for you.

Affordable vs. Cheap

Personalized caregiving can be expensive. When considering how much you are willing to spend on your child’s day-to-day experience, make sure that you take into consideration the quality of the child care. Unlike the cost of many nannies, child care centers’ fees include meals, snacks, lessons, and activities for the child.

Debunking Child Care Problems

The two biggest arguments against choosing a child care center are:

  1. Children don’t get individual attention.
  2. There are germs.

While child care is not for every child, it’s important to remember that these two points are often blown out of proportion. Good child care centers offer both individual attention and a healthy environment to their students.

Individual Attention at Child Care Centers

Nannies do offer one-on-one time with your child, but many child care centers build curriculums around providing individual attention to students as well. At North American Montessori’s schools, our directresss use the Montessori Method to balance individual attention with the opportunity for children to discover things on their own.

Healthy Child Care Centers

Many parents are nervous their children will be exposed to more germs at child care centers due to more socializing with other kids. However, keep in mind the following facts:

Lastly, consider how much your child gains from attending a healthy child care center. Healthy socialization skills and learning from others outweigh the slight chance of your child catching a cold.

Check Out a NAMCC Center Today!

North American Montessori offers the very best in child care services. Come visit us at one of our three locations for a tour of our facilities and information regarding enrollment. Our open door policy means you don’t even need an appointment—just arrive at the main office!