Category Archives: Boost your kids’ development

Are nannies cheaper than daycare?

If you have a young child and you’re ready or need, to go back to work, then you’re probably debating about the best way of looking after your child while you’re not available. There are very few businesses that let you take your baby to work!

The main choices usually come down to using daycare services or a nanny. Of course, you’ll need to find a reputable daycare center that you’re comfortable leaving your child with, or you can go through the process of interviewing different clients to look after your child.

But, the bottom line, as is so often the case, is what’s it going to cost you? Which is the cheaper option?

You probably won’t be surprised to find that a nanny is more expensive than daycare. But, before you write off the services of a nanny, you should consider the benefits of a nanny.

Convenience

A daycare center is generally not flexible. You’ll have a set time to drop your child off and to collect them, which makes it difficult if you need to stay late or simply get stuck in traffic. It can often mean you end up with extra charges at the end of the month.

In contrast, a nanny, especially one that lives in, will be much more flexible and continue to look after your child until you get home. This will make it easier to do your job properly.

Consistency

A nanny will provide one-to-one attention for your child and they’ll get plenty of time with them because that’s their job. This means your child can quickly adapt and be comfortable with the arrangement. Consistency is important when they are young as this helps to build safe and secure environments. In turn, this creates children that are confident and aware.

Logistics

Even if your nanny doesn’t live in your home, you’ll find the logistics are much easier to arrange. For example, if you work irregular hours or often start at midday and finish late in the evening you’ll probably find it difficult to locate a daycare center that can match your hours. However, you can find a nanny and hire them on the understanding that those are their hours.

This will make it much easier to manage your own life.

Control

The problem is that you’re not going to leave your child with anyone. While you can inspect and check a daycare center, you can’t control staff turn around, won’t be sure of the care your child is actually getting, and will probably find it hard to judge if it’s beneficial or not.

In contrast, you’ll have a lot more control over what a nanny does with your child and how they behave around them. Of course, you’ll have to carefully vet them and potentially interview lots of clients. That’s why most parents find it easier to use reputable nanny services, they do the hard work for you, all you have to do is decide if you can get along with the nanny or not.

A nanny is more expensive, but it does bring a number of benefits that can offset the extra cost, the final decision is yours.

Top Activities for Preschoolers

The activities that are created for preschoolers are usually more advanced than the ones that toddlers are doing. This is because preschoolers are already at the age when they can already start learning more and they will be able to process things better than toddlers.

The activities that preschoolers have to do should still be fun enough so that even when they are learning, they do not feel like they are doing lessons. Rather, they will associate the lessons with activities that are fun and exciting.

A father and son may opt to do activities at home that may be more inclined to sports. Team sports may not be recommended yet because they can be a bit too daunting for preschoolers. One example of a sport that may be done is soccer. Remember to choose peewee soccer so that preschoolers will be able to grasp the fun of the game rather than become frustrated with the rules.

For those who believe that preschoolers should not be exposed to sports just yet, there are some activities that they can do instead.

  • Creating a Collage

Preschoolers will be able to understand that they can cut different types of paper or perhaps use different set of leaves in order to create a collage. This fun activity will surely be treasured by a lot of children especially if they are given the praise that they need for their efforts.

  • Creating Caterpillars

This is especially beneficial for toddlers who would like to learn more about colors. While giving instructions on each circle that will represent the caterpillar, preschoolers will learn more about the different colors available.

There are still other activities that preschoolers can surely do. Guiding children at this stage is highly important for their overall growth.

Reading about the Meaning of Christmas

mother reading to son

Here’s another fun way to get children into the Christmas spirit of things! Why not read Christmas stories together? There’s a multitude of books to borrow from the library. Here are a few classic titles that you might want to check out for your kids!

  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • Polar Express by Chris Van Allsbur
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
  • The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier
  • The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell
  • The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson

The Internet is also home to dozens of Christmas stories for children. You can simply download and print them out yourself! Here are some links that provide lovely Christmas stories that are sure to warm the heart.

Popular Old Fashioned Christmas Stories For Christmas
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas/stories

Christmas Stories and Poems
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_stories_and_poems.htm

Setting an hour each day to sit down with your children and read stories together is a wonderful bonding activity. Take time out to discuss the stories and the valuable lessons behind each tale once they’re done reading. It’s very important that they understand the essence of each story so they can apply these lessons of love, understanding and generosity later on.

Source:  an old newletter from http://www.nestle-cereals.com/ 

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net