One important factor to consider as you begin your nanny search is whether you are looking for a live-out or live-in member of your household. As we review the pros and cons of having a full-time nanny that lives in your home, consider your family’s lifestyle to determine which is the best choice.

The Advantages of a Nanny who Lives Elsewhere

There are advantages to having your nanny live at their own home. For smaller families with well-organized schedules, this option:

• Allows access to essential nanny services such as picking children up from school or activities.
• Often has the option of overnight stays on an occasional basis.
• Provides professional quality childcare at a reasonable price.
• Limits the depth of a relationship between the children and the nanny when this is desired by the parents.
• Offers additional privacy and may lower household expenses.

Some Disadvantages of Live-Out Nannies

Of course, the live-out option has some limitations and boundaries that are not a factor when your full-time nanny lives in your home. Some of these negatives include:

• Lack of flexibility for spur of the moment changes in the schedule.
• Travel time and possible delays while you wait for your nanny to arrive.
• Less time together means less of a bond is formed with the children, which may not provide as much support, especially in the case of a baby nanny.
• Living separately may cause less bonding between the nanny and the parents as well, which may lead to more turnover and transitions for the children.

The Advantages of Having Your Nanny Live with You

If you are looking for the ultimate in full-time childcare, then a live-in nanny may be the best choice. Some of the great reasons to include the nanny as part of your household include:

• Flexibility in scheduling allows your nanny to work when you need them and even provides support in a family emergency.
• When your nanny is already onsite, you save time, stress, and worry traveling to daycare or waiting for a babysitter to arrive.
• Many household nannies will perform light housekeeping as part of their position, taking the place of a live-in housekeeper.
• Parents have better visibility into how their nanny interacts with the children and can provide clear feedback and guidance.
• Children and parents develop a deeper relationship with their live-in nanny, providing security and affection sometimes on par with extended family.
• You can choose a live-in nanny willing to relocate from almost any area of the country, increasing the size of your qualified pool of candidates.

What Are the Disadvantages of a Live-In Nanny?

Of course, there are always some compromises and adjustments to be made when a new person enters your household. Some of the factors to plan for and consider are:

• Loss of privacy, which can be lessened by providing private living quarters that the nanny can retire to when her scheduled hours are over.
• The possible need to provide a vehicle for transportation, both for the children’s activities and for necessary personal use.
• Grocery and utility bills generally increase whenever additional household members are added.
• The need to establish boundaries and communicate about the details of daily life is a necessary part of the transition period for private household staff.

Still Deciding? Ask Your Staff Agency

With extensive experience in matching families with the best nanny to suit their lifestyles, we are delighted to help you work through the factors when making your choice. Staffing at Tiffanies is a professional household staff and personal assistant agency with a vast network of qualified and vetted individuals waiting to join your family, so contact us for more answers today.