Benefits and Best Practices for Nanny Shares

Instead of hiring a nanny of their own or taking their children to daycare, parents are turning to another option: nanny shares. By splitting the costs of childcare with another family, parents can receive personalized care, flexibility, and convenience. 

When daycares have tightened their rules in response to COVID-19, a nanny share can also be a sustainable care option for families who have created their own quarantine pod.

Read on for more information and best practices for starting a nanny share below.

What is a nanny share?

A nanny share works the way it sounds: two or more families hire a nanny and share the costs. The nanny cares for all of the children together in one of the family’s homes. The costs are usually split evenly between the families, and the nanny is paid a premium over other nannies who work for just one family.

There’s no official rule for the number of kids that can participate in a nanny share, but three to four is usually best. The more kids and the more families involved in the nanny share, the trickier communication and coordinating schedules can get.

Benefits of sharing a nanny

Cost-savings

Whether it’s hiring your own nanny or finding a suitable daycare for your kids, child care can be pricey. A nanny share is a less expensive option with all of the benefits of hiring your own nanny. You can find an experienced, qualified nanny to provide personalized care for your kids.

Socialization + safety

With a nanny share, your children get to socialize with their peers in a smaller group with more dedicated attention. Daycare offers socialization for kids, but there’s also the risk of being exposed to germs and getting sick when you’re around so many other children. 

Convenience

Nanny shares are convenient, too. If you’ve used daycare centers before, you know that they typically have strict policies on dropoff and pickup times, sick days, holidays, and more. With a nanny share, you and the other families can set your own rules and leave a little room for flexibility, if necessary.

Tips for setting up a nanny share

If a nanny share sounds like the perfect child care option for you, follow these best practices for starting a nanny share below.

Talk about details and expectations first

Before you start searching for a nanny, sit down with the other family and make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to parenting styles, discipline, screen time, sleep training, meals and snacks, and appropriate activities. 

It’s unreasonable to expect one nanny to follow two completely different child care styles. And if both families have unique views on how to care for kids, it’ll create conflicts between you and the other parents down the road. It’s best to find a family whose beliefs on child care are similar to yours. 

Interview nanny candidates together

Once you’ve laid out your expectations for your nanny share with the other family, start looking for and interviewing potential nannies together. If one family already has a nanny who’s open to sharing, you should still allow the other family to interview them on their own. Starting the hiring process together ensures that the nanny you choose is a great fit for both families.

Put together a thorough work agreement

A good contract is important when you hire a nanny on your own, and even more so if you’re hiring a nanny jointly with another family. You’re both responsible for employment taxes, compensation, pay rate, and pay schedule. 

Make sure your work agreement clearly outlines all your policies, including:

• The length of the share arrangement
• Household duties and typical child care duties
• Hours and pay schedule
• Emergency procedures
• Sick days for both kids and nanny
• Compensation and benefits
• Vacation and time off policies
• Licensing and insurance, if applicable
• Expenses and supplies (more on that below)
• Offboarding policies

Keep everyone on the same page with a thorough work agreement.

Figure out how to handle expenses

In a nanny share, one family will usually host the kids and the nanny at their home. That means you’ll need to decide how both families will take care of meals, snacks, diapers, wipes, baby supplies, cribs, strollers, car seats, and so on. Maybe one family can contribute to their own stash of supplies to be kept at the other family’s home, or plan to drop off supplies each time.

The cost for supplies and equipment can add up fast, so set up a plan for sharing them fairly as soon as you can. 

Have meetings regularly

Employing a nanny on your own requires frequent, open communication. It’s even more important when you add another family to the mix!

Plan to meet regularly with your nanny and the other family so you can address any issues, large or small. We recommend meeting once a month, but you can meet more or less frequently if it works for your schedule better. 

Thinking about a nanny share in Arizona?

Looking for more advice on child care, or need a nanny in the Phoenix, Arizona area? All About Nannies can help. Give us a call or text us at 602-266-9116. Check out our services and family application online, too!