Day Care vs. Private Care

For working parents, choosing child care can be a time-consuming dilemma complete with interviews, tours and budgeting considerations. Hiring a private nanny or sitter is one option, as is enrolling your child in a day care center. Variations of quality exist within either option, and research is always important, but ultimately considering the needs of your family and child must guide what determines your decision.

  1. Day Care Pros

    • A commercial day care center is licensed and inspected by the state and staffed by several different people, all of whom have met state requirements for training and education. In day care, your child's day follows a structured schedule of meals, naps, learning activities and playtime. There are plenty of opportunities for your child to interact with other children in a day care setting. Also, most facilities are reliably open year-round and the illness of one staff member won't leave you scrambling for child care at the last minute.

    Cons of Day Care

    • Even day care centers with more flexible hours may charge additional fees if you collect your child late, which can make that long-running conference call extra stressful. Also, most day care centers prohibit a sick kid from attending until her fever is gone for a day or two. The amount of staff members to deal with the children might be fewer than you'd like and, while there are plenty of children to play with, you don't get to choose which kids affect or influence your own.

    Pros of Private Care

    • A private nanny or sitter comes to your home and provides your child with loving one-on-one attention throughout the day. You can tailor the coverage schedule based on your needs and the nanny's availability and, while you'll still need to compensate her for her time, running 20 minutes late won't cost you a late pickup fee. Private care means your child has the nanny's full attention and activities can be based exclusively on his needs, without having to accommodate the needs of a dozen other kids.

    The Cons of Private Care

    • While having a single caregiver can help foster a bond between her and your child, it also means finding immediate alternative care if she gets sick, needs surgery or decides to take another job. Between salary, paid vacation, taxes and health insurance, which some states require, private care is also among the most expensive options, according to PediatricEducation.org. Playmates aren't automatically available, which means you and the nanny need to create socialization opportunities for your child.

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