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Nanny Sharing

How do I find someone to "nanny share" with?

How do I know I have the right family to do this with?

How do I find someone to "nanny share" with ?

As an agency it is been our experience that most parents never even consider the excellent option of "nanny" sharing within their own community. Occasionally, we are contacted by families that cannot afford a qualified nanny of their own or only need someone on a part/time basis, nanny "sharing" is suggested to them. My suggestion is to put the word out within your own community or contact a local agency that would be willing to contact other potentially interested nannies or families.

One parent member of PWN told me that there was an agency where she lives that "maintains" a nanny sharing list. The service is free. The parent's information is listed so that when any other parent calls asking about nanny sharing, they can refer to the list to see if anyone has called from their area. You really do need to live relatively close to the other family in order to share a nanny. Check with some of your local agencies to see if they provide this kind of service. However, you should be aware though that these lists may not always be accurate. Sometimes, agencies leave the info. on the lists until the parent calls to say they've found a nanny. Often the parents forget to call in. All the leads she got regarding nanny sharing proved to be dead ends. She left her name on the list but no one called.

Many parents "Nanny Share" with their neighbors and with families they have met through parenting classes, etc. You could place an add in a community newspaper for another family who might be looking for a nanny share situation. Of course, then you'd be interviewing families and nannies. It might get a little overwhelming. A bulletin in your local church program or on the bulletin board might be a better solution.

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How do I know I've found the right family. ?

Nanny sharing can work two ways, each family could essentially get a part-time nanny or all the kids get watched at once in a full-time scenario.

If the former is the situation you are looking at, you need to put down your schedule in writing and your "partner's" schedule. Count up the number of hours you will need. Anything over 50 and you've got a tall order. I'd reconsider a nanny share and just look for a part-time nanny for your self. However, if you're looking at 40 to 45 hours, even up to 50, and the schedule seems to work, then maybe a nanny share will work for you.

I think the next step is to write down your expectations of what a nanny should and should not do, for your children and around the house, and how much a nanny should be paid. Have the other family do the same. You can also include how you think a nanny should handle discipline and whether you think she should get benefits, sick days, health insurance, etc. Once you've both put down all your thoughts on the subject, compare notes. If you seem to be on the same wavelength, then this could work. Here are comments from some of PWN's members on the subject.

I think it is very important for the two families to be "in synch" first about hours, pay and caregiving styles. It worked really well for us. We had a joint contract and since it was full time, each family paid her the agreed upon weekly pay every other week.

Now, one more thing to consider. If you will be having all the kids together on a full time basis you need to take a hard look at how the children all relate. If you have one little angel and you partner has two little devils, and together they make enough noise and trouble to wake the dead, then is it fair or realistic to think that a nanny will be able to handle this kind of arrangement for 50 hours a week. Could you? Some nannies have told me that their "nanny share" situations didn't work out because the kids from one family kept fighting with the children from the other family.

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How do we split the costs?

The split is different depending on the arrangement so it is really up to you and your partner to come to a mutual agreement. If your nanny is working part-time in each home, then each parent may want to pay her for her part-time work separately. If your nanny takes care of all the children full-time you need to consider the ages of your children, and the time required to take care of them. For instance, if you both have one toddler then the time required of the nanny is equal and costs would be split 50/50. If, however, you have an infant and the other couple has a 7 year old, you should pay a larger portion of the salary since the baby's care will take up much more time than the care of the 7 year old. If your partner has 2 children and you have one, all relatively the same ages, they should pay proportionately more, and so on.

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