There’s never a time too early in making this post-baby care choice. Deciding on the most suitable childcare can start from the very period of pregnancy, although some mothers (non-1st timers) do wait till when they are almost ready to resume work before making a choice.
Employing the services of a nanny means your child gets to have personalized care in the comfort of his/her home while on the other hand, a Daycare/Crèche will provide your little one with care within a professional setting, and of course lots of playmates. However, this isn’t all to it; a thousand and one considerations come into play when trying to make an apt choice for your child’s care. Let’s take a look at a few vital points for both child minding options.
Nanny Care:
With a nanny, your child gets to enjoy dedicated one-on-one attention; can play with his/her own toys at will, and doesn’t have to conform to the scheduled activities of a daycare/crèche. Your child also gets to play safe within the comfort of a clean home environment, so there’s less exposure to germs and infections. Another good deal that comes with having a nanny is flexibility– a nanny can run flexible hours that suits an erratic busy schedule; you get to call the shots.
With a nanny, you don’t have to bother about packing and delivering food packs, diapers and all sorts at the crèche, and of course rushing to meet drop-offs and pick-ups are out of the picture. Some nannies don’t mind doing extra stuffs and are willing to help out with house chores like laundry and cleaning up – that’s a real great one…right?

Day – Care:
Most Day-care centres in Nigeria are similar to crèches. Both offer child care / preschool services in an organized pattern. At a daycare, your child is watched over by not just one but multiple well supervised capable hands, and gets to enjoy the company of other children too! Enrolling your little one in a day-care centre is a good start to his/her socialization and learning process; listening to and reciting nursery rhymes, learning to share toys, and interacting with other kids in group activities are all part of the structured benefits of a crèche.
However, at a daycare, your child is prone to get infections from any infected kid, and should s/he fall sick, taking time off work to tend to her/him or finding backup care at home is inevitable.
So really, neither is a better or worse option; both have their merits and drawbacks. What matters largely is – which of the childcare options is most convenient for you personally? Whatever your decision is, and as anxious as the experience may be, ensuring that your child gets the optimal quality care is essential.