Making an informed decision on which form of childcare is right for your family requires a lot of research and consideration – especially in regards to cost. Families often spend more on childcare in the early years than housing or college. With choices ranging from live-in nannies, nanny shares, daycares, preschools, and in-home early learning options it can be hard to know exactly which childcare option will give you the most value. 

If you’re trying to understand the benefits and challenges of different childcare options and how they are typically priced, this guide is for you.

Nanny vs In-Home Education: What’s the Difference? 

Choosing how your children will be looked after daily during their preschool years is an important decision that all parents have to make. Weighing the right childcare option for your family takes time but is made easier when you understand what options are available to you. 

Below, we’ll look at three of the most popular in-home child care provider options for American families. 

In-Home Nanny

One option available to families is that of a traditional in-home nanny. This can be a popular childcare option, especially during the summer months. Their role typically involves tasks such as preparing meals, helping with homework, taking responsibility for light household chores, and driving children to and from activities. 

Benefits of an in-home nanny include: 

• Personalized attention
• Home experience
• Simpler logistics
• Consistent care
• More parental control

With that said, this childcare provider option also comes with drawbacks such as difficulty to find and hire the right person, conflicting discipline styles, no coverage for sick or personal time, no regulations in the industry, the need for independent background checks, and higher childcare costs. 

Nanny Shares

For those families that can’t justify the cost of an individual nanny, or want more social interaction for their child, a nanny share program is another potential route. In this option, two or more families agree to share a nanny on an agreed schedule. 

In the same way as an in-home nanny, your children will receive hands-on and personalized care in their or their shared family’s home setting – yet at a reduced cost. As with all childcare options, you should first consider the pros and cons of participating in a nanny share. 

Many families that have participated in a nanny share program have noted benefits such as: 

• Shared child care costs
• Socialization
• Flexible childcare schedules 
• Dedicated household and childcare attention

Families who opt for this route don’t just have to hire an employee (e.g. the nanny) but also need to search for a family that will share in the cost of the nanny. This can prove difficult as you’ll need to partner with a family that you can trust in terms of financial responsibility, time coordination, discipline style and communication. 

In-Home Education

Another alternative childcare option that provides parents with the ease of personalized childcare in the home environment is in-home early childhood education. This option provides all the benefits of a nanny in a full-time or part-time capacity, and yet so much more. 

With an in-home early education program like Vivvi’s, a family (or families) is paired with an expert early childhood educator. These teachers bring a joyful and individualized curriculum straight into the comfort of your home while also completing necessary household and childcare duties. 

In the case of Vivvi’s in-home learning program, our team also takes responsibility for administrative management, meaning that families don’t have to worry about hiring teachers, payroll, taxes, or insurance. 

Benefits of in-home early childhood education include: 

• Individualized attention
• Curated early learning curriculum personalized to each child
• Simplified administrative responsibilities and management

Tasks	Nanny	Nanny Share	Vivvi In-Home
Development & custom learning	X	X	✔
Childcare duties	✔	✔	✔
Light household chores	✔	✔	✔
Educator/caretaker support system	X	X	✔
Administrative management	X	X	✔
Shared cost	X	✔	✔

Cost Breakdown: Analyzing the Figures 

The question on most parents’ minds is: How do these childcare options differ in cost? Firstly, it is important to know that childcare options range from being an hourly cash pay model to a paid “on the books” model. In this particular situation, a nanny or nanny share program is typically paid by the hour. 

The Cost of a Nanny or Nanny Share

In-home nanny costs can vary depending on which state you live in, whether they are living in your household, how many hours they are required for, how many children you have, and what their experience level is. 

Parents must also remember that a nanny is considered as a household employee – not an individual contractor. For this reason, the Internal Revenue Services requires households with nannies to pay “nanny taxes” once the nanny makes more than $2,200 in a calendar year. However, if you choose to pay a nanny on the books, your family could qualify for tax breaks especially if they are eligible for a Dependent Care Account through your employers. 

If choosing a nanny share, the overall cost of sharing a nanny with another family is about half to two-thirds of the cost of having a private nanny. 

However, it is important to keep in mind that hidden costs such as administration fees, overtime pay per state employment laws, and more all contribute to the cost of hiring a nanny for childcare. 

The Cost of an In-Home Childhood Educator 

At Vivvi, we take the hidden costs out of childcare. Our in-home learning model is offered at various price levels depending on the hours of care that your family selects and the experience level of your educator. Our educators provide care ranging from 12 to 40+ hours per week, and we offer flexible schedules that fit your family’s needs. 

Our inclusive pricing model allows us to deliver exceptional care and early learning that families all over the United States deserve. Included within the cost are: 

• Educator salaries (benefits, taxes, insurance)
• Recruitment of educators
• Program materials
• Ongoing training for educators

We also provide families with the option to share with another family, providing more socialization for children, and saving up to 50% of the cost. For more information on the details of our in-home learning model, read our FAQs or reach out to our team at inhome@vivvi.com.

Learn More About Vivvi’s In-Home Learning Experience 

At Vivvi, we are dedicated to providing families with exceptional early learning experiences and childcare, whether on campus or at home. With many parents considering an in-home childcare provider, our in-home program may be the perfect option for you. 

Providing benefits beyond that of a traditional babysitter or nanny, our early childhood educators will engage your child’s curiosity in the safety and comfort of your own home. For more information about this childcare option, get in touch with the Vivvi team today!