Have you ever wished you could divide yourself into 2?

One-half could be answering emails, keeping your boss sweet and enduring the stressful daily commute. The other half would be running around after the kids, checking in on your parents and getting the weekly shop in.

Hold that thought.

Actually, dividing yourself into 3 or even 4 might be better. At least then there might be some “me” time or even the chance of a date night with your partner.

So how do some parents make it all look so easy? Read on for the tips you need for the right work/life balance that’ll keep you sane and your kids happy.

Who Said Being a Parent Was Easy?

Child-care costs may be spiralling but you can't afford not to work. It’s a catch-22 situation and the chances are you have no financial safety net.

Organising endless tasks with military precision whilst managing a tight budget with a smile goes with the territory on little or no sleep. There’s no place for flakey parents to hide these days.

Having a family may be one of life’s gifts, but it can also be scary, maddening and fraught with tough choices.

We hear you. Here are a few ideas to mull over before we get into the complexities of different types of childcare and support:

Make Self-Care a Top Priority

This may seem counter-intuitive when it already seems there aren’t enough hours in a day to look after everyone else let alone yourself. However, if you’re not fighting fit, you’ll crash and burn.

Forcing yourself to make time for yourself is probably the biggest favour you can do for your family and yourself. It will help you stay more focused and relaxed.

We aren’t talking weekly afternoons at a health spa here. It is possible to work mental and physical well-being strategies into your daily routine. Proven to reduce stress, mindfulness techniques can work well almost any time and anywhere. Throw in 5-10 minutes of vigorous exercise a day and you’re already ahead of the game.

Create a Daily Routine

No two days may ever be the same but that doesn’t mean you should rule out making a schedule. Writing down the expected daily routine helps us to feel more in control. It also helps us remember the detail.

Any deviation is fine. It’s the thought that counts and remember to only focus on one task at a time. Avoid comparing yourself to other people. It’s a waste of time and energy as the reality of others’ lives is unlikely to mirror your own in every aspect.

Learn to say ‘no’. If it doesn’t fit with your plan, don’t do it. If you’ve created a routine that clearly outlines your priorities, you should stick to them. You can’t and won’t please everyone all of the time.

Make Your Career Work For You

To an extent, working from home has become the new normal. It cuts out the time and cost of commuting for starters and it creates opportunities for greater flexibility.

If you haven’t done so already, talk to your boss about adapting your place and time of work to suit you best. It’s an “employee market” out there at the moment so take advantage of the potential for a stronger negotiating position.

It doesn’t end there. If you are going to work from home, you need to be sure you have a dedicated work area. Physically separating your workspace helps you create a boundary with your home life. If possible, invest in a pair of noise-cancelling headsets and an ergonomically designed chair.

Map Out Your Support Network

Either use your computer or get a big sheet of paper and draw up a table. Consider those family members and friends who are closest to you.

Write their names down, their relationship to you and the support they can give you. For instance, can they help with school runs? Could they act as occasional babysitters? Are they people you can turn to for advice?



Are there others in your local community who can help? Neighbours, doctors, teachers and social media groups can be great resources for extra support. Writing all this down helps mitigate that drowning feeling you can get when you become overwhelmed with too many tasks that feel like spinning plates. 

All the Childcare Options Explained

Even if you work from home and have the most supportive parents and friends possible, you may still need more help. Key dependencies will be:

• Cost and affordability
• Availability and quality of options where you live
• Any special needs your child may have
• The admin time required to manage the extra help

Daycare Centres

If possible, reach out to other parents and friends who may have experience with the daycare centre you’re keen on. Typical advantages of using daycare centres include:

• They tend to be the most cost-effective option for single kids
• They’re safe places and create a social benefit for parents
• The centre takes care of replacing staff that are sick or on leave
• There’s a structured routine for children 
• There’s interaction with other kids and educators for better social development
• They make the transition to school a lot easier

Family daycare centres in an educator’s own home may be a less expensive option. They’re likely to be less formal and most educators will have had their own children. You would usually need to fix up backup care if the educator becomes ill or unavailable.

Have a Pool of Reliable Babysitters

Whatever regular cover you choose, the chances are there’ll times when you need a break or have an emergency. You should have one or two reliable babysitters you can call on who can come to your rescue at short notice.

Babysitters are excellent for plugging holes in busy schedules but they aren’t a regular full-time option for childcare.

The Benefits of Hiring a Nanny or Au Pair

For many parents, having a nanny or au pair is the gold standard in childcare. The cost doesn’t mean hiring someone is always a non-starter and only for the rich and famous. There are plenty of advantages that will offset your outlay.

There'll be no pickups and dropoffs to do at a daycare centre, for example. You can also use your nanny to run errands, make packed meals, perform light housekeeping duties and supervise the kids’ bathtimes. This frees you up to carry on with your career and lowers the stress of being a busy parent.

Your child is going to get one-on-one Individual attention from your nanny. That can be especially important for children under the age of 1. You may also decide to hire a nanny with qualifications relevant to any special needs your child might have. The advantages of hiring a nanny also include:

• Keeping your child safe in your own home
• Greater flexibility to organise childcare when you really need it
• Making sure the kids get the stimulation and exercise they need in your absence
• Acting as your kids’ social secretary

You can't put a price on the quality time you spend with your kids if you work. Hiring a nanny or au pair is going to create more time for you to interact with your kids at times that suit you.

On the face of it, a nanny may cost more than a daycare centre but there are clear benefits that may tip the balance for you and your family. Hiring an au pair is likely to work out even cheaper than daycare and so could end up being the ideal childcare option.

Our Recommendations

Pay The Nanny is proud to be able to partner with these leading nanny agencies:

• Au Pair Link: pairs families with high-quality au pairs
• Red Robin Nanny Agency: “aims to find the best educator for your family”
• Au Pair New Zealand: offers flexibility and affordable childcare
• Karitane: “New Zealand’s leading maternity and nanny agency”
• NZ Nannies: helps busy business owners and career-driven professionals

How To Pay the Nanny

When you hire a nanny, you will typically become a formal employer. With that comes a long list of legal obligations to your employee (your nanny), particularly around pay. The complexities that come with salaries are tricky.

We know that this can feel so overwhelming it can turn off already busy parents from going down the nanny route. There is a quick and easy solution to dealing with paying your nanny and that is to outsource the entire process to a payroll agency.

For a small monthly fee, Pay The Nanny will ensure you are compliant with all the admin connected to hiring a nanny. It’s a small price to pay for the degree of peace of mind it gives.

Get in touch with one of the Pay The Nanny team today and put all your admin worries to bed at the click of a mouse! We’re on your side acting as stress-busters who can make the whole process of paying your nanny simplicity itself.