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Buying Back Time: Is Paying for Childcare Really Worth It?

The Price of a Pause

There’s a moment every parent faces. It might be while folding laundry at midnight, staring at another pile of dishes, or answering work emails with one hand while rocking a baby with the other. It’s the moment you realize there just isn’t enough of you to go around.

So you start doing the math. What if you hired help? What if someone else managed the naps, the school pickups, the endless snacks? Could you finally breathe? Could you reclaim time for yourself, for your partner, for your career?

But then the questions come. Does it make sense to work if almost my entire paycheck goes to the nanny? What about the health insurance my job provides, could we afford private coverage if I stayed home? Would we still be able to pay the mortgage, the bills, and keep saving if I stepped away for a few years?

And on the other side… would taking a break now hurt my career so much that I couldn’t return later? Am I investing in long-term stability by hiring a nanny, or just working to keep up month to month?

What the Numbers Say

• Average Nanny Cost: In 2025, families in the U.S. pay about $827 per week (~$20.68/hour) for full-time care for one child.
• Career Trade-Off: A Pew study found that 42% of working mothers scaled back their careers due to lack of childcare.
• Emotional ROI: Research from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shows that parents who experience less stress at home interact more positively and consistently with their children.
• Time Saved: Hiring a nanny for 40 hours a week frees up around 160 hours a month, time you can redirect toward rest, family connection, or professional growth.

"Nanny’s salary is 26-30% of our take home pay (net). It’s 15-20% of our gross pay. It’s our single largest expense per month. More than our mortgage. During the time we’ve had a nanny, my career kept climbing and increased my income 50%. So, having a nanny has been well worth it for our family."
— Reddit user, r/NannyEmployers, August 11, 2024

" Around 105% of my take home though my husband does make quite a bit more than I do so this is feasible. The benefits I get through my job and the long term earning potential still make this worth it. Plus our nanny is incredible and does a way better job than I could do if I were handling the kids 24/7. "
— Reddit user, r/NannyEmployers, August 11, 2024

"We live well below our means otherwise (for example: haven’t gone on a trip that required a plane or hotel in five years, share a six year old subaru, live as a family of four in a two bedroom house). If we were living more like people expect you to live at our salaries we wouldn’t be able to afford to have a nanny. When people say nannies are a luxury, they aren’t joking."
— Reddit user, r/Nanny, June 28, 2023

Three Ways Childcare Really Pays Off

When parents hire a nanny, it’s not always about making more money. Sometimes it’s about survival, stability, or simply creating more breathing room for your family. Here are three real scenarios families face:

1. Financial Win: The Nanny Pays for Herself
   You’re working full time and can increase hours or take on new opportunities thanks to childcare support.
   
   Example:
   If you earn $50/hour and a nanny costs $25/hour for 40 hours/week, your extra work time nets an additional $4,000/month, doubling the cost of care.
   
   Why It Matters:
   Reliable childcare is directly linked to keeping parents, especially mothers, in the workforce, 89% of mothers with care found were employed, compared to only 77% without.


2. Career Protection: “Just Covering Work Hours”
   You don’t earn more by hiring a nanny, but without childcare, you’d have to reduce hours or quit entirely.
   
   Example:
   A full-time nanny costs ~$827/week, which may equal your current paycheck. But without it, you risk losing income completely, along with long-term career momentum (what Bankrate calls the “motherhood penalty”).
   
   Why It Matters:
   Even a “break-even” investment protects your future earnings and keeps your professional identity intact.


3. Emotional Gold: The Time & Energy Payoff
   Even if you’re not increasing income, hiring care frees up precious time and energy at home.
   
   Example:
   A 40-hour week of childcare gives you 160 extra hours a month, time to sleep, reconnect, or simply be present.
   
   Why It Matters:
   About half of working parents say it’s hard to give 100% at both work and home. Even without income gains, reclaiming that time can dramatically reduce stress and improve family well‑being.

So… Is It Worth It?

For some families, hiring a nanny is a clear financial win. For others, it’s a way to hold onto their career and avoid stepping back. And for many, it’s about buying back peace of mind and time that no paycheck could replace.

There’s no single “right” answer, just the reality of what childcare means for your family. But before you decide, it helps to see the bigger picture: the hours you gain, the stress you lose, and the opportunities it might open for the future.

Want to see how much time you’d actually gain? Our Childcare ROI Calculator (return on investment calculator), helps you compare the cost of hiring a nanny with the time you save, and the potential income or family benefits that come with it. Whether it’s a financial win, a way to keep your career afloat, or simply buying back your sanity, this tool helps you make the choice with clarity.