My son starts daycare in June, and my daughter won't start kindergarten until fall of 2016, so we'll have 15 months of paying daycare and preschool tuition. This shit is OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive (and this is in low cost of living Pittsburgh). It would be significantly cheaper to get an au pair. As a matter of fact, it would be cheaper to have an au pair AND my daughter in three-day preschool.

I have two friends who've gone this route; one just started this month, and the other has been doing it for two years. It's been a source of drama in his household; picking the au pair, having another body in the house, issues with performance/personality. Any of you done it? Advice?