A nanny instead of fritids (after-school care) suits children who are worn out by large groups, children with special needs, and families whose working hours end after fritids closes. A nanny costs more than fritids, from 165 kr an hour after the RUT deduction, but gives a child a calm afternoon at home with the same person every day. Many families combine the two: fritids on some days, a nanny on the others.
Half past four at fritids in Bromma. The seven-year-old has been in a group of forty children since school ended at quarter past one and is now sitting alone at a table with her head in her hands. She has not cried, she has not fought, she is simply done. At home there will be a meltdown in the hallway and then silence until bedtime. It is not fritids' fault, and it is not the child's. Some children cannot manage six hours of group after six hours of school. Here is what the alternative looks like.
Fritids works for most children, but not for all
Fritids is a good service with trained staff, friends and activities, and it is the right choice for the vast majority of children. We say that clearly, because there is no reason to pay for a nanny if fritids works. But there are children and families for whom it does not:
- Children who are drained by the group. Noise, many adults, conflicts all day. At home it comes out as meltdowns, at fritids as silence.
- Children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis (NPF in Swedish) or high sensitivity. Here a calm environment with one adult can be the difference between a week that works and one that does not.
- Children with afternoon activities. Swimming lessons at four, football at five. Someone has to get them there.
- Parents who work late. Fritids closes, often around six, and the commute from the city centre takes an hour.
- Children in years four to six. Many stop going to fritids but are too young to be home alone for three hours every day.
- A hard year. A divorce, a move, a new sibling. A year with a nanny, then back to fritids.
Cost: fritids versus a nanny
| Fritids | Nanny after school | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Income-based fee under the maxtaxa (the national fee cap), usually a few hundred to just over a thousand kronor a month | From 165 kr/hour after RUT, depending on hours per week |
| Environment | A group, often large, with trained staff | At home, one adult, the same person every time |
| Friends | Yes, many | Those the child invites home, or meets at the playground |
| Homework | Sometimes homework help, often not | Done at the kitchen table, always first |
| Activities | The child has to be collected to get there | The nanny takes the child there |
| Hours | Closes at a fixed time | Until you get home |
| Flexibility | A place under the municipality's rules | Change hours without a fee, no lock-in period |
A nanny is more expensive. There is no getting around it. Three afternoons a week of three hours is nine hours, and that adds up to a monthly cost well above the fritids fee even after RUT. What you get for the money is a child who is not exhausted when you come home, homework done, dinner on the table and an adult the child knows. For some families that is worth every krona. For others, fritids with shorter days is a better solution. Work out your hours on the prices page.
Combining: the set-up that works for most
Most of the families we have with school-age children do not choose either or. They keep the place at fritids and have a nanny two or three afternoons a week: the longest days, the days the child has an activity, or just Monday and Thursday to break up the week. The child gets the friends at fritids and the calm at home. And the fritids place is still there if the nanny is ill.
- Look at which days are hardest for the child. Usually it is the days they are there longest.
- Start with one day a week. See how the child reacts to going home while the others stay.
- Add a day if it works. Many settle on two or three.
- Keep the fritids place for at least the first term. Do not cancel anything until you know.
What an afternoon looks like
The nanny meets the child at school or at fritids at the time you have agreed, often around half past two or three for younger children. The way home goes via the playground if the child needs to run off some energy, or straight home if the child needs quiet. At home a snack, homework at the kitchen table, then play, a book, crafts, building or a friend coming round. If the child has an activity, the nanny takes them there and collects them. At half past five she prepares dinner so you can eat when you get in. Screens only according to your rules.
The RUT deduction for school-age children
RUT (the Swedish 50 per cent tax deduction for household services, taken off the invoice directly) applies to childcare in the home for children up to and including the age of twelve. Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) applies it up to and including year seven, so a child who turns thirteen during the spring term of year seven is still covered. Collection from school and lifts to activities are included when they are connected to childcare in the home. The deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost with a cap of 75,000 kr per person per year, payment must be electronic, and we take the deduction off the invoice directly. Homework help as a separate service does not qualify, but homework done during an ordinary shift is still childcare.
Children too old for fritids and too young to be alone
Around year four many children stop going to fritids, and there is a period of two or three years when the child does not want to stay but should not be home alone for three hours every day either. Here a nanny often works better than both fritids and being alone, especially if she is young enough that the child does not see her as a minder. Tell the child she is there to be company, not to keep watch. It is also true.
How we do it with our families
Esther has a family in Nacka with a nine-year-old girl who stopped going to fritids in year two after a year of afternoon meltdowns. Esther meets her at school at three on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They walk home through the woods, because the girl needs quiet after the school day, and say almost nothing on the way. At home a snack, twenty minutes of homework, then she draws or builds while Esther prepares dinner. On Wednesdays Esther takes her to the swimming pool at five. Her mother says the difference shows in the evenings: no more meltdowns in the hallway. On the other two days the girl is at a friend's and at a class, and they gave up the fritids place after one term.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week and whom the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny at your home, and we will work out a quote for your hours.
Read more: Fritids · A nanny who picks up from preschool · When can children stay home alone? Age, maturity and preparation · Prices
Frequently asked questions
What does a nanny cost compared with fritids?
Fritids has an income-based fee under the maxtaxa and costs a few hundred to just over a thousand kronor a month for most families. A nanny costs from 165 kr an hour after the RUT deduction, depending on hours per week. A nanny is more expensive, but for some children it is worth it.
Does a nanny after school qualify for the RUT deduction?
Yes, for children up to and including the age of twelve. Skatteverket applies it up to and including year seven. The deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost, collection from school is included when it is connected to childcare in the home, and we take the deduction off the invoice directly.
Can we combine fritids and a nanny?
Yes, and it is the most common set-up. Fritids three days, a nanny two. The child gets both the friends and the calm. Many families keep the fritids place and use the nanny on the longest or hardest days.
Which children does a nanny suit better than fritids?
Children who are drained by large groups, children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis or high sensitivity to noise, children with activities that need a lift, and children whose parents work after fritids closes. Also children who simply need more calm for a year.
What does the nanny do on an afternoon after school?
Collects the child from school, walks home via a playground or straight home, snack, homework, then play, a book, crafts or a friend. She can also drive or take the child to activities. No screens unless you have said otherwise. Dinner prepared when you get home.