A regular nanny suits families with the same gap every week: a late working day, a training session, an evening for two. Occasional babysitting suits families whose needs are unpredictable. The price difference is clear, from 165 kr an hour after RUT (the Swedish tax deduction for household services, taken off the invoice directly) for fixed weekly hours against 199 kr for occasional bookings, but the big difference is that with a regular arrangement your child knows the person who comes.
It is Sunday evening in a terraced house in Täby. The week's calendar is on the kitchen table: a late meeting on Tuesday, a parents' coffee morning on Thursday that neither of you can make, and a dinner on Saturday you said yes to a month ago. Three different needs, three different solutions. Here we go through what separates a regular nanny from occasional babysitting, and how to know which suits you.
Two different things, not two versions of the same
A regular nanny comes at the same times every week. She knows where the snacks are kept, which way the children like to walk home from förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) and that the three-year-old will not wear the top with the zip. The children know she comes on Tuesdays. An occasional babysitter solves an evening. She does it well, but she starts from scratch every time, and so do the children.
It is easy to assume that occasional is the flexible option and regular the binding one. In practice it is often the other way round: families with a fixed afternoon each week suddenly have time to plan the rest of the week around it, and the nanny can often take an extra evening precisely because she already knows the children.
Comparison: regular nanny versus occasional babysitting
| Regular nanny | Occasional babysitting | |
|---|---|---|
| Price after RUT | From 165 kr/hour, depending on the number of hours per week | 199 kr/hour |
| Same person | Yes, always the same nanny | Usually, but not guaranteed |
| Security for your child | Your child knows her, nothing new each time | A new or half-familiar person, which asks more of your child |
| Planning | Fixed times in the calendar, little to administer | Booked each time, ideally well in advance |
| Suits | Pick-ups, fixed afternoons, recurring evenings | Dinners, doctor's appointments, an urgent gap |
| Minimum commitment | None | None |
When a regular nanny is the right choice
- You have the same gap every week. A late meeting on Tuesdays, an evening class, a training session. That is the clearest sign.
- Your child is under three. Small children need a person they recognise. A babysitter they see once a month remains a stranger.
- You have no grandparents nearby. Then the nanny is the only adult outside förskola your child builds a relationship with, and that is worth doing properly.
- The pick-up is the problem. Förskola closes before you can get home. That is a need that comes every day, not now and then.
- You want time for each other. A fixed evening a month actually happens. An evening that has to be booked each time usually does not.
When occasional babysitting is enough
- You need a babysitter a few times a term: a party, a wedding, a dental appointment.
- The children are school age and cope with a new person without drama.
- You have other arrangements for everyday life and want a backup.
- You want to try before you decide. Book an evening, see how it goes, and then ask whether the nanny has a regular slot free.
What does not work is trying to solve a daily need with occasional bookings. It costs more per hour, it means different people and it means a parent ringing around every week. If you notice you have booked occasional sessions three weeks in a row, it is time to talk about a fixed arrangement.
What happens when the nanny is ill
This is the honest downside of having one and the same person. If she is ill, the session is usually cancelled, and we offer another nanny when we can. For families with several sessions a week we therefore recommend two nannies who both know the children, so that one of them can step in. It takes a little more effort at the start, but gives you an arrangement that holds up through a winter of colds.
What it looks like in practice over a term
A family with one fixed afternoon a week gets around sixteen sessions over an autumn term. After the first three, the nanny knows where everything is. After the first six, the children have stopped asking whether Mum is coming soon. For the rest of the term that afternoon is simply part of the week, like förskola or swimming lessons. A family that books occasional sessions just as often gets sixteen fresh starts instead, and the child gets sixteen times a person to get used to. That is not the babysitters' fault; it is the arrangement.
How to get started
- Work out how many hours a week you actually need. Look at the last four weeks, not at how you wish it were.
- Book a free meeting at home. The nanny comes to your home, meets the children and sees how you live.
- We suggest a nanny based on your times, the children's ages and any wishes about language or experience.
- The first session is a soft start, ideally with you at home for a while.
- After a few weeks we check in. If you want to change times or the number of hours, you can do so without any fees.
How we do it with our families
Denise has had the same family on Kungsholmen since autumn 2024: Monday and Wednesday, pick-up from förskola at half past three, snack, playground, dinner on the table when the parents come home at six. This spring the mother rang on a Friday morning and asked whether Denise could take Saturday evening too, with two days' notice. It worked, because Denise already knew the children and where everything was. Had the family booked occasional sessions from the start, Saturday would have meant a new person, and the five-year-old would have asked where Denise was.
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 in your home, and we will work out a quote for your hours.
Read more: How much does a nanny cost in Stockholm in 2026? · A nanny who picks up from preschool · A nanny at the weekend · Prices
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference in price between a regular nanny and occasional babysitting?
Occasional bookings cost 199 kr an hour after the RUT deduction. If you book fixed hours every week, the hourly rate falls with the number of hours, down to 165 kr an hour after RUT at 40 hours a week. One and two children cost the same.
Do we get the same nanny for occasional bookings too?
We always try, and we usually succeed when you book well in advance. But if you want to be certain of the same person every time, a regular arrangement is the way, with your times in the nanny's schedule week after week.
Can we start with occasional bookings and move to a regular arrangement?
Yes, that is the most common way to start. Many families book one evening, see how it goes, and then move to a fixed afternoon each week. There is no minimum commitment and no fees for changing your arrangement.
How many hours does a regular arrangement require?
There is no lower limit, but a fixed session of at least three hours a week is what usually gives both the child and the nanny a relationship to build on. Any shorter and it is hard to establish a routine.
What happens if the nanny is ill?
The session is usually cancelled, and we offer another nanny when we can. For families with many sessions a week, we recommend having two nannies who both know the children, so there is someone to call.