What Is an Au Pair and How Do They Differ From Other Child Care Minders?
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An au pair is a specific type of child care provider. Au pairs are similar to nannies, in that they are employed only by one family. An au pair is a foreign national, typically between the ages of 18 and 29, that comes to work another country on a specific type of work visa. An au pair provides childcare for a family in exchange for a small salary, as well as room and board. In the United States, An au pair must be provided with a private bedroom, meals, a wage that will increase if the minimum wage increases, one full weekend off each month, and two weeks of paid vacations. In addition, Au Pairs typically are required to participate in some sort of post-secondary or college-level academic work while they are here. You are required to pay the first $500 toward required academic coursework.
An au pair can be an especially beneficial way to provide care for your children. Au pairs offer certain advantages over other child care options. Among the benefits of having an au pair include:
- Having an au pair gives you a flexible schedule. An au pair can legally only work 45 hours a week, and up to 10 hours per day. However, you can divide these hours up in a way that works best for you and for the au pair. If you have school-age children, for example, you can divide your au pair’s hours up between the morning hours and the after school hours.
- Having an au pair exposes your children to a different culture. Because au pairs are foreign nationals, your children (and you) have a tremendous opportunity to learn about people from another part of the world. They may even be able to learn a bit of the au pair’s native language if it is not English, and she may be able to tutor them in that language for a class in school.
- Having an au pair allows your children to be cared for in familiar and comfortable surroundings. They don’t have to spend their time in a day care environment, away from your home.
- Having an au pair gives you more control over child care activities than many other options. Because the au pair works only for you, you don’t have to worry about her being distracted by other children. She can implement your parenting philosophy and instructions as you want her to.
- The weekly cost of having an au pair is less than other childcare options. While there is a higher upfront cost than most other childcare options, the weekly burden makes up for it. This can be a great benefit in terms of budgeting.
- Having an au pair allows you to do something to help a young person. Because the au pair program has an educational component, you will in part be responsible for helping your au pair to become more educated. It also allows you to expose an au pair to your culture and to your way of life.
- An au pair can also help with other household needs. While heavy domestic work is generally prohibited, she may be able to offer an extra pair of hands around the home for daily needs.
Au pairs may not have the same training that another type of child care minder might have. Au pairs are to be treated as an extended member of the family, rather than like an employee. Au pairs are contracted for a specific period, between three months and one year. Overall, au pairs are an excellent choice in child care for some families, while other families will not need the services that an au pair can offer.
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