We looked at some of the reasons why employing an au pair might be a useful way to take the pressure off expat family life and provide you and your family with some extra support when you need it:
1. Flexibility
Compared to traditional day care, having a live in au pair offers your family additional flexibility, particularly if both parents work outside the home. Although an au pair is usually restricted to a 30-hour work week, you can agree a schedule that works well for you and your family. If you know you must stay late at work one evening a week, your au pair may be able to make dinner for your children and you don’t have to worry about day-care closing times.
2. Help
You may only realise the full truth behind the African adage ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ when you move countries and possibly continents away from your support network. Hiring an au pair provides you with an extra pair of hands to help get children ready for school or to entertain a toddler while you or your partner take a shower, cook a meal or take a few minutes out to relax at the end of a busy day. They may also help with light household duties like loading and unloading the dishwasher, cleaning the kitchen or vacuuming.
3. Cultural exchange
If you are raising a third culture kid having an au pair from you or your partner’s home country is a great way to introduce that culture to your child. If you are a multilingual home, having an au pair from your home country could help your child become more familiar with your native language and customs. Learning a languagebas an expat can be difficult and some extra help here would be very beneficial.
4. Time
Juggling the demands of work and home life is time consuming. Having an au pair to help can provide you and your partner with some much-needed breathing room. It may allow you to take up a hobby you enjoy or do something together one evening a week as part of your self-care – an essential element of expat happiness. The gift of time is just another great benefit of an au pair around the house.
5. Affordability
If traditional forms of childcare are prohibitively expensive in your new location, a live in au pair may be a good solution. It is important to be aware that as well as their accommodation and small salary you will have to pay fees to the agency you hire them through too.
6. Personal care
Another benefit of an au pair is the personalised care and attention your children will receive in the comfort of their own home. Many expats who have had au pairs say they have become true family friends, and they have visited on several occasions. The are websites where you can hire an au pair for your family or find a family to work with if you are an aspiring au pair.
