Pros and Cons for Au Pairs

Before you hire an au pair, you should think well if you want to take this step and you especially need to think about what your family needs and what you want from this person. Before you start to take this step you have to think that this person is the one who will take care of your children when you're not at home. In general, an au pair is a person aged between 16 and 26 who lives with you in your house and for a sum of money, they take care of your children, and is there when you need someone to help you! But before taking this decision we need to look at the positive and negative aspects that arise from such a relationship.

Pros:

1)First of all, it’s very easy to find an au pair. You have the opportunity to seek and find through agencies that help with the whole process of obtaining information about them; you can look on websites, where you can browse through profiles of people interested in working for you, or you can find someone through recommendation, or someone close to your family who wants to work for you.

2)Although many of them aren’t totally certified professionals to take care of children, they benefit of some certification when it comes to raising children and also when for their protection and safety. Even if it’s not a full certification, these two certificates are the basis on which to choose a future au pair.

3)The difference between a nanny and an au pair is the experience. They are more experienced than a regular nanny, are accustomed to work with children for long periods of time and can better respond to any situation that can occur.

4)An au pair from another country is an opportunity for your children to experience another world, interact with different people and learn new and exciting things that otherwise they couldn’t understand. The fact that you have an au pair from another country can be beneficial for the whole family.

5)Language. Au pairs coming from another country, besides their culture, they bring the specific language of that country, for which your children can learn it at an early age which will help them a lot in the future. Nowadays it’s very important to know as many languages as you can, and if the child manages to learn another language at a young age he will have an advantage over other children.

6)When you hire an au pair, you don’t only do it for you and your kids, but at the same time you help him/her. These people, after they finish high school or college, need a job and by your gesture you manage to help those who want to work and have no place to do it. This exchange of culture and language diversity can be beneficial for the person who comes to you. He/she can learn things, like your language or new habits.

7)They are financially cheaper than a nanny or babysitter. Since they stay in your house, you cook and just give them some pocket money as allowence, which makes it a lot cheaper than a nanny or babysitter who you have to pay for the hours they work, you have to give them money for food, pay for their gas, and other expenses.

8)Given that they stay in your home, you can make a schedule without having to worry about whether this program can be kept or not. When it comes to nanny or babysitter, their program is varied and does not match your schedule. When the au pair lives in your home you can make quiet plans and you can share with her transportation, events and other tasks.

9)Another important feature and an advantage au pairs have is that you can rely on them that they will be there when you need them. Just think that you might have a health problem, you need to go to hospital, or you have to go somewhere to solve something. Think how great it will be to know that your kids can stay with someone while you can solve your problems quietly.

10)The au pair community is very big and they support each other. If there is a problem, chances are that one of them will help another, so there is the possibility that you will always have someone that is willing to help you and your au pair.

11)There are situations in life when you need someone to talk to, someone who understands you and who you can share your emotions with. Although initially this interaction between you and the au pair is more difficult because you still need to get used to someone living in your house, after some time you will get confidence, and you will find a friend with whom you can get along very well.

12)They can be multifunctional. They can take care of your children, get them to school, take care of them when you decide to go on a date with your husband (you don’t need a babysitter that your children don’t know) but also can help with housework that can include washing up, preparing simple meals for your children, ironing, vacuuming, and dusting.

13)The au pairs age is a positive aspect because your kids can attach and form a stronger bond with people close to their age rather than someone who is older and have nothing to share with.

Cons:

1)First we need to talk about the fact that these people are strangers. Although we have spoken above about the importance and positive education that they can offer to your children, this cultural difference can harm in many ways. What is good in one place may not be good in another place. And vice versa. Children should be raised in the social mentality of the country they live in and not to be influenced by the thinking that is based on other mentalities.

2)Language is an important aspect, because if there is no communication you can’t have a good understanding. Although I have mentioned above that language is a factor that can help your kids, in the beginning it might not be an understanding between the two parties. You can’t tell what you want from the au pair, and the au pair doesn’t understand what you need from her. Not to mention that they can’t take care of your children because they don’t understand the language.

3)Fees you have to pay. Tax legislation differs from country to country, and you have to know very well tax laws. You need to know how much you pay for the au pair and especially how much you have to pay the state contribution. You can turn to a lawyer for better information but the last thing you need is to have problems with the IRS.

4)Regarding the legal stuff, you must have in mind that you can’t do anything without having all the right papers. Some au pairs need special papers and forms to arrive in your country. Besides this, you need to sort of the visa problem, if they have a driver's license and can drive, if they have a permit to work in your country, and other obstacles that can try your patience.

5)In terms of safety, we must consider that you have nowhere to run background check on these people. You don’t know what they did before wanting to work for you and don’t know why they want to leave their country. You have no objective way to control this and can’t even organize an interview in person. When they are in your house is already too late to have a chance to do anything.

6)Another aspect that you must take into account is responsibility. You have to realize that these people have between 16 and 26 years old, and youth can be a negative factor, as most of them have no sense of responsibility and you don’t know if you can trust them.

7)Another important factor is caring for your children. They are the most important people in your life and you don’t want to get them in the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to care for them or worse, treat them badly. There were so many people who were duped in this way and they reached the point where they put cameras in their house to see what happens during the time when they aren’t home, because they didn’t trust their au pairs.

We’ve seen the good and bad parts of hiring an au pair. There are many types of people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find someone who will be right for you and your family. There are many families who were lucky, that they found their au pairs with whom they had a well understanding and friendships, even after they have finished working for them.