Switching to an Au Pair

Check out this blog entry in yesterday’s  Wall Street Journal

http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2012/02/02/switching-to-an-au-pair/?mod=WSJBlog#

By John J. Edwards III

My wife and I have made a momentous child-care decision: We’re switching from a full-time babysitter to an au pair.

In the au pair program, young women age 18 to 26 come to the U.S. to spend a year or more living with an American family and providing child care, in exchange for a modest stipend and some tuition help. Our interest in the program doesn’t stem from any deficiency in our kids’ current care: We’ve had the same babysitter for almost nine years, since our 10-year-old daughter was 1½ (and our 7-year-old son’s whole life), and she’s been wonderful with them and unfailingly reliable.

But an au pair costs less—a lot less. Even after spending some money on renovations to create a bedroom for our new guest/employee, we’ll save many thousands of dollars a year.

Beyond that, we’re excited about our kids having a caregiver who’s more hands-on and energetic than their current one, who’s in vibrant health but is a rather reserved woman in her late 50s. When they go to the pool on summer afternoons, for example, the au pair might actually get in and splash around with them. And, of course, having a houseguest from a foreign land should be a great cultural experience for the whole family.

So, we sat down with the current sitter last week and explained our plan, making sure to emphasize that we’ll actively help her find a new position in the next few months and will make sure to keep her a part of the kids’ lives. She took it well—that reserved personality helps in avoiding big emotional scenes.

After she left for the night, we told the kids. They both cried at first—the older one quietly, the younger one wailing for a bit—but they both came around as we started looking at potential au pairs’ videos on the service’s website (http://www.aupairinamerica.com/). We’ve already found a few who look appealing, and we’ll be starting the evaluation and interview process soon with an eye toward having someone arrive in May.

We’ll do the interviews via Skype, first the two of us, then with the kids if we might be interested in moving forward. When we eventually decide to “match” with an au pair (and she with us), we won’t meet her in person until she arrives in the States, but we’re confident we’ll know her well enough from the conversations and the copious supporting materials.

We’re a little nervous about the unknowns of sharing our far-from-huge house with someone, but the placement of her room should afford plenty of nighttime privacy for her and for us. And the advantages in schedule flexibility and cost savings will go a long way in helping us get comfortable with the idea.

I’ll check in with posts from time to time about our progress through the experience. For now, readers, do any of you have au pair experiences to share, either your own or from friends? Would you consider an au pair for your own child care?

Au Pair in America brings the world together.  We bring au pairs from over 60 countries to US families who receive quality child care.  Au pairs also share their culture with their host families and people who come in contact with them.    We also offer a program called Global Awareness, and it gives au pairs the opportunity to share their culture in public settings like libraries or schools.

This week, my Swedish au pair Emma and my South African au pair Tracey came to St. Agnes School in Arlington center to present their country to kids in the classroom.  Emma went to the 5th grade, and Tracey to the 7th.    They both did an outstanding job and the kids learned a lot about Sweden and South Africa.

Emma presenting Sweden in the 5th grade

Tracey presenting South Africa in the 7th grade

GREAT JOB, EMMA AND TRACEY!

Both au pairs receive a Global Awareness Certificate as well as a

Starbucks gift card.

For more photos please visit Global Awareness

Our Au Pair Cluster

This month, our au pair cluster joined three others and ventured out to Boylston, MA for  country linedancing at Bay Path Barn.

Learning the steps

Au Pairs lined up in a big hall and followed owner Mary Rinker’s dance step instructions.  Mary first walked everybody through a dance without the music and then we got to practice with music.    It took a little while getting used to the different steps, but it became easier to follow along as time went on.  Dances we learned included the Cotton Eyed Joe, the Mama Maria and the Kick Step.

practicing the steps

Also part of our meeting this month was a talk about winter driving and cold/flu prevention.   This satisfies the State Department requirement of an quarterly child development/safety meeting.  We also welcomed our newest arrivals who had a chance to connect with the group.

Check out these two videos of au pairs first learning the steps, and then practicing them with a song:

For more photos and videos of our meeting, please go to Country Linedancing

This week, my au pairs came to my house for a pumpkin carving party.   We enjoyed pumpkin puff pastry, pumpkin tortilla roll-ups, devilish eggs, bloody (hot dog) fingers,  fall-shaped cookies, apple crisp, Halloween candy and a cider punch.

Au pairs had a great time socializing and inspiring each other while carving their pumpkins.

This was a very creative group of au pairs, as you can see from the pumpkin line-up:

At the meeting, the new au pairs had a chance to be welcomed by the others and make connections.   We also said good-bye to Siu from Malaysia who ends her extension year next month.  She was able to share her experience with some of the newer au pairs.

Au pairs had great conversations around the table about their au pair experience and about the existence or non-existence of Halloween in their country.

For more photos from this meeting, please go to Pumpkin Carving.

Last Sunday, three Boston area au pair clusters met at Carver Hill Orchard in Stow, MA for our annual host family/au pair picnic.    Host families and au pairs enjoyed apple cider and cider donuts provided by the counselors and the kids participated in fall themed cookie decorating.  Families and au pairs also went apple picking and enjoyed a hayride through the orchard.

As per State Department regulation, as an au pair agency, we need to offer our host families an informational host family workshop each year during which host families can also meet each other and get to know the cluster better.    The Cultural Fair in April was one of them, and we always like to offer this apple picking venue as well since it offers the cultural experience that is so much part of our au pair program.   Host families had a choice of informational handouts relating to the host family – au pair relationship.

For more pictures go to  Apple Orchard and Apple Orchard1

Each September, Au Pair in America organizes a group tour at Harvard University for its Boston area au pairs.  Yesterday, over 60 au pairs participated on a lovely sunny day.    We split up into two groups, led by Harvard students.

Aside from Harvard’s history, we always learn interesting facts from the tour leaders.  Yesterday we learned that Harvard is the only university which is “needs blind” which means that they will accept students based on their scholarly value no matter how much money they have to contribute to their education.  Harvard will then supplement the rest,  even if it means paying 100%.  We also learned that each dorm on campus reflects the total makeup of the Harvard student population.  So if Harvard has 20% international students, each dorm will have 20% international students.  A true tribute to diversity!

For more photos of our tour go to Harvard Tour or Harvard Tour 1

Last week we met at my house for a relaxing summer barbecue.    Summer is a busy time in the au pair world with many new arrivals, good-byes, and summer vacation.    We welcomed Laetitia from France and Sina from Germany to our cluster.   We said good-bye to Julia who will return to Germany the beginning of September.   It was nice for the new arrivals to mingle with the more seasoned au pairs and get helpful tips from them.  That is one of the advantages of being part of an au pair cluster that meets each month.

Our get-togethers always provide an opportunity for cultural exchange.  While au pairs enjoyed traditional American barbecue dishes, they also shared food from their own country: Chinese salami and grilled vegetables as well as Thai desserts and specialties.  Around the table, we had a vivid discussion about the university experience in different countries.   Taking courses is an integral part of the au pair cultural experience.  Au pairs are required to take 6 credits or 80 hours in the classroom.   The new au pairs had a chance to talk with the more seasoned au pairs about educational possibilities in the Boston area.

For more photos from our meeting please visit barbecue photos

On April 30, Au Pair in America sponsored a day of cultural education and fun at the Boston Children’s Museum.   With the help of local community counselors who each oversees a group of au pairs during their stay in the US, au pairs  came prepared to represent their countries from around the world.    Over the course of the afternoon, hundreds of enthusiastic children and parents toured the exhibition.   They collected country stickers to put in a passport handed out to them,  received earth and skin friendly tattoos, had their faces painted with country flags, and chatted with au pairs.

Traditional dance in authentic costume highlighted the presentation by Thailand while the German au pairs entertained visitors with traditional German spring egg craft and painting.  South African au pairs proudly painted their country’s flag on smiling faces, while a  colorful and tempting piñata dangled over the Mexico booth.  The colorful Costa Rican booth among other things offered Costa Rican expressions in glitter that visitors could practice with the help of  au pairs.  Au pairs from many other countries served as international teachers of the culture and beauty of their homelands as well.  Photos of this great event are available on our cultural fair link below.

Pictures from the fair

2010 Cultural Fair

• Where: 300 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
• Date: April 30, 2011
• Time: 11:00am–2:00pm

• Local Au Pairs to participate in an International Cultural Fair at Boston Children’s Museum on April 30th On Saturday, April, 30th, au pairs from local families will host an International Children’s Cultural Fair at the Boston Children’s Museum from 11am to 2pm.  The au pairs, who are a part of Au Pair in America live with local host families for a year and care for their children.    The fair will be a celebration of culture geared toward families and children.  The au pairs will share songs, traditional dances, crafts and facts about their countries.  Children will be given a ‘passport card’ to collect country flags as they visit the displays which have been put together by au pairs from the many different countries.    All are welcome to attend the event at Boston Children’s Museum at 300 Congress Street, Boston MA.   The cultural fair is a great opportunity to interact with these young women who come from many countries around the world.    Pictures of last year’s fair.

In addition to monthly meetings offered by each counselor to her au pair group, Au Pair in America counselors in the Boston area organize a regional event once a month that is open to all Au Pair in America au pairs in the Boston area.   This month, 50 au pairs joined me and two other local counselors for the Prudential Center Skywalk

View of Boston

Blue, sunny skies made for breathtaking views from the 50th floor.  Au Pairs were able to do an audio tour and learn more about the city of Boston and its landmarks.  They all enjoyed getting to know the city they chose to come to a bit better.  A true cultural exchange experience!

To see more photos of our regional event, please go to Skywalk 2011 or Heike’s Pictures