If you’re a parent working in healthcare, you know that finding child care that meets your family’s needs isn’t always easy. Babysitters can call out with car trouble or quit without notice. Daycare and after-school programs may have rigid hours. So what’s the solution? Healthcare professionals like you are finding that the cure for their child care frustrations is hosting an au pair.
Sarah, a host mom and healthcare professional from Texas, has depended on multiple au pairs over the years:
“I do counsel a lot of young physicians that are starting families and a lot of them come to me since I have four children,” explains Sarah. “They’re like ‘how are you making this work?!’ The answer is an au pair.”
Here are three major ways that au pair child care can be beneficial for healthcare professionals:
1. Flexible and customizable schedule
If you’re a parent who’s on-call regularly or works beyond the typical 9-to-5, your child care options could be slim. What do you do, especially if you don’t have family or a support system nearby to help? Enter au pair child care assistance! Host families and au pairs coordinate a customized child care schedule of up to 45 hours per week and 10 hours per day to help keep your household running smoothly.
“What would our family do without Paula? I honestly have no idea, and even shudder at the thought! Between my husband’s and my busy schedules (him as a neurosurgeon and me as an orthopedic surgeon), two energetic boys both under 2 years old, and 3 rambunctious dogs, our lives are perpetually in motion. Paula is the effervescent and diligent force which helps keep things running smoothly.”
Host Family in Tennessee
2. Help with life’s surprises
As a healthcare professional, it can be difficult to take time off work. With a trusted au pair living in your home, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your children are in good hands for school breaks, snow days and your children’s sick days.
3. The cultural exchange experience
The best part of hosting an au pair is how the cultural exchange experience can impact your children and your whole family. Your children will benefit from first-hand exposure to other cultures and customs, languages and perspectives. Au Pair in America recruits au pairs from nearly 60 countries. Many of our host families choose an au pair based on wanting to connect with their heritage or to introduce their children to a certain language. Growing up in a home that embraces cultural exchange will help your children gain advanced communication and global skills.