Well, not everyone should, to be honest. Families that need someone to care for their kids while they are out of town on business, for example, may not find an au pair the best solution. Families that live in smaller homes that don’t have an extra bedroom would not be suitable. But for many families, the flexibility and cultural exchange of an au pair can be ideal.

Having an au pair means expanding your family’s boundaries. You develop a close relationship with someone from Thailand, or Brazil, or South Africa. You also are exposing your children to cultural ideas in a way that no other experience does – by having someone from another part of the world in their home, caring for them, making cookies from her home country. It’s invaluable in today’s world for children to grow up comfortable with people who might look a little different, might dress a little different, or might have an accent.

It’s also wonderful from a childcare perspective. Au pairs are carefully screened and experienced childcare providers. They can enrich your children’s education by introducing them to a new language and by planning activities based on each child’s interests and abilities.

Finally, within the federal guidelines there is a lot of flexibility. Au pairs can work up to 45 hours a week, up to 10 hours a day, up to 5 1/2 days a week. If your child gets sick, the au pair is there and you don’t need to miss a day of work. If your schedule is subject to changes, au pairs can be flexible too.

As I said in the beginning, live-in childcare is not for every family. But for many families, having an au pair is an experience that can’t be beat!

For more information and for current discounts, go to our website www.aupairinamerica.com.