Au Pair Saves Babies' Life

It's always heart warming to hear of heroic acts, especially when it's a child that was protected from danger by someone who demonstrates that they truly love that child.  And when it's your childcare provider, you know you have a a gem when they put your children's best interest before their own.

A Colombian au pair in Philadelphia recently saved the life of one of the 8 month old twins she was caring for when she put herself in the way of a distracted driver in a moving van to protect the child from the impact.  This story illustrates the true purpose of the Au Pair program, which is to create strong relationships between families in the U.S. and Au Pairs from abroad.

Read more about this at  http://www.goaupair.com/Host-Families/Blog/News/Go-Au-Pair-Au-Pair-Saves-Baby-s-Life.aspx and also at http://goaupairphiladelphia.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/au-pairs-from-go-au-pair/.

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope you are all enjoying your Memorial Day!  Au Pairs--if you are still looking for something to do today, simply do a search in your city for Memorial Day Activities, you'll find a lot of ideas of things to do.

Here's an example of just one thing I found when I did a search on "Memorial Day Activities in Chicago".

It's a great opportunity to see your city, meet new people and experience a little bit of the American culture.

Have fun, and be safe!

Go Au Pair Holiday Hours

In observance of Memorial Day, Go Au Pair will be closed Monday, May 28th.  They will re-open on Tuesday, May 29th.  As always, Host Families and Au Pairs can still contact their Local Area Representative over the holdiay weekend.

Healthy Summer Snacks for Kids

Au pairs--school is almost out, which means that the children will be home from school and you will be responsible for feeding them a lot more while in your care.  It is important that you work closely with your host family to ensure that you are feeding the children a healthy, balanced diet.  Too much sugar, or empty calorie snacks are unhealthy and can cause children to feel moody, a lack of energy, or have a stomach ache.

Here's an article I found that can give you some ideas of healthy snacks to feed the children.

Some of the snacks I like to give my children are fruits (such as watermelon, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and blueberries), vegetables (carrots, celery, broccoli, and tomatoes), raisins, string cheese, yogurt (my children really like Gogurt, try freezing them, it's like having a creamy popcicle), whole grain cereal (my son loves multi-grain Cheerios), or a banana shake (just blend milk and a ripe banana in the blender).

The Upcoming Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day was originally a day when people remembered those men who died in our nation's service.  Eventually it became a day where any loved ones are remembered. Many people take the day to visit the grave sites of their loved ones who have passed away.

Memorial Day has a also become known to many people as the first "official" weekend of summer.  It's when many swimming pools open, people go on their first summer camp-out, and the grill is fired up.  For many au pairs, this is their first time celebrating Memorial Day.  If they have been in the US for a while, they may have already made plans with friends they have made here.  But if they are new in the US, they may not have any plans and may be a little confused as to what they should do on their day off.

Host families--here's your chance to share your culture with your au pair!  Invite her to join you in your festivities or celebrations, or give her ideas as to what she can do to enjoy the weekend along with the rest of the country.

Water Safety

Here in Arizona we are always hearing about the importance of water safety.  This is due to the number of private swimming pools around.  Even the weather man finishes each forecast with "...and please watch your children around water."  Because this is something always on my mind with my children, I thought I'd post some water safety tips for both parents and au pairs to keep in mind.  I selected these few tips from the Kids Health website (they use all water scenarios including beaches, pools, water parks, etc.)--visit this link to see all of their tips.

1.  Always have an adult watching the children when they are in or near the pool, beach, lake, etc.
2.  Always obey pool/beach, etc rules
3.  Make sure swimming devices are Coast Guard approved
4.  Make sure you and the kids drink plenty of water so you don't get dehydrated
5.  Use sunscreen
6.  Don't swim in the dark
7.  Learn to swim...(my own note:  It's always a good idea for children to have had swim lessons.  Weather they are great swimmers or not, it is important that if they fall in, they be able to back to the edge.  Also, be aware of each child's swimming abilities--it's important to know what kind of assistance or care they need while in the water).

Also, there is a website you should check out that has some interactive videos, coloring pages, etc on water safety.  Making the children aware of the importance of water safety helps prevent accidents.

A Summer of Swimming

With summer just around the corner, many of us are gearing up for the next three months of non-stop pool and beach time.  If you have an au pair, it's most likely going to be one of her major responsibilities--watch and care for the kids around water.  So, you most likely chose an au pair who is a swimmer.

91% of Go Au Pair's au pair applicants know how to swim.  Which brings great peace of minds to the host parents who want their children to enjoy themselves, but want to be sure they are being cared for by someone who can swim with them and help them when needed.
 
If you are still searching for an au pair, and she is going to be arriving during the summer months, be sure to check her application to see if she is a swimmer.  It's a great topic of conversation when you interview her as well, to see how comfortable she is around water.

Summer Care

It can be really hard to find good, reliable, and personalized summer childcare.  It can also get very expensive.  That is why so many people rely on the au pair program.  Au Pairs can drive the children around to different activities, water parks, sports, parties, etc.  So the kids aren't confined to sitting in on childcare facility the entire summer.

They live in, so the kids can sleep in if desired, they can get up early if they have a certain place they have to get to, or they can even have a structured learning time where the au pair spends personal time helping them keep up on their math, reading, etc.  You as the parent can basically dictate what your children do the entire summer rather being told by someone else what they will be doing with them.

There's still time to get an au pair in time for summer.  Go Au Pair has several au pairs that are available within the next few weeks.

Featured Country--South Africa

Every month Go Au Pair features a different country to spotlight.  This month the featured country is South Africa, so host families who match with an au pair from South Africa during the month of May will receive a $100 discount off of their program fees.

Visit the link above to learn more about South Africa and it's unique culture.

Flexible Arrival Dates

One of the great advantages of matching with an au pair from Go Au Pair is the fact that they have flexible arrival dates.  Rather than chartering flights for groups of au pairs at a time, Go Au Pair actually books each flight individually to help accommodate the needs of the host family.

They do all they can do get the au pair to your home as close to your preferred date as possible.  Some factors that might affect the au pair's arrival (outside of Go Au Pair's control) are embassy delays, visa approvals, and heavy travel times during holidays and summertime.

Also, there is an optional New York Introductory Training that is available at no cost if you would like to have your au pair attend that training prior to her arrival.

Here is the Introductory Training Schedule for the next few months:


06/04/2012 to 06/07/2012

06/18/2012 to 06/21/2012

07/09/2012 to 07/12/2012

07/23/2012 to 07/26/2012

08/06/2012 to 08/09/2012

The Cost for Au Pair Childcare

An au pair is a great option for families who are looking for reliable, flexible, and cultural childcare.  It is also very affordable, especially for those families who have multiple children.  Other childcare options will charge a weekly or hourly fee per child.  With the au pair program, the cost is the same, regardless of how many children you have.

When you add up the upfront agency fees, the weekly stipend you pay the au pair directly, and the education stipend, the cost for an au pair is estimated at about $340 per week, or about $7.55 per hour.  Here is a link to Go Au Pair's website where the fees are explained and the costs are all laid out.

Au Pair from Thailand

One of the Local Area Representatives from Go Au Pair sent out an email earlier this week concerned about an au pair who is in transition (looking for another host family).  She says that she is "lovely and kind and devoted to children" so she feels she will do well with another family. She feels she is a wonderful caretaker and is worried that if she doesn't find a family, she will have to go home.

I am posting today a little bio about Korakan in hopes to help get the word out and hopefully she'll find a great host family with which she can spend the remainder of her year.

--Korakan is 26 years old and looking to start with a new family ASAP.
--She has youth group and nursery experience with children of all ages--including infants.
--She Speaks English and Thai
--College graduate.
--She enjoys cooking and holds a driver's license (she does need to practice driving as her current host family feels her skills need to be developed since she didn't drive often in Thailand).

You can contact Go Au Pair for more information at 888-AUPAIR-1 or www.goaupair.com.

Interviewing Au Pair Applicants

Many families really like the idea of getting an au pair, but they worry about choosing the right person to care for their children when they can't interview them in person.  Here are some things that have helped Host Families when interviewing their au pairs that have actually made the interviewing process very successful--in fact it can be even more successful than interviewing potential nannies or babysitters in person!

--Don't just use the phone and e-mail!  There is so much technology out there now that you can really get a better feel for a person if you use Skype, Windows Live Messenger, or another video conferencing tool.  When you do this, you get to not only see the au pair, but you could meet her family, pets, friends, and get an idea of where and how they live.  Most au pairs have access to these tools, so use them as much as possible.

--Be sure to take advantage of the wealth of information that the au pair agency provides for you about each au pair applicant.  Go Au Pair, for example, collects a dossier full information on the au pair applicant including interviews, an application/questionaire, photos, medical information, a personality test, personal essay,and several references (childcare and personal).  

-- If the in person interview is still very important in making your decision, you can interview only au pairs who are already in country (either in transtion from another host family, or ones wanting to extend their au pair stay for an additional 6, 9, or 12 months).  Depending on where the au pair is currently, you may have the option of actually meeting the au pair in person.  You may also have the opportunity to speak with their current Local Area Representative or Host Family.

Preparing for Mother's Day!!

Mother's Day is celebrated in many countries, the date varying from country to country.  Here in the United States it is always celebrated on the second Sunday of May.  This coming Sunday, therefore, is Mother's Day here in the US.

Au Pairs!!  Here is your chance to do something creative with the children to help them wish their mom a Happy Mother's Day.  You could help them make a craft, a card, or any type of personalized or home made gift.

Here is a website that can help you with ideas for easy to do crafts:  http://familyfun.go.com/mothers-day/.

The "Quick" Solution to Childcare Needs

Because the au pair program entails bringing young adults into the United States from different countries, it usually takes about 4-6 weeks for an au pair to arrive.  There are a lot of families who need childcare sooner and cannot wait a month or more for an au pair to arrive.

There is a solution!  When an au pair is already in the United States working for another family and it doesn't work out (usually personality differences, change in childcare needs for the family, etc.), then the au pairs look for a new family so that they can complete their year.  They are usually available within two weeks or less, so it's great for families who are in need of immediate childcare.

Go Au Pair keeps an updated profile list of all the au pairs who are in country and available for quick placement.  You can visit their website to see this list.  Included in this list are also au pairs who are finishing up their first year with their current host family and would like to extend for a second year with a new family.  So, that's a great option for families looking for au pairs with experience living in the US.

Choosing the Au Pair Program

In my last post I talked about selecting the childcare option that is right for your family.  Maybe you're interested in the au pair program, but are still want to investigate it a bit more.  Hopefully the information below will help you get some more "personalized" insight on the au pair program.

Since the Department of State regulates the au pair program, there are only a handful of agencies that are authorized to administer the program and aid families/au pairs in obtaining the necessary visa.  Go Au Pair is one of the designated agencies.  Here is a link on the Go Au Pair website that has testimonials from families and au pairs who have participated in the program.

Also, several au pairs from Go Au Pair have won awards from the International Au Pair Association (IAPA)--having been nominated by their host families and then the winners selected by IAPA.  Here is a video from one of the winners of the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Awards.

Once you have made a decision that the au pair program fits your families needs, it's time to select the right agency and then the right au pair.

Questions to Ask Yourself When Selecting Childcare

Everyone has different childcare needs.  Because of this, there is no one perfect childcare option for everyone, but with a little research, you can find the childcare option that's perfect for you.  Some of the things you may want to ask yourself when you start looking at the different options are:

Setting/Location
1.  Do I want someone to live-in?  If so, do I have room for that person to live in?
2.  Do I prefer Live-out but still at my house?
3.  Not in my home, but someone else's home?
4.  Formal daycare group-type setting?

Childcare Provider
1.  Do I have an age preference?
2.  Am I looking for a "big sister" feel, a "grandmother" feel, or am I open to any age?
3.  Do I need someone who is flexible?  Are my hours pretty consistent?
4.  Do I want someone who is caring only for my children?  Or do I want there to be a group of children and childcare providers?

Other Questions to Ask Yourself
1.  What price range am I looking to pay?
2.  Considering how many children I have, which childcare options best fit my needs?  Some providers only accept certain age ranges, a certain number of children, or charge a flat rate per child.
3.  Contingency plan--what happens if my child is sick?  Can this provider still care for them?  Do I have flexibility at work to take off or do I have a back up caretaker to help out?
4.  Do I need this caretaker to drive my children to activities, school, etc?

Is the Au Pair program right for you??  Here are some things you can consider that can help you make that decision:

1.  Do I have an extra room in my home to accommodate a live-in caretaker?
2.  Do I/my spouse feel comfortable having someone live-in?
3.  Am I looking strictly for hired help?  Or am I looking to invite someone in as an extended member of the family?
4.  Am I interested in offering my family a cultural exchange opportunity?
5.  Am I looking for someone who speaks a specific language?
6.  Do I need household help?  Light housekeeping?  Heavy housekeeping?
7.  Do I want to hire someone who has been pre-screened?
8.  For the number of children I have, how does the cost of having an au pair compare with other childcare options?
9.  Do I want my caretaker to be a young adult (ages 18-26)?

Au Pair Childcare

I like to keep up with the childcare options in my area.  It's amazing to see what is available out there.  From daycare centers to live-in nannies, and traditional babysitters to in home daycare--the prices and quality range as much as the differences in childcare.  I have noticed that, unlike people on the East Coast, the one childcare option that many people are not aware of, or educated on, is the au pair program.

So, what is an au pair you ask?  Au Pairs are foreign young adults who provide families with an extraordinary cultural experience through full time, live-in childcare.  Because they live-in the host families' home, they provide personalized care in the place where children are most comfortable--their own home.  No need to wake the children up early, no need to allow more time in the morning to get the children ready and run them to the sitter or the daycare center before work.  No need to take work off if the children are sick.  Sounds heavenly, doesn't it?!

Well, the perks don't end there!  With an au pair you have an extra adult in the home that can help out on date nights, emergency situations, etc.  They are available up to 45 hours per week and 10 hours per day.  They can even help out with light housekeeping that is related to the children.  And get this--the price of an au pair is the same, regardless of the number of children a host family has!

The au pair program is regulated by the Department of State, which provides guidelines and protection to both the host family and the au pair.  Au Pairs are screened and have extensive background checks, they are interviewed in person by a representative in their own country. The Host Families also are interviewed by a Local Area Representative and follow guidelines on the amount of hours an au pair can work and they the type of work they can do.  The Local Area Representative is within 60 minutes of each family and is there to provide support and activities throughout the year.

With all the benefits this childcare program offers, it's no wonder that I am amazed that so many people haven't ever heard of an au pair.  I've started this blog in an effort to not only educate people on the au pair program, but to give host families, au pairs, and Local Area Representatives tips that will make your au pair experience successful and memorable.  I will pull from my 10+ years of experience to provide ideas for activities the au pair can do with the children, nutrition tips, ideas for cultural exchange, things to do on holidays, and much more!  So join me as we explore the wonderful world of Au Pair Childcare!