HIGH NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE

I read an article in the April 4th Salt Lake Tribune that caught my eye.  It talks about the growing demand of daycare for children in the United States.  It quoted the report, "Who's Minding the Kids?  Chldcare Arrangements:  Spring 2011" saying that during a typical week in spring 2011, 61% of all children under age 5 were in some type of regular child care arrangement.  I'm sure the number has increased in the last two years.

The national study also found that the preschool children of working mothers spent an average of 36 hours a week in childcare.  It continues that more older children (ages 5-14) now have some sort of adult supervision after school or in the evenings instead of staying home alone. 

As I read this article I thought about the kids being taken to daycare centers early in the mornings, most likely still in their pajamas, or the kids getting out of school and just wanting to go home and relax or change into their pajamas.  I thought of kids getting to their care centers and trying to find a quiet place to do homework, and wishing they had someone who could sit down with them individually, and listen to them read, or help them with a math question. 

I wonder how many of these children have someone who is waiting for them with open arms when they come home from school.  Someone who asks them how their day went, someone who cares about how their day went. 

Children get home from school with stories to tell, worries to express, jokes to share.  How many of these 61+ percent of children in childcare get one-on-one attention?

I wish that I could reach out to these families and tell them there is a great alternative to daycare.  That they can keep their children in the comforts of their own home with someone who is like an extended member of the family.  Someone who's entire focus is THEM. 

With the increased need to work outside the home, I can't think of a better childcare option than an au pair.  Hands down.

AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR CHINESE AU PAIRS

The world has become so global in the last several years that it has become increasingly important to expose our children to other cultures and languages.  Children who grow up understanding other cultures and who can communicate with people of other countries have so much more the advantage as they grow up and go into the real world to begin their careers.

China has become a huge global economic leader.  More and more we will see the need for people who speak Mandarin to be our business leaders, teachers, doctors, etc.  There will also be a need for people who understand the Chinese culture and way of life.  Without an understanding of the people you are working with, there can be misunderstandings and barriers.  A simple high school or college course is great, but what if your children could grow up with the language and culture right in their homes?  That is an advantage that cannot be replicated in any other way. 


Also, with so many families adopting little girls from China, it's no wonder that so many people are looking for a childcare provider that not only speaks Mandarin or Cantonese but can share the beautiful Chinese culture with their family in the process.

As people become aware of the advantages of finding childcare providers who can teach their children the Chinese culture and language, Go Au Pair is seeing a huge increase in demand for Chinese au pairs.

They have a large pool of applicants to choose from--many of which are infant qualified and/or have driver's licenses.  The average age for a Chinese au pair right now is 24, so you also get someone who is mature and ready for a cultural experience themselves.


Since there is such a great demand for Chinese au pairs, Go Au Pair has selected China to be the Featured Country for the month of April.  Families who match with an au pair this month will receive $100 off their program fees.  The embassy appointments are usually about 2 days out, so there is not a long wait time, which means people looking for someone to start before summer have plenty of time to select the au pair that best fits their families needs.