Considering an Au Pair?
Never heard of au pairs before? Or maybe you’ve heard of au pairs but want to know more details. These blog posts are for you.
- Do I need an au pair?
- What is an au pair?
- How much does it cost?
- Is an au pair the right choice for my family?
If you’re a host family or thinking of being a host family, consider joining the My Au Pair and Me Facebook group. (No au pairs or coordinators, please.) We’re your tribe and place to ask questions.
Host Parent Interview With Lisa Sanabria
This blog post is part of the host parent interview series where we get to know other families who are hosting au pairs. Every family is different and we like to represent a variety of views. We’d love it if you’d consider being a guest on our blog. Message us on...
Host Parent Interview With Jenny Coleman
This blog is part of the host parent interview series where we get to know other families who are hosting au pairs. Every family is different and we like to represent the variety of views. We’d love it if you’d consider being a guest on our blog. Message us on...
Host Parent Interview with the Jones Family
Today we interview the Jones family. They tell us about life during the COVID-19 quarantine and adventures with their three French au pairs.
One Day at a Time: A Reflection on Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
When life gets tough I take it one day at a time. Today I’m taking the opportunity to slow down and reflect on life during the coronavirus pandemic.
Should I Pay for That? A Guide to Au Pair Expenses
Who pays for what can get a little complicated. This guide outlines who is typically responsible for common au pair expenses.
Interview with host parent Carrie
We sat down with host parent Carrie M to find out more from other host parents like her what her experiences have been with her au pairs, her experiences with rematching, and her advice to other host families.
Reward Your Au Pair Without Giving a Raise
We can’t afford to give our au pair a raise. However, there are things I can do to reward my au pair and show her how much I appreciate her.
Massachusetts Legal Decision: Are Au Pairs Domestic Workers?
Are au pairs domestic workers or cultural exchange visitors? We’ve got a quick summary of Massachusetts legal decision, what it means, resources and links, and more information about domestic workers in general.
78 Reasons I’m Thankful for My Au Pair
This is the time of year we are most thankful to have an extra set of hands to help with the kids. Thank you au pairs for all your hard work!
4 Steps to Reclaim Your Life: Step 4 – Make the Most of Your Time
Time has become a form of currency in my life. With the addition of children to my already busy life, I have had to pinch and save time like pennies to make ends meet. In the same way that I hate to waste money, I also hate to waste time.
4 Steps to Reclaim Your Life: Step 3 – Make a Plan and Stick to It
If something is important to you, then make a plan and stick to it. Add it to your schedule and have the discipline to follow through.
4 Steps to Reclaim Your Life: Step 2 – Engage Your Village
You can’t have it all if you plan to do it all by yourself. Engage your village to gain economies of scale and save everyone time and energy.
4 Steps to Reclaim Your Life: Step 1 – Say “No”
This 4 part blog series details the techniques I now use to reclaim my life when it gets out of control. Part One: Say “NO” will help you cut and reduce.
What You Need to Know About the Au Pair Class Action Lawsuit
This article contains a summary of the recent au pair class-action lawsuit result, as well as links to the actual court documents so you can read them yourself.
What Makes a Great Au Pair Host Family?
I often ask myself “what makes a great au pair host family? What would I want from a host family if the roles were reversed?” We also see this question pop up in au pair Facebook groups, so we know other host parents are interested, too.
How much does an au pair cost?
Allie here. When I first found out about au pairs, I thought that it would be really expensive. After all, the whole reason I had put my three pre-school boys in daycare in the first place was because I had a friend who was a nanny, and I knew how much she charged.
In this article, we’ll start with the general overall cost per year and month (the exact amount will depend on your agency, where you live, etc.), and then go into detail of all these sub-costs:
* Agency fees
* Au pair wages (stipend)
* Additional fees such as education
* Cost of doing business (insurance, phone plan, etc.)
On average, childcare using an au pair will cost about $19,000 per year, which breaks down to about $1,580 per month, or $360 per week (yearly cost divided by 52 weeks).
I budget about $1700-$1900 per month including a car payment for a third car and other random expenses.
What is an au pair?
Abbie here. What is an au pair? Au pairs are like the best-kept childcare secret! I heard about au pairs from my friend Maddie. Maddie heard about au pairs from a friend of her mother-in-law’s at a party.
And even when Madddie got her au pair two years before me, I kept wondering how she could afford it. It seemed like something super fancy and out of my league, until I found out it was so much less expensive than daycare for our three boys. It took me a while to get used to the idea (and to finally clean out the spare room in our house), and now my husband and I wish we had used au pairs as our childcare sooner.