6 Constant Questions When Hosting Au Pairs

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Hosting Au Pairs

By Kat Abianac / November 29, 2015

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Hosting au pairs is a pretty awesome experience. And of course people want to know all about it. Here’s a list of the more amusing questions I get asked regularly.

1. “Aren’t you worried she’ll sleep with your husband?’
   NO. I like to think my life choices include a future husband who doesn’t sleep with au pairs. Plus, let’s face it. They’re 20somethings in AUSTRALIA. They don’t just come here for the beaches. 😉
   
2. “So is an au pair like a nanny?” 
   Well kind of- except it’s also like a sister, a friend, an extra momma, a flatmate, a wine buddy, a spare taxi driver, a confidante, and an extra teenage child! No- she’s not a professional nanny. She’s an overseas traveller who wants to experience authentic Australian life. Sometimes they’re professionally qualified- but after hosting 15, I can tell you a piece of paper has nothing to do with how well an au pair does in her role. Sometimes when hiring, you just need to trust your gut.
   
3. “How do you AFFORD it? We could never spend so much money on something we do ourselves already.”
   Hosting au pairs has provided me extra income- I have the time free to invest in building our family’s future. It’s allowed me to go back to work full-time and still have quality time with my children. We meal plan, and an organised life is less expensive in every way. Plus- they’re not as expensive as you’d think. 😉 I promise! They’re not here to float in your pool and have money thrown at them.
   
4. “How do you deal with having someone else in your house all the time?!”
   Well, it turns out, “Surprise!” Au pairs like their personal space just as much as I do. I get more time to myself when my au pair is watching the children- and the best investment you can make in your home is unlimited wi-fi. Au pairs Skype home as often as daily, and they’re here to get out and make friends. Encourage and support them to do this, and everyone will live stress-free in their own little bubbles. What’s MORE of an issue? Keeping your kids out of their much-loved au pair’s room. Set this boundary straight up and have a no-entry rule.
   
5. “How do you trust a total stranger with your children?”
   I send my child to daycare every day with carers who I haven’t even met. Have you ever left your child in a gym creche? Shopping centre drop & shop? When hosting au pairs, you know their families, their favourite foods, take them shopping, like their Facebook comments, and help them navigate their fears of being far from home in a brand new country. I’ve never hosted a stranger- just the privilege of extra short-term family members. I help them through our family routine before they start, and I know their limits. I have let au pairs leave early when they weren’t suited to my family- but when your recruitment process is done diligently, the benefits outweigh the risks many times over. See my point?
   

    6. “Can you help me with hosting au pairs? How do I get one, where do I start?”
        I get asked this on average twice a week. I always reply- and the questions are always so similar!

So, here’s The Guide to Hosting an Au Pair in Australia.

To learn more, head to the eBook page here.

I originally published this article on Huffington Post.