Summertime usually means fun, vacation, travel, and more … Some au pairs get to take their vacation this time of year, and will enjoy getting to see more of the country they are living in, and maybe even get to visit other places as well. If you are one of them, enjoy your time away. Bask in the sun, try new foods, make new friends, and enjoy your time off – you definitely deserve a break from day to day life with children and work!
For those who don’t get to get away from their work during the summer, there are other ways that you can enjoy a semi-vacation. If you host family is going on vacation and invites you along, then consider takingthem up on the offer. Often you will not have to work while they are on vacation, and even if you do, the hours will likely not be what they are normally. If families vacation with friends and family, you will benefit from having other built-in helpers for the children.
If you can’t afford – or take off the time – to take a ‘real’ vacation, consider taking a short day trip or getting away for the weekend. Talk with your host family as well, as they may be willing to work with your schedule if you’re really itching to escape for a bit. They may be able to switch work days around, freeing up a long weekend or even a couple of weekdays in a row. Depending on where you are working, you can probably find good deals on transportation for last minute trips, which are perfect for the au pair budget. Trains offer specials in the summer, and budget airlines (think Ryan Air) also offer great deals on flights to many different places. For a complete listing of budget airlines outside the U.S., see attitudetravel.com.
If there is no possible chance of getting away this summer and vacation for you is a long way off, then be sure to take advantage of the special summer activities that are offered this season. Many towns and cities host summer festivals of all sorts, and they can be loads of fun. You can also check out local pools, go to a nearby lake for a picnic, or host a grilling party (of course, run this by your host family first!). There are many ways you can enjoy the hot summer days, so take advantage of the season.
Whatever you end up doing this summer, remember to have fun and enjoy!
If you are lucky, you may have landed with a host family who lets you use one of their vehicles occasionally. If you are really lucky, you may even have what seems like total control over the ‘au pair car.’ Many families, especially those in the U.S. where cars are used more often than public transportation, will let au pairs use one or more of their vehicles to get around town in.
While it is required that the host family provide you with transportation for the times that you are working and need to get somewhere, as well as a way to get to and from your language classes, they are not required to give you a car for your free time. Host parents don’t legally have to provide you with a way to get around town when you are off the clock, so if you are with a family who does, make sure that you appreciate this benefit.
So if you are given use of a family car during free time, there are a few things to remember. Believe me, this is a privilege you don’t want to lose! (note: this list may seem like a bunch of no-brainers, but the longer you live with your host family, the easier it is to begin to forget that the rules of etiquette still apply, even if you do feel like family…)
1. Make sure that you only drive the car when you know your host parents don’t need it – This may seem like a given, but it is easy to take ownership of something that isn’t yours, especially if you are pretty much the only person who uses the car. Even if the car is primarily for your use, don’t assume that it is always available. You never know when it might actually be needed by someone other than yourself.
2. Be sure to keep the tank filled with gas – This may be another given, but it is important to remember. Be sure to work out with your host parents who will be paying for gas (this can vary). And whether you pay, or the host family pays, or both, be sure to leave gas in the car. Even if you are the primary driver, you never know when your host parents might need it for a quick trip. Having a full tank of gas also ensures that you will be able to get where you need to as well.
3. Keep the car clean – Again, even if the car is primarily under your care, keep it tidy. No one wants to find food wrappers, makeup, ciggarettes, and other stuff of the au pair’s in one of the family vehicles. Get into the habit of grabbing all your things out of the car every time you use it.
4. Know the house rules for vehicle use – More than likely, your host parents will go over any rules concerning the car. But just in case they don’t, be sure to ask if they have any rules for using the car. It’s better to know before you go. Things that vary from family to family are: how long the au pair is allowed to keep the car, if there are any limits as to how far he/she can drive, if insurance covers other drivers, etc,.
5. Make sure that you do any neccessary up-keep. If you are driving a family car often, it’d be nice if you kept it up as well. Having the oil changed, getting it washed, and having any other necessary repairs done would greatly help your family. Chances are, your host parents will foot the bill for these services, but if you are the one driving the car most of the time, you can definitely be the one who takes responsibility for keeping it serviced.
Now by telling you to ‘take advantage’ of your host family, I’m not telling you to use and abuse them. Far from it! What I am suggesting is that you take the opportunity to learn from your host family. Learn? From them? What? This might sound a bit strange, and you’re probably thinking that there isn’t much you’d be interested in learning from them beyond language study (if you’re even doing that). After all, they are your host family and your unofficial employers…But chances are, your host parents are active, productive people from whom you could learn some valuable advice and information, if you’re willing to listen.
I actually wish I had paid more attention to my own host family – they were both very accomplished and ambitious, and were self-employed. Now that I am in business for myself, I wish I’d been a bit more interested in my future than I was in boys and going out to party. It wouldn’t have taken much more effort on my part to simply have my eyes and ears open, ready to learn from them.
That said, I did learn from my host parents. I learned more about organization from my host parents than I did my own parents. Granted, they (my host parents) were German and, in my opinion, a bit over-the-top about some things. BUT – I did learn, among other things, the importance of making lists, getting mundane tasks sooner rather than later, and washing dishes while you’re preparing a meal (avoiding a pile of dirty mess before you’ve even eaten – so practical!). I also learned the importance of honesty and straightforwardness – again, a very German trait, but a very worthwhile one.
Just to be clear, I am not advising you forgo fun nights out on the town to stay home and follow your host parents around with a notebook and pencil. But keep an open mind and be willing to learning from how they live life. While your host family is most certainly not perfect, you may have landed with a gem of a family, and with people who could help you grow as a person. Listen to them and learn, remembering that one day you may end up looking back, wishing you’d paid more attention!
I’d love to hear from any current – or past – au pairs on this one. What have you learned from your host family? Did your experience with them impact you in any way beyond the typical cultural exchange? Do share!
Sex trafficking is now the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. According to the U.S. State Department, roughly 700,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year. Most of these people are young women and children who have been lured from their homes with the promise of a better future in a foreign country. Once they reach their ‘destination,’ they are forced to work as prostitutes (for more on this issue, visit the human trafficking project ).
So what does this have to do with anyone interested in being an au pair? That all depends, but not much if you are careful. Young women are most often tricked into forced prostitution by being offered a job overseas as waitresses, models, house cleaners, au pairs, and other positions. Yes, au pairs was on the list … But before you freak and throw out the idea of working as an au pair, you can rest assured that the potential for danger is virtually ZERO for au pairs who are placed by legitimate au pair agencies.
Agencies carefully screen their host families with interviews and background checks, to be sure that they are 100% for real and a safe place for au pairs to live and work. The only real threat exists when au pairs bypass an agency and find families on their own, or they do not check into whether the ‘agency’ they are dealing with is the real deal.
And for the record – this information is not meant to scare anyone away from being an au pair (or to keep parents from letting their daughters or sons try the job!). But in a world where the threat of human trafficking is very real, it would be irresponsible to not warn of the potential risk involved. Moving abroad alone as a young adult is a big thing, and it is vitally important to be as informed and safe as possible!
My friend Brianna at www.hearthmanagement.com is doing a giveaway this week for an adorably cute, custom made apron from Marie-Madeline Studio. She mentions that aprons are in, and she is soooo right. And since most au pairs do their fare share of cooking for kids (and their host parents too, especially those who cook well!), a sweet apron would be fun to wear and a definite pick-me-up on days when you’d rather not be cooking.
For a chance to win an apron and be the most stylish au pair around, visit
p.s. don’t take too long to get your entry in – the giveaway ends March 27 at midnight!
This site – and others as well – are admittedly very girl-centered, so the boys out there might be wondering where they fit in. While taking care of children tends to be a female dominated field, there are young men who work as au pairs, and they apparently do a very good job. Some governments, such as in the UK, are even working towards encouraging more guys to take on the au pair job.
There are many benefits for choosing male au pairs. From what I’ve seen, male au pairs (or ‘mannies,’ as they are frequently called) are actually easier to deal with than female au pairs. Are we surprised? We probably shouldn’t be. Apparently they are more flexible, more practical, and don’t run home as quickly as the girls do if things aren’t going perfectly. They also are happier with simpler accommodations and are willing to do more of the housework without complaint.
That said, there are families in which male au pairs fit in better. Host families with younger children prefer female au pairs, as they tend to be more nurturing and better prepared to deal with the demands of infants and toddlers. But for families with older, more active children, males work very well. The male preference for action and physicality makes them perfect for kids who need to get out and play. They also help with their sports practice, and are surprisingly creative, according to some of the families out there with male au pairs.
Although female au pairs still ‘dominate the field,’ more and more families are turning to guys. Male au pairs are becoming especially popular among single moms, who appreciate having male role models for their children.
Of course, the benefits for the ‘mannies’ are the same as for the girls. They are motivated by a chance to live in another country inexpensively, learn or perfect a foreign language, and get to know another culture firsthand. Many are also looking for an interesting way to spend a gap year, taking a break between studies or career changes.
So for the guys out there wondering – perhaps secretly! – if they can be au pairs, the answer is a loud, resounding ‘YES.’ Give it a shot!
Ok, so pancakes are a yummy breakfast for au pairs, but they are also a fantastic meal for the kids you take care of (or will be taking care of…). If you’re from a country – such as the US – where fluffy pancakes are popular, making them will not only take care of breakfast, but will also be a fun ‘cultural’ lesson for the kids. Children can help mix the batter and will enjoy making these with you. For a special treat, you can add berries, mashed banana, or chocolate chips. I’m not entirely sure how common pancake syrup is in other parts of the world, but butter and sugar work well when you can’t find Aunt Jemima’s.
The best thing about making pancakes is that you can easily double or triple the recipe to make a big batch. You can then freeze them together in bunches to have a homemade breakfast to heat up and serve on busy mornings. If preparing breakfast is one of your au pair duties, then believe me, pancakes might just become one of your new favorite foods. That is, if they aren’t already!
The following is a great pancake recipe from a my favorite food website, www.allrecipes.com. Ingredients are listed in metric measurements as well, for those of you not measuring with cups and teaspoons:
“Good Old Fashioned Pancakes”
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour*
- 3 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (6 g)
- 1 tablespoon white sugar (10 g)
- 1 1/4 cups milk (295 ml)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter, melted
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
*for a healthier meal, substitute whole wheat or oat flour for part of the all-purpose flour
Bon appetit!
Many people use the terms ‘au pair’ and ‘nanny’ interchangeably, although the two are not one in the same. And yes, I myself am guilty of it, even though it is incorrect. But saying that I worked as a ‘nanny’ in Europe is sometimes just easier than having to explain what an au pair is to someone who has no clue. Here in small town Georgia, using a foreign term can really throw people off. So yes, sometimes it is ok to use the two as if they were the same.
But in reality the two are actually quite different. A nanny is a full-time childcare provider who usually has extensive experience/and or training as such. Nannies are typically the same nationality as their employers, so they are hired as normal employees and thus don’t require work visas and paperwork that au pairs need. A nanny may have a live-in or live-out situation with the family they work for. Nannies also make more money than au pairs and may work longer hours, depending on the work agreement.
Au pairs, on the other hand, are not necessarily trained professionals and do not have to have any experience working with children, although it is definitely a plus. The emphasis, however, is on cultural exchange. Families who hire au pairs often do so to introduce their children to a different language and culture. Au pairs usually live with their host family, but may also live on their own, as some host families offer separate living accommodations for their au pairs.The pay is also less for an au pair than for a nanny, but au pairs typically work less than nannies and are actually not technically considered employees. Au pairs also receive ‘extras’ that don’t come with a nanny job, such as language courses, help with transportation expenses, and room and board (which is not always included with nanny gigs).
So now we have it. Au pairs are not nannies and nannies are not au pairs. But if you’re an au pair – or have been or will be – you might find it easier to call yourself a nanny every now and then…
While blogging might be a great way to journal about the joys and frustrations you’re experiencing as an au pair, having a live, public blog about life with your host family is something you should think twice about. Host families – even the coolest, most easygoing of host families – would probably rather not have their dirty laundry aired publicly on the world wide web. If you value your job and your relationship with your host parents, you’ll be very careful in what you write about them and their children on the internet.
Of course, if it is entirely anonymous and/or entirely positive, you might be able to pull if off. But if your blog can be traced to you and your family, then it might better to hold off – or else censor your thoughts – while you are living with and dependent on – your host family. Another option is to blog only (or at least mostly) about your life experiences beyond the au pair job, leaving the host family out of it. Considering all that you’re probably experiencing, you will probably be able to keep busy with the details of life outside your host family’s four walls.
If you still really want to keep a detailed account of your life as an au pair, including all the ups and downs, then do so, but save it for later. You can easily create a file to save your ‘diary’ entries, to consider posting online later (perhaps way later, depending on the content!). You can even change names to protect you and your host family.
Whatever you decide, keep your host family’s privacy, and your pride, in mind. In today’s world of brutal online honesty, prudence may be best!
In the US, more families than ever are hiring au pairs. This is likely due to the fact that families with two parents working are now more common than ever before, according to recent census information. This is good news to young women (and men) who want to get a taste of life in the United States.
This may also be good for Americans wanting to go overseas as au pairs. The current worldwide economic climate will likely cause more families to have to work longer hours or take on additional jobs to get by financially. While this is not something to rejoice in, it does expand the demand for childcare – which is where au pairs come in. Hiring an au pair is often a better and more affordable option for families looking for full-time childcare, especially families with more than one or two children.
So while the rest of the world moans and groans about recession, you can take this opportunity to go abroad for a year, experiencing a new country and culture. Another thought – au pair “pocket money” is not exactly big bucks, so you will hardly notice the economic crunch. And ignorance is bliss, right?
