Best AuPair Guide

(photo courtesy of dreamstime)

I was recently criticized by a host mom on a popular blog for host parents for saying that au pairs don’t have to be “kid people” to be good au pairs. After reading this person’s negative comments, I had to stop and think for a minute whether I should defend myself, ignore the comment as if I’d never read it, or take back what I had said. I don’t believe in senseless blog wars, so I didn’t respond to the comment there and then. But I do stand by the fact that you don’t have to be what is considered a “kid” person to be a good au pair. You don’t. 

When I applied for a job as an au pair, my host family knew that I was not a childcare professional and that I had no intentions of ever working with children again. I was very honest with them with my reasons for wanting to be an au pair: cultural experience and language learning. That was it. And they accepted me as their au pair and did not regret it. Of course, I worked hard and did a good job, which is what is important to most host families. I took good care of “my” kids, enjoyed my time with them, and actually grew to love the family’s children, despite myself. But am I a “kid” person? No way, man! And I know that I am not alone in this.

Most au pairs work as au pairs for the opportunity to live and experience a new country and culture cheaply. The au pairs I know aren’t in it because they adore children. In the case of the au pair job, children are a means to an end. That might sound crass and may be offensive to host parents who think their children are the reason the world turns round, but it’s the truth. Sure, some au pairs love kids, and that’s great. But those who don’t can also make good au pairs. It’s all in the motivation.

So if you don’t work as an au pair to be with kids, why work as an au pair? Check out this post for a few good reasons.