Aupair Overview
It takes a village to raise a child! For many, an Aupair makes up part of that village. It’s something every family from Australia and anywhere else in the world considers a necessity when they want to make their lives easier.
This naturally begs the question, what is an Aupair? Is it something you should be considering at all? What kind of responsibilities does an Aupair have? Would hosting Aupair be right for our family?
If you are working full time, paying for childcare mainly out of your own pocket then a flexible solution, like Aupairs could be the way to go!
Aupair Meaning
Aupair refers to “a young person (mostly from overseas) who helps with housework or childcare, in exchange for food, a room, and some pocket money as part of a cultural exchange.” At 99aupairs we also developed a program called GYMPY to offer local families to host local Aupairs. More on this here.
International Students could also be an Aupair, or better Demipair, as they are only available part time with studies taking precedence. Many of them study early childcare. They have similar duties to Aupairs with the limitations of availability of up to 20 hours per week. Their goal, apart from experiencing the culture, is gaining more experience with childcare and improving their English skills.
Most Aupairs tend to use a month or two of their time for travel, which is a part of the whole pairing and education experience.
We had Aupairs stay with their families for up to four years (Demi Pairs) and locals (GYMPY) who are with their families well beyond the 12 months. Your classic Aupairs tend to stay with their host families between six and 12 months.
The Difference Between Aupair and Nanny
Now, something that you should keep in mind is that there’s a difference in the Aupair vs nanny debate. An Aupair is not a nanny. Actually, in most cases, they will have little to no training in terms of childcare. This isn’t a written rule and there are definitely exceptions, but you shouldn’t expect someone that has years of experience to show up at your doorstep. For this reason, we do not recommend that you leave babies who are less than 12 months old alone with the Aupair. We advise to that you take a few days to show your new Aupair the ropes before leaving them along with your children until you feel they have established a bond with your children.
What is the role of an Aupair?
What exactly is the Aupair’s role and what are their responsibilities? In most cases, it’s a matter of splitting it between childcare and light household duties. The Aupair takes care of the children in the morning and afternoon and does some light household duties when the children are at school or daycare.
The responsibilities begin in the morning, with the Aupair waking up and preparing your children for school (or daycare). They wake the children, help them with the morning routine, prepare their breakfast. They should also help them make their bed and keep their room clean, which are all things children should be doing on their own (depending on age) but sometimes need a bit of motivation for. Aupair’s may also to take their host children to a school or a daycare.
While the children are away, the Aupair usually does child-related household duties such as tidying up after breakfast. These are all easy, simple tasks that keep the home tidy.
In the afternoons the Aupair tends pick up the children from school or daycare and prepare them an afternoon snack. Some families have after-school activities for their kids, which can be Aupair’s responsibility also. Depending on the childrens ages, play and support with home work could form part of their tasks.
Last but not least, they prepare your children for the bed to end the day. Your aupair cares for your children in the comfort of your home even if you are running late from work. No more stressing about the call from childcare to pick up your sniffly child and scrambling for alternative childcare for the next few days.
An Aupair Is Not a Be All End All solution
The goal of an Aupair experience is a cultural exchange, not having an employee. As a family that has an Aupair living at home, it is your responsibility to make them feel welcome, make them feel part of the family. As a host family you should get them to experience your life as you live it. It should be a learning experience for both you and them.
At the end of the day, if you’d like to give someone the opportunity to live in your home and care for your children, having an Aupair is arguably the best way to do so. You won’t find the flexibility with other arrangements.
Is an Aupair the right fit for your family?
Not sure if an Aupair would suit your lifestyle? Simply book an Assessment Call here and we can walk through your individual scenario.