We all know that choosing childcare is no easy decision. As parents, we want a high-quality solution we can trust that provides flexibility and enrichment. This month, we decided to take a look into a little-known childcare option that hundreds of thousands of American families have been turning to for the past 30 years: hosting an au pair!
We say ālittle-knownā because many people arenāt exactly sure what an au pair is or does, much less how to find one. An au pair is a young adult between the ages of 18-26 from another country who comes to the U.S on a J-1 cultural exchange visa and lives with an American family for up to two years. The au pair can provide up to 45 hours per week of childcare while experiencing life as part of an American family.
We recently caught up with Richard Colvin, a father of four whose family has been hosting au pairs in Boston for more than nine years (wow!), to get an inside look at what itās like to host an pair, and why his family chooses the Cultural Care Au Pair program year after year as their childcare option. Ā
Macaroni Kid: Hello, Richard! Tell us a bit about your family.
Richard Colvin: My wife Helen and I live with our four children, Harry (18), Nick (15), Claire (12) and Alex (9) in Winchester, MA. We are currently hosting an au pair from South Africa, and sheās wonderful. Ā Ā
MK: Thatās great. So why did you initially decide to host an au pair, as opposed to other childcare options?
RC: When we chose our first au pair, we already had a full-time nanny. Our youngest son Alex was born nine years ago and we felt that we needed an extra set of hands to manage the needs of the baby, along with our older children who were already in school. So, we had a nanny in addition to an au pair. Once Alex started to go to preschool, we no longer needed the nanny, but loved the flexibility of hosting an au pair. We needed help before school and at the end of the day. So we continued to host au pairs ever since, and itās worked out great.
MK: Can you share how Cultural Care Au Pair has supported you throughout the process of finding and hosting an au pair?
RC: Yes, Cultural Care has been great in helping us match with all of our au pairs. Our local childcare consultant is wonderful and provides daily support for our family and au pair to make sure weāre having a great experience.
MK: Weād love to hear some of your favorite memories about hosting your au pairs...can you share some with us?
RC: There are countless memories, but one of my favorite was going with our Polish au pair to a Polish supermarket in Boston. She was feeling a bit homesick so we decided to make the trek to the store about 30 minutes away. As soon as we walked in, I felt that I was in mini Poland. Her face just lit up. She raced up and down the aisles and was in awe at all the familiar brands. She spoke Polish to the staff who were selling and preparing Polish sausages. Giving her the chance to share her culture with our family was incredible, and seeing her so happy was priceless! Ā
MK: Do you have any words of wisdom for families who might be thinking about hosting an au pair?
RC: Hosting an au pair is a fantastic experience. I always say to give your au pair the benefit of the doubt. Be kind and try to imagine what it is like being in their shoes, in a new country, speaking in a different language. Communication is key for a successful year! Treating your au pair like a member of the family encourages her/him to act like a member of the family, and that is wonderful for everyone involved.
Learn more about hosting an au pair.
