Au pair speaking to infant in native language

[Anonymous]

New to the process. The other thread veered off course to just plain nasty. Anyways, are au pairs okay with the request to speak to the kids in their home language or do they expect to further their English learning by talking to the kids in English?

I have an infant and want to introduce him to Mandarin Chinese. If I'm lucky enough to get a native speaker, are au pairs typically willing to oblige. There wouldn't need to be any formal instruction or tutoring for an infant. Helpful pleasant responses only please. TIA

[Anonymous]

Are you Chinese?

[Anonymous]

Not Chinese, but child is

[Anonymous]

I think the answer is, that you'll find some APs that want to speak English and this is their goal, and others that wouldn't mind.

You'll just need to interview them and find out.

[Anonymous]

Since a baby who is not talking yet can't actually converse with the au pair, I think many au pairs - even those whose primary goal in coming here is to improve their English through daily conversation - would be fine speaking to the baby in their native language, as long as the parents spent conversational time with the au pair in English. And the au pair can still seek out many English-speaking opportunities during his/her day caring for the baby - e.g. at the library story times or park speaking with other parents, caregivers etc. in English, and then after work with friends and other au pairs who do not speak his/her language.

But like the previous poster said, you can make these expectations and desires clear in the interviewing process.

[Anonymous]

When I was an Au pair, I only spoke my native language with both kids. I had no problem with it, and even though I barely spoke English when I came here, I became fluent quickly even though I only spoke my native language with the kids.
It was a requirent for my host mom that was made clear in the matching process, but I know all the following Au pairs, I was their first, didn't do it and the kids lost their second language quickly.

You can definitely find Au pairs willing to do that.
Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I think they will do whatever you ask them to do. With you, however, they will likely want to speak/learn English.