Do you give the base pay or round up to $200

[Anonymous]

I round up just because I think it's easier. No way am I giving a $1000 bonus, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you pay $200 per month stipend plus $250 per month incidentals, plus gas and providing her with her own car, plus a cell phone, plus $2,000 in bonuses during the year, plus $8,000 agency fee and $500 toward classes plus housing and feeding your 18/19yo au pairs? And have done all this with every one of them?

So it costs you about $35-40k plus living with what you refer to as a sloppy teenager a year for a 19 year old to watch your kids? A 19yo who you refer to as a girl that needs a ton of direction. That is absolutely nuts and totally dissimilar to anyone I know's experience with the au pair program - and I've been hosting for ten years.

Try your math again and get back to me.

Cash out of pocket (minus the normal living expenses which I've always had with a live in nanny) is 25k. Hardly a hardship and still 10s of thousands less that a US citizen.

[Anonymous]

^^^
And I didn't use thr word sloppy teenages. And yes, they all need guidance. If yours dont, you are an absolute space cadet.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thanks for the info. I kinda like the idea of rewards for good effort and such or a bonus at certain times of year. It's human nature to like recognition for work and positive reinforcement. You likely appreciate a surprise bonus more than you would just $4 more a week.

And holy cow mommas for going off topic. You can call them girls or ladies, but I'm not bonusing $1000, buying $500 gifts, etc, etc. I plan to be generous, but I would think there are few families that can afford that type of additional compensation. Funny to think I was asking about $4 and someone jumped to a grand...

Thanks all for the info.

[Anonymous]

And be nice, folks. Isn't there a way to share information with one another on this forum without being degrading and insulting.

Space cadet and such.

It's so off putting for folks that are just looking for advice and/or helping by sharing experiences.

[Anonymous]

I don't round up.

I am not cheap or counting pennies.

My Aps get many benefits that are not renumerated in the calculations done by many of the previous posters. For example, season long ski rentals and a season pass (worth about $600) Inclusion in family vacations (non-working) as THEY wish, including Florida thrice this year, California, Hawaii this coming Spring, Va Beach next summer. I also give generous christmas and birthday gifts. My current AP got a sizable cash bonus on her anniversary (we are extending) and a raise for her second year.

But I NEVER round up in the first year. There is no reason to. If she turns out to be a stellar AP, there are a billion different ways to reward that. If she turns out to be meh or worse, you can't "take back" that raise without looking like a cheap bitch and to continue to give it to a mediocre AP would chap my ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't round up.

I am not cheap or counting pennies.

My Aps get many benefits that are not renumerated in the calculations done by many of the previous posters. For example, season long ski rentals and a season pass (worth about $600) Inclusion in family vacations (non-working) as THEY wish, including Florida thrice this year, California, Hawaii this coming Spring, Va Beach next summer. I also give generous christmas and birthday gifts. My current AP got a sizable cash bonus on her anniversary (we are extending) and a raise for her second year.

But I NEVER round up in the first year. There is no reason to. If she turns out to be a stellar AP, there are a billion different ways to reward that. If she turns out to be meh or worse, you can't "take back" that raise without looking like a cheap bitch and to continue to give it to a mediocre AP would chap my ass.

Do you kiss your children with your guttermouth?

[Anonymous]

We actually pay $225. I was having trouble finding a match (4 kids including a baby) and the LCC suggested offering more. Not until we were close to matching, so I'm not 100% sure it helped, but we were happy to do it, and it can't have hurt. It's a harder job than having two school age kids.

[Anonymous]

I paid 250 a week a few years ago because I had small children and my AP worked 45 hours a week every week. I actually don't think 200 is min wage for a full week even including incidentals. And you can't include the agency fee.

Anyway, I find it disturbing your LCC suggested you offer more. Which agency?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We actually pay $225. I was having trouble finding a match (4 kids including a baby) and the LCC suggested offering more. Not until we were close to matching, so I'm not 100% sure it helped, but we were happy to do it, and it can't have hurt. It's a harder job than having two school age kids.

An au pair should not even be a consideration for taking care of 4 children! You should be paying $800 a week. Outrageous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually pay $225. I was having trouble finding a match (4 kids including a baby) and the LCC suggested offering more. Not until we were close to matching, so I'm not 100% sure it helped, but we were happy to do it, and it can't have hurt. It's a harder job than having two school age kids.

An au pair should not even be a consideration for taking care of 4 children! You should be paying $800 a week. Outrageous.

Not the pp, but I have four children and a US nanny, and I had many applicants at much less than $800 a week. I actually quit the AP program because, while I liked the idea of having a "member of the family" caring for my kids each day, I found it too expensive in terms of time and money for the quality of child are my kids got. I think it's only "cheap" if you are in a high cost of living area, and you count your time and a room in your home as valueless (which I do not).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you pay $200 per month stipend plus $250 per month incidentals, plus gas and providing her with her own car, plus a cell phone, plus $2,000 in bonuses during the year, plus $8,000 agency fee and $500 toward classes plus housing and feeding your 18/19yo au pairs? And have done all this with every one of them?

So it costs you about $35-40k plus living with what you refer to as a sloppy teenager a year for a 19 year old to watch your kids? A 19yo who you refer to as a girl that needs a ton of direction. That is absolutely nuts and totally dissimilar to anyone I know's experience with the au pair program - and I've been hosting for ten years.

i do not understand why you are all going off at this HM! Because she called her Au pairs girls? Because they are messy and do things every normal 18 years old does! I am an Au pair that is 19! I am very responsible and do my job well! I have over 1000's of work hours with children as I dedicated my school holidays and most weekends working with children for over 3 years! Even though I am really good at my job (I have been told by every person I have worked for and by my Host family) I am still a "girl". My room is messy (my HF doesn't mind as they know I do my job well and it is where I have to stay not them), I go to the malls with my friends and we just hang out and go to movies and so on and yes we do still speak about guys and are interested in them! We are still young and so we do need guidance! Not with children but with different stuff (we are in a completely different place, away from everything we know! OF COURSE WE NEED SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE!) and if you don't think that, I feel sorry for your Au pairs as they clearly aren't being looked after the way they should. Also one of the PP stated that we speak about families that pay the exact amounts and that is so true but do not feel you are obliged to pay 200 dollars! We knew before signing up what we were meant to receive so not giving us 200 is no big deal, just as long as you are not stingy with everything (ie she can't get food she likes, or in off time she pays for herself if she goes out with you). If you are a good host family, supportive and care for her giving her/him the exact amount won't matter to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:09:31. girls are females inder the age of 16. Why are you hiring someone who needs "quite a lot of guidance and support"to care for your children?

Can you provide us the source from which you obtained this very scientific fact?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you pay $200 per month stipend plus $250 per month incidentals, plus gas and providing her with her own car, plus a cell phone, plus $2,000 in bonuses during the year, plus $8,000 agency fee and $500 toward classes plus housing and feeding your 18/19yo au pairs? And have done all this with every one of them?

So it costs you about $35-40k plus living with what you refer to as a sloppy teenager a year for a 19 year old to watch your kids? A 19yo who you refer to as a girl that needs a ton of direction. That is absolutely nuts and totally dissimilar to anyone I know's experience with the au pair program - and I've been hosting for ten years.

i do not understand why you are all going off at this HM! Because she called her Au pairs girls? Because they are messy and do things every normal 18 years old does! I am an Au pair that is 19! I am very responsible and do my job well! I have over 1000's of work hours with children as I dedicated my school holidays and most weekends working with children for over 3 years! Even though I am really good at my job (I have been told by every person I have worked for and by my Host family) I am still a "girl". My room is messy (my HF doesn't mind as they know I do my job well and it is where I have to stay not them), I go to the malls with my friends and we just hang out and go to movies and so on and yes we do still speak about guys and are interested in them! We are still young and so we do need guidance! Not with children but with different stuff (we are in a completely different place, away from everything we know! OF COURSE WE NEED SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE!) and if you don't think that, I feel sorry for your Au pairs as they clearly aren't being looked after the way they should. Also one of the PP stated that we speak about families that pay the exact amounts and that is so true but do not feel you are obliged to pay 200 dollars! We knew before signing up what we were meant to receive so not giving us 200 is no big deal, just as long as you are not stingy with everything (ie she can't get food she likes, or in off time she pays for herself if she goes out with you). If you are a good host family, supportive and care for her giving her/him the exact amount won't matter to them.

AGREE - YOU SOUND LIKE MOST OF MY AU PAIRS! this is what host families should expect from the girls in the program!!!