New to Au Pairs. Where to Start?

[Anonymous]

I have 3 children, ages 5, 9 and 11, and have employed the same nanny for the past 7 years. My youngest will start kindergarten next year and I'm thinking it may be a good time to transition to an au pair. I've been following this forum and have a few questions to get started:

- When is the best time for the au pair to start?
- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?
- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?
- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?


I've been on the Au Pair Mom website and am still learning the ropes, but wanted to get feedback on my initial questions here. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 children, ages 5, 9 and 11, and have employed the same nanny for the past 7 years. My youngest will start kindergarten next year and I'm thinking it may be a good time to transition to an au pair. I've been following this forum and have a few questions to get started:

- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

Depends on how your kids deal with change and what your summer plans are. Is your youngest easy with change and will be OK with a new caretaker and kindergarten at the same time? If no, consider having the new au pair start in late september or october. you'll have your summer and transition to kindergarten covered by your nanny.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

depends on your start date, for summer starts is the busiest time, so i think you need to start looking now for a August start. We start in January and only have to start looking in late september/october.
- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

the big ones are cultural care and au pair in america. there a bunch of smaller ones but sometimes their selection is smaller, and their cluster of girls when they get here is smaller (which is important for au pairs for making friends. but some of the smaller ones specialize in other countries.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?
[b] depends on what your needs are and what personality would suit you best. everybody is different but there are some common traits among countries. we started with a german because we needed alot of driving and new german driving laws and standards are similiar to ours. then we had one from mexico and brazil, we found their warmer nature more of what we needed - but now have to pay for driving classes. i don't think there's any magic country, alot of times it's just luck in finding some good.

I've been on the Au Pair Mom website and am still learning the ropes, but wanted to get feedback on my initial questions here. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 children, ages 5, 9 and 11, and have employed the same nanny for the past 7 years. My youngest will start kindergarten next year and I'm thinking it may be a good time to transition to an au pair. I've been following this forum and have a few questions to get started:

- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

For you, I would start in August, at least a couple of weeks before the transition back to school. Too many transitions at one point of time is too hard for a 5YO. Have time to bond and get to know each other.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

Start now. The pool for August will be big ...especially for Europe.

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

YMMV. The bigger agencies (CC, APIA, APC) will have loads of APs and many clusters and ways to make friends, but you may get lost in the shuffle of customer service. I have heard good things about CHI, GoAuPair and EurAuPair, but with them being smaller agencies, you'll see the challenges there (trouble finding alot of candidates, struggles during rematch finding options in country, smaller clusters). Many of my friends like Interexchange. It's the best of both (medium sized...non-profit--good customer service). I would register with a couple and check out their counselors and AP pools. It should be free to register (don't pay a fee!!!).

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

YMMV, again. Some people like different countries for different reasons. I have two school aged kids that need to be driven...therefore I look for Europeans (prefer northern like Sweden/Finland, or German/Swiss), but this year I went with a South African. Do your research, ask questions and figure out what your non-negotiable are. If you need a strong driver...I'd recommend staying away from Asia or South America. Germans aren't as friendly as other Europeans but are precise and follow rules well.


I've been on the Au Pair Mom website and am still learning the ropes, but wanted to get feedback on my initial questions here. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.

[Anonymous]

- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

I personally think the best time is before school starts. It's a great transition time for everyone, and loads of Au Pairs available from Europe available for that arrival timeframe.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

It's the perfect time to start looking. You should plan to match my Memorial Day or so for a mid-late August arrival (you can match up to 6 weeks before arrival, but the good candidates tend to place fast. Those will start to go online soon).

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

There are some differences between the agencies, but ultimately your local coordinator is probably one of the most important factor. Sign up with the popular agencies in your area. Once you sign up, you will HAVE to meet the coordinators (they have to come for a visit), and believe me, their interaction with you will be very telling.

I have some personal issues with Cultural Care which I consider a bit of a mill and I don't like their rematch and refund policies. I used InterExchange for many years with great success and find them strict and fair, but they are on the smaller side so if a rematch happens, the rematch pool can be slim. I had very good interactions with APIA in the past and would consider them as also.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

If you need a driver, don't mess around and look for Western Europeans. We like French girls. They are great drivers, great cook, tend to be family oriented, and much warmer than the Germans. Their English is generally poor though. (But like everywhere, there are some princesses and party girls to screen out).

Lastly to the comment: 'You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.'- It really depends. We had a fantastic nanny for 5 years before having an Au Pair. AP could not top nanny in many ways, but she was a much better driver, could speak another language, was more energetic, could connect with the kids on another level, could help with homework, was happy to hang out with us on weekend or during travels, or just cuddle on the couch after hours, or offer to sleep in the tent with the kids on weekend, it is not something you can compare. If you do it right, it's a completely different relationship. It's like having a niece coming to live under your roof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

I personally think the best time is before school starts. It's a great transition time for everyone, and loads of Au Pairs available from Europe available for that arrival timeframe.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

It's the perfect time to start looking. You should plan to match my Memorial Day or so for a mid-late August arrival (you can match up to 6 weeks before arrival, but the good candidates tend to place fast. Those will start to go online soon).

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

There are some differences between the agencies, but ultimately your local coordinator is probably one of the most important factor. Sign up with the popular agencies in your area. Once you sign up, you will HAVE to meet the coordinators (they have to come for a visit), and believe me, their interaction with you will be very telling.

I have some personal issues with Cultural Care which I consider a bit of a mill and I don't like their rematch and refund policies. I used InterExchange for many years with great success and find them strict and fair, but they are on the smaller side so if a rematch happens, the rematch pool can be slim. I had very good interactions with APIA in the past and would consider them as also.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

If you need a driver, don't mess around and look for Western Europeans. We like French girls. They are great drivers, great cook, tend to be family oriented, and much warmer than the Germans. Their English is generally poor though. (But like everywhere, there are some princesses and party girls to screen out).

Lastly to the comment: 'You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.'- It really depends. We had a fantastic nanny for 5 years before having an Au Pair. AP could not top nanny in many ways, but she was a much better driver, could speak another language, was more energetic, could connect with the kids on another level, could help with homework, was happy to hang out with us on weekend or during travels, or just cuddle on the couch after hours, or offer to sleep in the tent with the kids on weekend, it is not something you can compare. If you do it right, it's a completely different relationship. It's like having a niece coming to live under your roof.

Dont' get me wrong, in particular, I really love one of our former AuPairs, she is like a daughter and comes to visit 2xs a year!

i will say though that our nanny definitely was able to help with homework and was quite playful, she was very engaging with the kids and is so bonded, even years later, she still comes to visit with the kids. Our nanny could anticipate their needs before they even knew what their needs were. I had to give her ZERO instruction. She unloaded the backpacks and put things out for me with a little post it telling me when it was due. She would pack their lunches for the next day in these beautiful bento boxes that would always include fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. She introduced them to so many foods, like lentils cooked a million ways. If we were running low on any sort of groceries or provisions, she just went out and got it at the store. if she saw there were only 6 slices of bread she went to the store and got a loaf, I never had to even ask, the magical food fairy was there to save the day. She made a chores chart for the kids, replete with stickers for when they completed them each day. To this day, my kids don't dare walk by a clean dishwasher without emptying it. She never allowed screen time, said it made the misbehave when she turned it off so she banned it entirely when she was on the clock, unless someone was sick or the weather was terrible

Alas, that was 8 years of 50K+ per year in salary and when the youngest was in Kindergarten, we moved to an AuPair because at that time we just needed a driver. I have found APs to be a TON of work, none of them come skilled like our professional nanny, but oh well, we get what we pay for!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

I personally think the best time is before school starts. It's a great transition time for everyone, and loads of Au Pairs available from Europe available for that arrival timeframe.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

It's the perfect time to start looking. You should plan to match my Memorial Day or so for a mid-late August arrival (you can match up to 6 weeks before arrival, but the good candidates tend to place fast. Those will start to go online soon).

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

There are some differences between the agencies, but ultimately your local coordinator is probably one of the most important factor. Sign up with the popular agencies in your area. Once you sign up, you will HAVE to meet the coordinators (they have to come for a visit), and believe me, their interaction with you will be very telling.

I have some personal issues with Cultural Care which I consider a bit of a mill and I don't like their rematch and refund policies. I used InterExchange for many years with great success and find them strict and fair, but they are on the smaller side so if a rematch happens, the rematch pool can be slim. I had very good interactions with APIA in the past and would consider them as also.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

If you need a driver, don't mess around and look for Western Europeans. We like French girls. They are great drivers, great cook, tend to be family oriented, and much warmer than the Germans. Their English is generally poor though. (But like everywhere, there are some princesses and party girls to screen out).

Lastly to the comment: 'You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.'- It really depends. We had a fantastic nanny for 5 years before having an Au Pair. AP could not top nanny in many ways, but she was a much better driver, could speak another language, was more energetic, could connect with the kids on another level, could help with homework, was happy to hang out with us on weekend or during travels, or just cuddle on the couch after hours, or offer to sleep in the tent with the kids on weekend, it is not something you can compare. If you do it right, it's a completely different relationship. It's like having a niece coming to live under your roof.

Dont' get me wrong, in particular, I really love one of our former AuPairs, she is like a daughter and comes to visit 2xs a year!

i will say though that our nanny definitely was able to help with homework and was quite playful, she was very engaging with the kids and is so bonded, even years later, she still comes to visit with the kids. Our nanny could anticipate their needs before they even knew what their needs were. I had to give her ZERO instruction. She unloaded the backpacks and put things out for me with a little post it telling me when it was due. She would pack their lunches for the next day in these beautiful bento boxes that would always include fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. She introduced them to so many foods, like lentils cooked a million ways. If we were running low on any sort of groceries or provisions, she just went out and got it at the store. if she saw there were only 6 slices of bread she went to the store and got a loaf, I never had to even ask, the magical food fairy was there to save the day. She made a chores chart for the kids, replete with stickers for when they completed them each day. To this day, my kids don't dare walk by a clean dishwasher without emptying it. She never allowed screen time, said it made the misbehave when she turned it off so she banned it entirely when she was on the clock, unless someone was sick or the weather was terrible

Alas, that was 8 years of 50K+ per year in salary and when the youngest was in Kindergarten, we moved to an AuPair because at that time we just needed a driver. I have found APs to be a TON of work, none of them come skilled like our professional nanny, but oh well, we get what we pay for!

You must realize that even for nannies, not all of them are like that. Our was fantastic, but older at 53yrs old, barely driving and not that fluent in English. I am not going to make a competition of her awesome skills- she was perfect for our infants and toddlers, but my point is that OP can find a fantastic AP without expecting Mary Poppins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YMMV, again. Some people like different countries for different reasons. I have two school aged kids that need to be driven...therefore I look for Europeans (prefer northern like Sweden/Finland, or German/Swiss), but this year I went with a South African. Do your research, ask questions and figure out what your non-negotiable are. If you need a strong driver...I'd recommend staying away from Asia or South America. Germans aren't as friendly as other Europeans but are precise and follow rules well.

Germans aren't per se unfriendly. They don't play pretend as well as others maybe. And they are raised to say no (a question like "would you mind emptying the trash can" might well get you a "yes" and result in the trash not getting emptied). If you don't expect 24/7 smiling and can live with a 'subordinate' talking back, they can grow quite friendly after a warm-up period. Also don't take lack of small talk for unfriendliness. The whole "how are you" is simply not part of the German culture (or language). They will mostly not grow into warm and fuzzy, cuddly, touchy-feely... unless you are an infant... but that doesn't necessarily translate into not being friendly. It has a lot to do with how language is used (just saying "butter" at the breakfast table is considered a full sentence in German), how body language is used (the private bubble is huge in northern Germany, like three feet in radius at least) and how affection is shown (namely: not really, unless you are really close).
And you might actually experience simliar behaviour from other Europeans - the Scandinavians (including Finnland - really, if you think Germans aren't friendly, never get a Finn) or Polish aren't really known for their exuberant cheerfulness either.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

What are you looking for in an AP?
Do you need somebody to help your kids with homework? Screen for decent English and good education (Northern/Central Europe, South Africa). Do you need a driver? Look at Europe (maybe not Italy and not sure about the whole Paris area), if you need winter driving look at Scandinavia. Are you looking for lots of patience? Look at Asia (have heard a lot of positive things about Thai APs - quite a few got married and stayed though). Warmer nature? South America, Western/Southern Europe or maybe a German with Turkish heritage (if they become APs they will usually be very secular and have benefited from German education and driving education but might possibly have been raised in a more family oriented, warmer family environment, also amazing food). And then remember that those are all stereotypes anyways and you can find a gem no matter where you look (and lots of flukes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

I personally think the best time is before school starts. It's a great transition time for everyone, and loads of Au Pairs available from Europe available for that arrival timeframe.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

It's the perfect time to start looking. You should plan to match my Memorial Day or so for a mid-late August arrival (you can match up to 6 weeks before arrival, but the good candidates tend to place fast. Those will start to go online soon).

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

There are some differences between the agencies, but ultimately your local coordinator is probably one of the most important factor. Sign up with the popular agencies in your area. Once you sign up, you will HAVE to meet the coordinators (they have to come for a visit), and believe me, their interaction with you will be very telling.

I have some personal issues with Cultural Care which I consider a bit of a mill and I don't like their rematch and refund policies. I used InterExchange for many years with great success and find them strict and fair, but they are on the smaller side so if a rematch happens, the rematch pool can be slim. I had very good interactions with APIA in the past and would consider them as also.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

If you need a driver, don't mess around and look for Western Europeans. We like French girls. They are great drivers, great cook, tend to be family oriented, and much warmer than the Germans. Their English is generally poor though. (But like everywhere, there are some princesses and party girls to screen out).

Lastly to the comment: 'You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.'- It really depends. We had a fantastic nanny for 5 years before having an Au Pair. AP could not top nanny in many ways, but she was a much better driver, could speak another language, was more energetic, could connect with the kids on another level, could help with homework, was happy to hang out with us on weekend or during travels, or just cuddle on the couch after hours, or offer to sleep in the tent with the kids on weekend, it is not something you can compare. If you do it right, it's a completely different relationship. It's like having a niece coming to live under your roof.

Dont' get me wrong, in particular, I really love one of our former AuPairs, she is like a daughter and comes to visit 2xs a year!

i will say though that our nanny definitely was able to help with homework and was quite playful, she was very engaging with the kids and is so bonded, even years later, she still comes to visit with the kids. Our nanny could anticipate their needs before they even knew what their needs were. I had to give her ZERO instruction. She unloaded the backpacks and put things out for me with a little post it telling me when it was due. She would pack their lunches for the next day in these beautiful bento boxes that would always include fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. She introduced them to so many foods, like lentils cooked a million ways. If we were running low on any sort of groceries or provisions, she just went out and got it at the store. if she saw there were only 6 slices of bread she went to the store and got a loaf, I never had to even ask, the magical food fairy was there to save the day. She made a chores chart for the kids, replete with stickers for when they completed them each day. To this day, my kids don't dare walk by a clean dishwasher without emptying it. She never allowed screen time, said it made the misbehave when she turned it off so she banned it entirely when she was on the clock, unless someone was sick or the weather was terrible

Alas, that was 8 years of 50K+ per year in salary and when the youngest was in Kindergarten, we moved to an AuPair because at that time we just needed a driver. I have found APs to be a TON of work, none of them come skilled like our professional nanny, but oh well, we get what we pay for!

You must realize that even for nannies, not all of them are like that. Our was fantastic, but older at 53yrs old, barely driving and not that fluent in English. I am not going to make a competition of her awesome skills- she was perfect for our infants and toddlers, but my point is that OP can find a fantastic AP without expecting Mary Poppins.

I also wouldn't pay $25/hr for a nanny who didn't have command of the English language and couldn't drive well, but if we're talking infants they dont need that, they just need a loving caregiver, which sounds like she was . I think the bottom line with this AuPair program, much like nannies, you get what you pay for and with AuPairs it is often a hell of a lot of work to get them where you need them to be. With a long term nanny who has made a career our of childcare, they come with a set of skills that you pay a pretty penny for. Of course with a nanny, im also paying for years of consistency with my small children. In absence of a parent being home, i feel very grateful that my kids had a constant caregiver for all those years. For us now, none of it really matters. I just need a warm body who can referee fights, help with homework and taxi them around. I still think if the OP is coming off a great, mature, and professional nanny, she will be in for quite the adjustment of expectations and a lot of work she's just not accoustomed to dealing with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- When is the best time for the au pair to start?

I personally think the best time is before school starts. It's a great transition time for everyone, and loads of Au Pairs available from Europe available for that arrival timeframe.

- How much time before the au pairs expected arrival should I start the process? If I start in March, is that enough time for an August start?

It's the perfect time to start looking. You should plan to match my Memorial Day or so for a mid-late August arrival (you can match up to 6 weeks before arrival, but the good candidates tend to place fast. Those will start to go online soon).

- What are the differences between agencies and is one preferred over another?

There are some differences between the agencies, but ultimately your local coordinator is probably one of the most important factor. Sign up with the popular agencies in your area. Once you sign up, you will HAVE to meet the coordinators (they have to come for a visit), and believe me, their interaction with you will be very telling.

I have some personal issues with Cultural Care which I consider a bit of a mill and I don't like their rematch and refund policies. I used InterExchange for many years with great success and find them strict and fair, but they are on the smaller side so if a rematch happens, the rematch pool can be slim. I had very good interactions with APIA in the past and would consider them as also.

- Are au pairs from certain countries better fits for families with elementary/middle school children than others? Anyone had particular luck/fondness for one country over another?

If you need a driver, don't mess around and look for Western Europeans. We like French girls. They are great drivers, great cook, tend to be family oriented, and much warmer than the Germans. Their English is generally poor though. (But like everywhere, there are some princesses and party girls to screen out).

Lastly to the comment: 'You will be in shock, as was I. We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.'- It really depends. We had a fantastic nanny for 5 years before having an Au Pair. AP could not top nanny in many ways, but she was a much better driver, could speak another language, was more energetic, could connect with the kids on another level, could help with homework, was happy to hang out with us on weekend or during travels, or just cuddle on the couch after hours, or offer to sleep in the tent with the kids on weekend, it is not something you can compare. If you do it right, it's a completely different relationship. It's like having a niece coming to live under your roof.

Dont' get me wrong, in particular, I really love one of our former AuPairs, she is like a daughter and comes to visit 2xs a year!

i will say though that our nanny definitely was able to help with homework and was quite playful, she was very engaging with the kids and is so bonded, even years later, she still comes to visit with the kids. Our nanny could anticipate their needs before they even knew what their needs were. I had to give her ZERO instruction. She unloaded the backpacks and put things out for me with a little post it telling me when it was due. She would pack their lunches for the next day in these beautiful bento boxes that would always include fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. She introduced them to so many foods, like lentils cooked a million ways. If we were running low on any sort of groceries or provisions, she just went out and got it at the store. if she saw there were only 6 slices of bread she went to the store and got a loaf, I never had to even ask, the magical food fairy was there to save the day. She made a chores chart for the kids, replete with stickers for when they completed them each day. To this day, my kids don't dare walk by a clean dishwasher without emptying it. She never allowed screen time, said it made the misbehave when she turned it off so she banned it entirely when she was on the clock, unless someone was sick or the weather was terrible

Alas, that was 8 years of 50K+ per year in salary and when the youngest was in Kindergarten, we moved to an AuPair because at that time we just needed a driver. I have found APs to be a TON of work, none of them come skilled like our professional nanny, but oh well, we get what we pay for!

You must realize that even for nannies, not all of them are like that. Our was fantastic, but older at 53yrs old, barely driving and not that fluent in English. I am not going to make a competition of her awesome skills- she was perfect for our infants and toddlers, but my point is that OP can find a fantastic AP without expecting Mary Poppins.

I also wouldn't pay $25/hr for a nanny who didn't have command of the English language and couldn't drive well, but if we're talking infants they dont need that, they just need a loving caregiver, which sounds like she was . I think the bottom line with this AuPair program, much like nannies, you get what you pay for and with AuPairs it is often a hell of a lot of work to get them where you need them to be. With a long term nanny who has made a career our of childcare, they come with a set of skills that you pay a pretty penny for. Of course with a nanny, im also paying for years of consistency with my small children. In absence of a parent being home, i feel very grateful that my kids had a constant caregiver for all those years. For us now, none of it really matters. I just need a warm body who can referee fights, help with homework and taxi them around. I still think if the OP is coming off a great, mature, and professional nanny, she will be in for quite the adjustment of expectations and a lot of work she's just not accoustomed to dealing with.

You are really comparing apples with oranges now with an au pair and a $25/hr nanny. Actually I don't think I know anyone in my circles who can afford a $25 nanny. This discussion is off topic and getting silly.

[Anonymous]

Ha ha "like taking the bus". So true. Bless my APs heart but she's still into all the teenagery things that as a grown up you are like "really?"

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous
And you might actually experience simliar behaviour from other Europeans - the Scandinavians (including Finnland - really, if you think Germans aren't friendly, never get a Finn) or Polish aren't really known for their exuberant cheerfulness either.



Disagree.

Finns are stoic. They don't show emotion much...but they are certainly friendly, and playful.

My kids LOVE and absolutely adore our last Finn. She was so good with the kids. But she didn't wear her emotions. She was friendly and helpful. My first Finn was so outgoing and friendly too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha ha "like taking the bus". So true. Bless my APs heart but she's still into all the teenagery things that as a grown up you are like "really?"

This is so accurate. But I remember well being a flaky, silly young woman, so I was less surprised than some families on this board.

[Anonymous]

There are many agencies out there. The key is finding the right agency and the right LCC.
If you would like to talk to an LCC (local au pair coordinator), feel free to email me at [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Hahaha! This right here sums it up if you've gone from Nanny to AuPair. Very gratful I started this program when my kids were older. What a stark difference in rhe quality of childcare.

We also went from a long term professional nanny and it is like going from a flying first class to taking the bus.