very grateful for my au pair right now

[Anonymous]

Surprised no one else has shared this sentiment. My AP usually watches my 10 month old DD. I work at home normally, so being at home now is no different. But now my 3.5 year old is also home, and no playdates/activities, so we are in uncharted territory. My AP has rolled with it and is an amazing help. I'm watching my friends try to WFH and handle their kids, it's impossible. So I am very grateful for my AP. I know all of her AP friends' jobs have significantly changed in the last few weeks. I am sure their HFs are grateful, too.

I realize not every AP situation is like this but I wanted to share a positive message in the midst of the complaints and worry...

[Anonymous]

Me too! I am so grateful and was telling my au pair this last night. I am a healthcare worker and couldn't do my job well if I was worried about my kids. Anyone with ideas of nice things we can do for our au pairs who are sticking it out?

[Anonymous]

Same here, really thankful for my AP right now. This is a real test for AP/HF relationship.

[Anonymous]

100% grateful. It's letting us keep from losing our minds, and still be as productive as we can be with telework, etc.

[Anonymous]

Ours is also doing great! She has totally stepped up on the home schooling and keeping DS7 busy while I work -- she is going to get a big trip/bonus at the end of this!

[Anonymous]

We are so very grateful! Our au pair is wonderful. I know this is still early and her attitude may change down the road, but right now she is taking it in strides.

[Anonymous]

We also have a good one that is making things much easier, and taking it all in stride. Grateful

[Anonymous]

Love our AP and that she is staying with our 3 kids. DH and i are both nurses; obviously still busy at work.

[Anonymous]

Yes! I am so grateful for our Au Pair. She is wonderful and working from home without her would be a total mess. We are giving her a weekly bonus during this time of social distancing. I hope she will use it toward a really fun trip when this settles down.

[Anonymous]

I am incredibly grateful as well. We also doubled her salary.

[Anonymous]

How much of a weekly bonus are you guys giving your au pair? We already pay a little higher than the stipend, but I was thinking of adding $50 more per week. Her hours have not changed much since she my husband and I are both WFH, but not instead of a morning/afternoon split schedule, she is working 51/2 hours straight with the kids (about 10:30-4).

Still, it’s a lot, and we are extremely grateful to have her here to help.

[Anonymous]

I am grateful too. We had a talk and she shared that she is getting a lot of pressure from home to come home immediately and her friends think she is crazy for staying in the U.S.--and, per another thread, a lot of her au pair friends have decided to leave. I hadn't realized how stressful the decision to stay has been for her, and I know it could change and I would respect that. I was already appreciative, but it helped me be doubly grateful understanding that she is getting huge pressure from her parents who are super worried about her--it is hard to do your job when you are under stresses here and from back home.

[Anonymous]

We are grateful, but not in a position to provide extra money during this time of economic uncertainly. We pay an extra $200/month already, and she has her own car, gym membership, expensive smart phone package, which we understand are less meaningful perks right now. Her working conditions 44/hours a week, one toddler, have not changed dramatically, except cannot go to one activity with other kids per day. Her social life has taken a hit, but so has everyone's and if she were home she would be in lock-down without a job. We have already said we will fly her home for a week if she renews her visa and extends. Beyond that we are not in a financial position to offer much.

[Anonymous]

We are so relieved and paid a big bonus to thank her for staying. I was really worried she would go home especially when the German government encouraged it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much of a weekly bonus are you guys giving your au pair? We already pay a little higher than the stipend, but I was thinking of adding $50 more per week. Her hours have not changed much since she my husband and I are both WFH, but not instead of a morning/afternoon split schedule, she is working 51/2 hours straight with the kids (about 10:30-4).

Still, it’s a lot, and we are extremely grateful to have her here to help.

That's exactly what we did. She seemed appreciative.