How much in total are you paying your au pair each month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look we live in DC (at least most looking at this board), not Nebraska. I don't see the need to offer extra up front, personally, which would make me even more resentful if things start off awry. On the one hand, it might attract higher expectations. On the other, I guess it is good that these young ladies argue for higher salaries?

We start with $200/week, the normal allotted amount, and go up from there based on performance etc. We give them a very full Smarttrip card in the beginning, though now that I think of it, none of them (4 so far) have asked me to refill it. We have raised the salary to 250/week and higher for 2nd year, great performance, etc. Also have given $1,000 bonus at the end, for their travel month, and just as a way to help get on their feet for their next step.

We are non-stop with food, buy everything they want. But they have all been extremely reasonable.

What country is your au pair from?

[Anonymous]

???my friend in Atlanta is making $600 as a live in taking care of a baby. Is that comparable to DC? What is the norm in the DMV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha, a NP here. Dear all, in DC, for elementary school age child, with budget of $45k you can get a private part-time nanny of ANY cultural background, ethnicity, etc., for language immersion. And no Au pair related headache. So many immigrants here taking nanny jobs.

Nope. Near impossible. Try find a driving nanny with citizenship who will provide childcare around school and kid activities -even for Spanish, let alone our minority heritage language.

For 20 hours a week for $45K, you can find someone. However, not for 45 hours a week, split schedule, on call when kids are sick or school holidays/summer.

for that price, the nanny is making $43.26/hour. I am in a wrong business for sure.

Don't know where you live, at least by me (NY suburban area) $45k for a full time nanny (40 hours/week on a fixed schedule) just taking care of the kids is very possible. Yes there will not be on call service but you also don't have constant drama and someone always in your house.

Agreed. I learned this pretty quickly when I was looking for alternative child care when we were in rematch.

It will be hard finding one person willing to work a split schedule 45 hours a week at $45K, but it's quite easy to find 2 people who will do it part time. Easier still if you offer a room. One person would be doing the morning pickup and someone else will have the afternoon.

Ask around..

[Anonymous]

so well said below.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whining of all the mothers here….think you can get a do it all AP for the few little coins y’all paid, you’re dreaming.

Having an au pair costs roughly 45,000 if you are doing it correctly. We have always and still pay 250/week, have a dedicated car for which we cover all gas, pay for an unlimited data phone plan, a gym membership and all food. We take our AP to dinner and on vacations with a private room. We give a $1000 bonus after the completion of one year. For one child in ES, this is fair. Are there wealthier families out there paying more? Sure. We tell potential au pairs to pick rich families if that’s what they are looking for. Has never been an issue for us. We have great au pairs and poor au pairs. The program is what it is. If it weren’t for the language immersion we wouldn’t participate.

Au Pair costs are not relevant to the AP. What if she doesn't want a gym membership, for example. I would assume you have that membership for you and just add her and it's not an additional cost so that's not exactly a perk. Vacations if she is working are not a vacation for her, but also work. $250 a week is not much money. That's $50 a day at best for 5 days/9 hours of work. Not even minimum wage.

Room and board are absolutely relevant to AP. Have never had an AP not want a gym membership- of their choice - they always choose the ones their friends go to. It’s an extra 1200 for their insurance. We took our AP to Europe, etc. She certainly did work, but had her weekends off to travel. We could have not taken her - but it’s supposed to be a cultural exchange. I understand you have structural criticisms of the au pair program. But you are not properly accounting for room and board calculations, as well as other incentives. 45k is a lot for MC families. If your saying only UMC families are allowed to participate in cultural exchange programs - that’s pretty nuts.