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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Because the concept is that they live in your home, as a member of the family, and in exchange they provide very low-cost childcare.  When you go on vacation, you are supposed to take them, as this is part of their cultural exchange to see the U.S. So if you provide them with food, why not toothpaste, shampoo, etc? Aren't you going to provide that to your teenagers when they need it?[/quote]

Well it's not "very low-cost childcare" for one.  And you're not "supposed" to take them on vacation when you go - you certainly can, and many host families do.  But many also don't.  It is a "cultural exchange" program, but that doesn't mean that you as the host family are required as part of this to take them to "see the U.S."  So you've got all that wrong.

You provide them with "meals with the family" not all food.  I assume the food thing is because it would be very strange to have someone living in your house and not invite them to eat any of your food - what would you do, keep a separate fridge or something?  Similar to toilet paper - it's a family-use item.  Host parents provide shared use items in the household.  But toothpaste and shampoo is very different - they are personal use items.  Only the au pair would use her shampoo.  It's not a shared family item.

And I don't think an au pair is comparable to your own teenager.  For one, they are not teenagers - they are 18 to 26 and despite the close relationship they have with the family, it is still an employer/employee relationship.  The au pair is working and makes $800 in pure spending cash as the host family is covering all of her other expenses.  If she wants to spend that on expensive shampoo, she can go right ahead.  And you'd better believe that when my kid is 20 and working, I will not be buying her toothpaste.[/quote]

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