I just noticed I'm not the only one who thinks OP sounds like a looney. Sheesh, I hope you don't talk like that infront of your kids. The community will pick up on it and think your whole family is trailor trash.

LOL OP, I feel bad for your kids. They don't stand a chance.. I agree with the first comment but make sure your potential Aupair knows they'll have to speak to your kids in Spanish.

OP, the advice you've been given has been sound. It's hard enough to find any caregiver - au pair or nanny - who is a great fit for your childcare needs. Once you start restricting the pool based on country and language, you're setting yourself up not to find anyone. My advice is to hire an au pair who is great at childcare and whose personality fits with your family. If you succeed with that, you're doing well.

Im the OP of comment #1 and didn't write the previous comment defending me.

I'm not an AP either.

Sooooooo, OP, you're fucking wacko. And whoever you hire, I pity them.

OP, you are a horse's dick.

OP -- in my experience, au pairs want to practice English. If you hire a Spanish speaking au pair, there will be many other Spanish speaking au pairs (unlike if you get an OP from a "rare" country). That means, she's likely to speak Spanish w/ her au pair friends. if she's also speaking Spanish w/ you and your kids, when is she going to practice her English other than at her classes? So, in your search, you should focus on APs who don't care about improving their English. Good luck to you.

Anonymous wrote:The only one with a "stick up their tushy" is you, OP. The PP's was very helpful and answered your question. Just because you don't like the answer does not make her rude.

Getting called out for being a douche really pissed you off didn't it? Curt responses on here are totally unnecessary and I'm not going to be snapped at by an angry/lazy au pair! Why don't you go do some real work- like TAKE CARE OF children. You're getting paid. DCUM posting with your nasty attitude doesn't count as work, loser! I feel so sorry for the family that hired you. May God bless and keep those poor children in hands safe from your nastiness!

The only one with a "stick up their tushy" is you, OP. The PP's was very helpful and answered your question. Just because you don't like the answer does not make her rude.

Anonymous wrote:to reinforce their spanish and to maintain their native fluency (to the extent possible), we want an au pair to speak them only in spanish. The AP can speak to whomever the hell else they want to in English. Just not me and the kids. Is the main source of English practice with the host family? If so, I understand this would not be acceptable.

This would be fine with some APs and not okay with others. Be transparant during the recruiting process and you should be fine.

P O T A T O , P O T A H T O. I say it was a little too sticky up the ass-y you say "brusque". Whatever. I guess it is in line with how DCUM tends to be- extra snippy for no reason at all. Anyways, I do appreciate your point. Thank you. You're correct that my post may have been misleading. My kids are native born spanish speakers. I am not. I speak another language. Anyways, to reinforce their spanish and to maintain their native fluency (to the extent possible), we want an au pair to speak them only in spanish. The AP can speak to whomever the hell else they want to in English. Just not me and the kids. Is the main source of English practice with the host family? If so, I understand this would not be acceptable. People in the know, please respond. "Brusque" folks need not bother. Too much brusqueness just because is not my cup of tea. Deal!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're here to work on their English. Obviously. They will need to learn the language to function well in America. Certainly it wouldn't take too much effort to teach words here and there. Especially for babies. As far as teaching older children...it's not easy. Just because you speak a different language, doesn't mean you know how to teach it/are a good teacher. They're nannies, not tutors.

Take the stick out of you tushy the next time you post. It's so not good for you. Hope you're not an AP! Geez. Anyways, my kids are native speakers of Spanish. One kid is in immersion in Spanish. They don't need a tutor. They need someone to speak to them in Spanish. Is this possible- answer if you're a happy person who doesn't have a stick up their ... Thanks. Happy Friday!!! DCUM gotta do something with all these mean douche bags who unload their happiness here. What a shame!

Hmmm, I didn't think the PP's response was out of line - brusque, perhaps, but not rude. The take-away is basically - no. APs tend to teach your children words and phrases here and there, but they aren't (typically) trained educators and speaking a language is much different than teaching it.

However, if what you're looking for is someone to speak to your children in Spanish and continue to help them develop a language they already have skills in (as native speakers they must be proficient??) then the answer is yes, you could find an AP who would be happy to be able to communicate with your kids in her native tongue, too. That's quite different, however, from hiring an AP to teach your children a language, which is what you asked and which is probably why you found the PPs response unhelpful.

Anonymous wrote:They're here to work on their English. Obviously. They will need to learn the language to function well in America. Certainly it wouldn't take too much effort to teach words here and there. Especially for babies. As far as teaching older children...it's not easy. Just because you speak a different language, doesn't mean you know how to teach it/are a good teacher. They're nannies, not tutors.

Take the stick out of you tushy the next time you post. It's so not good for you. Hope you're not an AP! Geez. Anyways, my kids are native speakers of Spanish. One kid is in immersion in Spanish. They don't need a tutor. They need someone to speak to them in Spanish. Is this possible- answer if you're a happy person who doesn't have a stick up their ... Thanks. Happy Friday!!! DCUM gotta do something with all these mean douche bags who unload their happiness here. What a shame!

They're here to work on their English. Obviously. They will need to learn the language to function well in America. Certainly it wouldn't take too much effort to teach words here and there. Especially for babies. As far as teaching older children...it's not easy. Just because you speak a different language, doesn't mean you know how to teach it/are a good teacher. They're nannies, not tutors.

New to the process. Basic question. Will you guys really teach our kids your language? I checked a few agencies and they have all said that the au pair "has to be willing, but is not required". My kid is in an immersion program, so we want someone who's from Latin America. But only if that person will speak to my kid only in Spanish. I know a lot of APs want to practice English. So, don't know if this presents an issue. FWIW they can talk to my husband in English. I speak advanced beginner Spanish and prefer to be spoken to in Spanish. Realistic or no?