Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

You pay all her off-duty expenses? How generous of you!

Such as?

This question probably belongs in the AP forum, but just to give a quick sense of what's covered in the AP package -

Mandated: room, all meals, health insurance, international airfare, course fees, and car insurance if required to drive
Typical: Phone, car access off-duty, and inclusion on family members to the gym, as well as inclusion on at least some vacations

So, with rent, food, utilities, health insurance, phone, and car costs fully covered - what's left? $200/week purely for social and travel costs.

The cost to you, as the host family, is $20-24K depending on a number of factors, and they can work up to 45 hours per week. It sounds like you need 35 hours during the academic year and will likely use the full 45 during winter and spring breaks, as well as some weeks in the summer when there's no camp. That could work well for you.

At the most basic level, you need a private room for the AP's exclusive use. To be on par with what most families are doing - you'd probably want to provide car access to the AP can take your kids to school, camp, activities, etc - extra insurance costs varies greatly based on AP's age. You'll also likely provide a phone, and add the AP to any family package memberships you have - for us, that's the summer pool co-op, for others it may be the zoo, or the gym, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

You pay all her off-duty expenses? How generous of you!

Such as?

Depends on the family. Some provide toiletries, some don't. Some provide a metro card or gas when off duty, some don't. Etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

You pay all her off-duty expenses? How generous of you!

Such as?

Au Pairs cost about $20,000 per year overall. It could work well for your schedule.

Oh my gosh your child is "two and a half" not "30 months" - that's as annoying as women referring to themselves as "mama"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

You pay all her off-duty expenses? How generous of you!

It's not being generous. It a requirement of the program.

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

AP had a white collar job and says she has more disposable income now than she did in Western Europe. We pay her phone, all gas (including off duty), other things my mom bought for me when I was a college student since I am her host mom, like a new warmer coat, boots, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

You pay all her off-duty expenses? How generous of you!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

Actually $10,400. 52 weeks.

Anonymous wrote:200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

$800 a month and no bills. Better situation than 60% of the US population.

Save it or spend it on American clothes, fast food, and movies. That is the APs choice. $9600 USD in the bank at the end of the year if you don't spend anything.

200 per week my goodness no wonder all of the au pairs in my area seem like runaway slaves at the park. they all hate their jobs and look for anyone to complain to. even with the living expenses being paid 200 seems like it should be illegal

Don't forget the agency fees and all the other things that go into having an AP.

Au pairs get $200/week no matter what. We have a very similar schedule (pick up and drop off) and several nannies in a row quit because they didn't like the choppy hours so we got an au pair. she works way less than the hours we are entitled to (45).

I am moving from the West Coastwhere au pairs are not that common to DC. I heard they are common in DC.
I will need someone to be with my 30 month old child from 7am, get them ready and to school for 9am and collect at 1pm. Then be there until I get home at 6pm.
Currently I am able to take my child to school and our nanny works from 1-7pm. But I won't be able to do that with my new commute.
Do people in DC pay nannies for the time the kid is at school? Get an au pair? Have flexible jobs that start later? What is the going rate for nannies/au pairs in DC.

Advice welcome.
Many thanks.