Anonymous
06/23/2023 10:01
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
Anonymous wrote:We're considering going from employing a nanny to hosting an au pair. What would the adjustment be like? Would we be a good fit for the program?
My younger DC will be 2 then, and going to preschool 6 hours a week. Older DC will be in kindergarten until 3pm daily. We're thinking of offering the au pair a bedroom with a shared jack-and-jill bathroom. If that would be a problem, we could move my oldest DC out of the bedroom with the ensuite and give that to the au pair. But that would mean the au pair's bedroom is right next to ours. Also, DH and I mostly WFH. DH is an introvert, so he spends most of his free time in front of the computer in his basement office.
We live in a walkable suburb. It's easy to walk to some shops, restaurants, a grocery store, and the bus station. The metro is miles away, however. Our nanny is an experienced parent, so we've been lucky that she needed no training at all. I wouldn't know how to train an au pair.
The options we're considering are: sticking with our wonderful nanny and continuing to stretch our budget to pay for her 2-child rate when we would mostly need childcare for 1 child, enrolling our younger DC in full-time daycare instead of the part-time preschool, and hosting an au pair.
Note: Pre school will call you frequently to pick up your child. Keep that in mind.
Anonymous
06/22/2023 12:59
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
As an experienced host mom who have hosted multiple au pairs, I think you need to think through this decision very carefully. For an au pair go with au pair Extraordinares from au pair in America, they have nannying experience or other professional qualifications and can be great for very young children. Au pairs are a lot of work and is much more expensive than what the agency is would lead you to believe. Here is what I would do. Cut down or cut out the preschool for now and keep the wonderful nanny. If that doesn’t work then put the youngest in full day daycare since most of the time you both WFH, you would be able to manage the pick ups and drop offs. Choose a daycare where your eldest can be bussed to from the elementary school so that you can pick up both kids at the same time. If these options do not work, then consider an au pair.
Anonymous
06/22/2023 05:53
Subject: Re:Going from a nanny to an au pair
We did APs for 12 years and had less hassles than friends with nannies. Many nannies appear to be more trouble and expense than they are worth. But if I had a "wonderful" nanny that was working for my family, I wouldn't rock the boat and chance an AP just because one kid is going to be out of the house for 6 hours a week. That's not much at all. And a great nanny is worth keeping.
Anonymous
05/31/2023 16:41
Subject: Re:Going from a nanny to an au pair
Nanny, and give her about $50/month for activities. Between classes at the nature centers and other cheaper activities, your 2yo will be better off than in a 6hr/week preschool. Wait til 3 or 4 for daycare or preschool.
Anonymous
05/11/2023 21:15
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
If you have a great nanny and can make it work, you should stick with her.
Au pairs can be fantastic but it can be very difficult to find a good fit and a very expensive mistake if you get the wrong person and go into rematch.
Hosting will be more expensive than you are expecting. Probably much more than you are expecting.
On top of that, au pairs are expecting more and more and more things as benefits. Like definitely they will expect that private bathroom- they will likely expect car to use, if not a dedicated au pair car, especially since you’re not next to a metro station.
Au pairs can be fantastic but it can be very difficult to find a good fit and a very expensive mistake if you get the wrong person and go into rematch.
Hosting will be more expensive than you are expecting. Probably much more than you are expecting.
On top of that, au pairs are expecting more and more and more things as benefits. Like definitely they will expect that private bathroom- they will likely expect car to use, if not a dedicated au pair car, especially since you’re not next to a metro station.
Anonymous
05/11/2023 17:09
Subject: Re:Going from a nanny to an au pair
We have had both and we used to say that having nanny is like flying first class and having an au pair was like taking the bus. Both will ultimately do get you to your final destination, but the experience will be very different. Good luck, OP!
Anonymous
05/08/2023 22:35
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
Don't make the nanny share a bathroom when you have one separate.
Anonymous
05/08/2023 21:57
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
Definitely stay with the nanny. It does not sound worth the hassle for you to have an AP nor does it sounds like an AP is ideal for your family at this point in time (needing to share bathroom or move your child, both parents WFH with one an introvert, you have doubts about training - just not an ideal AP hosting scenario if you can get by with other options.)
Anonymous
05/08/2023 19:54
Subject: Re:Going from a nanny to an au pair
I mean it could work, but your youngest will only be gone twice a week for 3 hours? I would keep the Nanny personally.if it’s a stretch then hold off on preschool for another year or two. Assuming your Nanny takes him places he doesn’t “ need” preschool at 2.
Anonymous
05/08/2023 13:00
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
It could work. We started hosting when our oldest started K and we needed after school coverage (this was before the pandemic and we both worked outside our home).
The shared bathroom is not ideal, but not a deal breaker. You'll have to be upfront about everything and screen carefully. No way would I put an AP's room right next to ours. It's best for everyone to give them (and yourselves) as much privacy as possible, so living on different levels would be best.
Do your research and look for independence and maturity. We've had some struggles but overall are happy with the program. Some of our APs are harder to live with than others, but all of them have taken good care of our kids.
The shared bathroom is not ideal, but not a deal breaker. You'll have to be upfront about everything and screen carefully. No way would I put an AP's room right next to ours. It's best for everyone to give them (and yourselves) as much privacy as possible, so living on different levels would be best.
Do your research and look for independence and maturity. We've had some struggles but overall are happy with the program. Some of our APs are harder to live with than others, but all of them have taken good care of our kids.
Anonymous
05/08/2023 12:52
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
I will not do an au pair for a baby. Youngest must be completely toilet trained.
Anonymous
05/08/2023 12:20
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
If it's not broke don't try to fix it. Your kids are still pretty young and would benefit from the contniued support of someone who seems great.
The au pair program is tanking. We stopped being host parents a year and a half ago because of the entitlement and perk shopping. It's not fair to the kids
The au pair program is tanking. We stopped being host parents a year and a half ago because of the entitlement and perk shopping. It's not fair to the kids
Anonymous
05/08/2023 11:22
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
I would stay with the nanny.
Anonymous
05/07/2023 23:00
Subject: Going from a nanny to an au pair
We're considering going from employing a nanny to hosting an au pair. What would the adjustment be like? Would we be a good fit for the program?
My younger DC will be 2 then, and going to preschool 6 hours a week. Older DC will be in kindergarten until 3pm daily. We're thinking of offering the au pair a bedroom with a shared jack-and-jill bathroom. If that would be a problem, we could move my oldest DC out of the bedroom with the ensuite and give that to the au pair. But that would mean the au pair's bedroom is right next to ours. Also, DH and I mostly WFH. DH is an introvert, so he spends most of his free time in front of the computer in his basement office.
We live in a walkable suburb. It's easy to walk to some shops, restaurants, a grocery store, and the bus station. The metro is miles away, however. Our nanny is an experienced parent, so we've been lucky that she needed no training at all. I wouldn't know how to train an au pair.
The options we're considering are: sticking with our wonderful nanny and continuing to stretch our budget to pay for her 2-child rate when we would mostly need childcare for 1 child, enrolling our younger DC in full-time daycare instead of the part-time preschool, and hosting an au pair.
My younger DC will be 2 then, and going to preschool 6 hours a week. Older DC will be in kindergarten until 3pm daily. We're thinking of offering the au pair a bedroom with a shared jack-and-jill bathroom. If that would be a problem, we could move my oldest DC out of the bedroom with the ensuite and give that to the au pair. But that would mean the au pair's bedroom is right next to ours. Also, DH and I mostly WFH. DH is an introvert, so he spends most of his free time in front of the computer in his basement office.
We live in a walkable suburb. It's easy to walk to some shops, restaurants, a grocery store, and the bus station. The metro is miles away, however. Our nanny is an experienced parent, so we've been lucky that she needed no training at all. I wouldn't know how to train an au pair.
The options we're considering are: sticking with our wonderful nanny and continuing to stretch our budget to pay for her 2-child rate when we would mostly need childcare for 1 child, enrolling our younger DC in full-time daycare instead of the part-time preschool, and hosting an au pair.