Au Pairs Can Help Many Different Types of Families
June 9, 2011
With summer fast approaching, children around the country are eagerly anticipating the last day of school and all the fun activities that the next few months bring. On the other hand, many parents are wondering how they will manage child care while they continue to work during their children’s vacation time.
Many families in these situations have decided to host au pairs. These young people from all over the world provide American host families with full-time, live-in child care, starting at any time of the year for 12 months. Hosting an au pair is especially helpful during the summer vacation period.
Further, au pairs can help families in a number of special situations.
Melody W. and her husband Chris have three children, including one that has special needs. Melody explained to the Daniel Island News how they came to the decision to bring an au pair into their family. “After [our son] was born, and we were pregnant with our third child, we realized we just didn’t have enough hands,” she told the news source. “So at that point, we realized if we were going to survive, we had to have some help.” That help came in the form of Sophie, a 19-year-old from Germany, whom Melody says has become an important part of her family.
A Michigan family were equally happy with their Brazilian au pair who won the InterExchange Au Pair USA Au Pair of the Year Award. They chose him because of his patience and good humor caring for their oldest child who uses a wheelchair. In a charming award nomination letter from the child, Ali, age 12, she writes: “I think my au pair João is the most kind and amazing person I have ever met. I’m in a wheelchair and whenever I’m hurting he always brings up the funniest things. João brings laughter into our family. He is the best!”
As stated in an article in The Washington Post, Su M. from Maryland was hit on the head by a ceiling fan in 1988 and suffered complete retrograde amnesia, a condition which involves the complete loss of past memories. The wife and mother had no recollection of her past, which was difficult for her family. However, through hard work Su was able to get her life back on track and recently received an associate’s degree in music from Montgomery College. The news source reports that Su was aided in her journey by an au pair, who helped to look after her son.
Au pairs hired through a U.S. Department of State designated sponsor organization are extensively trained and undergo screenings to ensure that they are qualified to be care givers. These situations highlight how au pairs can help families in various life situations. Not only are families benefiting from the additional help, but exposing children to other cultures and ways of doing things can often improve their understanding of the world and its different people.
