Au Pairs Expose Children to International Culture
June 8, 2011
The benefits of hosting an international au pair are most often functional, such as taking the children to and from school, providing fun and creative activities and making sure that they are well cared for and safe. However, one of the less obvious benefits is an au pair’s impact on children’s cross-cultural knowledge.
A number of families in the Marin, California area have opted to host au pairs to help with child care, according to the Marin Scope. Jack and Alison S. are currently hosting Cecile, a 22-year-old au pair from France, who helps care for their 2-year-old and 7-month-old girls.
The news source reports that the 2-year-old has begun to use phrases from different languages, something the host family say is an important part of the program. Cecile is the second au pair that has lived with the host family. Previously, the family had hosted an au pair from Brazil, who stayed with them for 12 months.
Au pairs aren’t just popular in California, however. The Potomac Patch reports that many families in Maryland host au pairs. One of these au pairs is Jackie S. a 19 year old from Germany, who told the news source that she applied to the au pair program during her gap year between high school and college because of her “passion” for culture and caring for children. The news provider reports that Jackie, who has participated in triathalons in Germany, has been doing a lot of swimming with one of the children of her host family.
Another family in New Jersey, whose Japanese au pair Mayumi won the IAPA International Au Pair of the Year Award in 2010, cites cultural exchange advantages among the main reasons for hosting an au pair: “Our children make origami everything (from bowls to pianos to cows), make dumplings and sing Japanese songs. Our fifteen- month-old plays peek-a-boo using Japanese; our four year old says ‘arigato’ as often as thank you, and they both play ‘rock-paper-scissors’ in Japanese.”
These types of interactions with people from around the world are likely benefiting the host family children, if not the entire family, as they learn how everyone around the world brings different insights and perspectives to the table.
For more information about hosting an au pair, contact InterExchange Au Pair USA, a designated U.S. Department of State au pair organization with more than 20 years of experience matching families across America with international au pairs.
