Au Pair vs Nanny

 

We have all heard the terms. Au Pair, Nanny, Babysitter, Baby Nurse. But what do they mean? One of the biggest questions our agency hears pertains to au pairs and nannies. So let’s dive in and talk about it a little. What is an Au Pair? An Au pair, but definition is a domestic assistant from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family’s responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a monetary allowance for personal use. (Wikipedia).

Au Pairs will accept less money in terms of salary, but there are other expenses to consider. You will be responsible for paying travel fees, visa expenses, and keeping up with everything related to sponsoring her here in the US.

Once she arrives, she may not have a driver’s license to be able to transport your children. You will need to pay for an international background check, or at the very least anticipate fees to an agency to help with all of that.

Au Pairs typically will come to you with basic childcare experience. They usually do not plan to stay with a family for more than one year at a time. There might be some language barriers and there will definitely be cultural issues.

Professional Nannies, such as Georgia’s Dream Nannies, are going to bring a great deal of experience to your family. They will have a minimum of 3 years of checked and verified experience. They will have been thoroughly vetted. They will be American citizens with driver’s licenses and clean driving records. But more importantly they have demonstrated a commitment to ongoing training in areas related to childcare as well as household management.

In summary, there are several different factors that go into this decision. Each family should decide what is best for their family. Inviting a household staff member into your home is an investment, not only financially, but you are investing in your family’s health, security and way of life. We are here to help you with that choice.