The year is in full swing, and many parents are occupied or at work during the day leaving many to seek an au pair to look after their precious children while they themselves cannot.
For young children, parents often opt for daycare to tend to their little ones but hiring a professional au pair can also be worth your while. At Au Pair Extraordinaire, we want to share the advantages of hiring an au pair for your children.
The Benefits of Hiring an Au Pair
While a daycare can offer several advantages, parents will enjoy complete peace of mind when hiring a qualified professional.
- Becoming part of the family. Since a candidate spends the majority of their time with the family (they can even live in, in some cases), it offers a more personal experience to your child. This one-on-one attention also ensures that the candidate will get to know the child giving them better insight into identifying familiar and unfamiliar behaviours and allowing them a chance to unearth your child’s individual needs. Although many daycares offer a superb quality of care, few of them can match the individual focus on your child of an au pair.
- The cost is flexible. With the rising living costs, the expenses related to children have also increased exponentially over the years. If you need to stick to a set budget, then there is flexibility in hiring an au pair. Candidates’ hourly rates depend on their experience and if they have completed childcare courses, among other factors. It is also dependent on how much time your au pair will be working every day. Thus, there is no fixed rate that you need to pay. Instead, you will pay the candidate for the time they need to work.
- Taking over your daily duties. An au pair’s duties include driving your children around to and from their extra-mural activities and other engagements. This will save you hours during the week to focus on spending quality time with your family and tending to other tasks.
In the end, a favourable candidate will dedicate themselves to facilitating growth and learning, and offering care to the children they are paired with. An au pair is more than a staff member; they are an important person in your children’s lives and, hopefully, your own. Here at Au Pair Extraordinaire, we pride ourselves on matching families with the perfect candidate, one who exemplifies the values you hold dear. On top of this, our screening process is thorough, so any concerns you may have will be addressed before you meet the candidate. All you have to do to start the process is fill out an online form or contact us today.