This post is written and sponsored by Au Pair in America.
Hosting an au pair can help your family this autumn and all year long!
It’s increasingly difficult for families to find quality and affordable childcare in the Kansas City area, but an au pair can be a great solution to this challenge. Fall in Kansas City brings the promise of cooler temperatures, leaves changing colors, weeks of outdoor playtime, and the start of a new school year. Back-to-school also means the onset of sport leagues and other afterschool activities.
Do you want to make mornings and afternoons more exciting for your kids and relieve some of the stress associated with this busy season? If so, hosting a live-in au pair with Au Pair in America may be for you!
Not familiar with our au pair childcare program? Donosting an au pair is straightforward and can be a game-changer for busy parents! Au Pair in America is the nation
About Au Pair in America
The Au Pair in America program allows young people from abroad, ages 18 to 26, to travel to the United States on the Exchange Visitor Program for a unique cultural exchange experience. Since 1986, these young visitors have been coming to the U.S. to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their children. Amanda Wagner is the local Community Counselor for Au Pair in America – she serves as the liaison for both host families and au pairs in the area. A Kansas City-native and local mom (as well as former expatriate in London and Beijing), Amanda understands the challenges of finding quality childcare and the importance of cultural exchange. She shares, “Hosting an au pair is such a great experience for families. Who doesn’t want an extra set of helping hands who can introduce your children to cultures and experiences from the world beyond their own backyard?”
Benefits of Hosting an Au Pair
When considering childcare options, au pairs provide some unique benefits:
Flexibility
An au pair’s weekly schedule is customizable, which helps families easily find a solution for changing shift schedules, and late evening or weekend childcare needs. Between jobs, side-gigs, kids, school, sports and the many extras we try to fit into our lives, it can be difficult to find quality childcare. Each au pair provides up to 45 hours of childcare per week and up to 10 hours per day. An au pair can help tackle afterschool activities, snow days, other unexpected school closings, and sick days to help take the stress off parents and kids. Host mom Christy says, “Having an au pair has taken all the stress out of finding and keeping good childcare. We no longer have to work around babysitter schedules. It allows us to be more flexible with our schedule. Also, the kids have a close personal relationship with the au pair and that makes everyone one happier.”
Cultural Exchange
Sharing in and engaging with different customs and traditions, learning a new language, and reinforcing bilingualism are great ways to broaden a child’s knowledge and to enrich their own cultural understanding. Au Pair in America’s au pairs come from more than 50 countries worldwide! Hosting an au pair means bringing the world to your home.
Extra Set of Hands
We’ve all had those days (or weeks!) when an extra set of hands at home would make all the difference. With an au pair, you breath easier because your little ones have another person they trust available to care for them – plus, your au pair can assist with household tasks related to your children, like tidying up their playrooms or packing lunches. On days when kids are sick or school is out but parents still have to work, having an au pair to support the family is a game-changer. If this sounds like something that could make sense for your family, check out the details below!
Au Pair Placement
Au Pair in America is committed to helping you find the best match to meet your family’s unique preferences and childcare needs. A member of the Placement Team will work with you during the matching process, get to know you personally, and provide support whenever needed. You can feel confident the right match is out there for your family because all potential au pairs:
- Have at least 200 hours of recent childcare experience
- Go through a rigorous screening process and background check
- Come with medical and liability insurance, a visa sponsored by the United States Department of State, and a valid driver’s license
- Attend a comprehensive orientation program that features child development training, child safety training, and a customized Red Cross training.
Interested in making your autumn a bit simpler by hosting an au pair with Au Pair in America? Click here to view currently available au pairs at zero cost and with no obligation.
Questions? Contact Amanda Wagner, local Au Pair in America representative for the Kansas City area, at [email protected] or (816) 237-8675.
