The Benefits of Hosting an Au Pair
by Barbara Else
Are you considering inviting an au pair into your household? Welcoming an au pair can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both your family and the au pair themselves. From cultural exchange to practical assistance, the benefits are numerous.
In this guide, we’ll explore why hosting an au pair in the Netherlands could be a great fit for your family, what tasks they can help with, the cultural nuances to consider, and how to support your au pair in their new journey.
Cultural Exchange
One of the most significant advantages of hosting an au pair is the opportunity for cultural exchange. By inviting someone from another country into your home, you are opening the doors to new perspectives, traditions, and languages. It’s a chance to allow someone from a different country to experience life in the Netherlands firsthand. It is also a chance for your family to learn about different cultures, fostering mutual understanding and a global perspective: qualities that are highly valued in today’s workplace and in society as a whole.
Childcare Assistance
Au pairs provide invaluable help with childcare and household tasks. They can assist with getting children ready for school or daycare, preparing meals, light housekeeping, doing stimulating activities with the children and sometimes even homework help.
Having an extra pair of hands around the house can significantly ease the daily workload for busy families and can help to ease the difficulties caused by childcare shortages across the country.
It is important to remember however that an au pair is not a trained professional nanny or housekeeper. They are young people coming to the Netherlands for new experiences, providing assistance in return for accommodation and pocket money. Expectations must be managed in accordance with the program.
Language Learning
Hosting an au pair can be a fantastic opportunity for your family to improve language skills. Whether you want your children to learn a new language or you’re keen to brush up on your own language abilities, daily interaction with a native speaker can be incredibly beneficial for hosts as well as for au pairs.
Tasks an Au Pair Can Help With
Au pairs typically assist with childcare duties and light household chores for a maximum of 30 hours per week. These tasks may include:
- Supervising children and helping with their daily routines
- Helping with baby / child hygiene routines
- Preparing meals and snacks for the family (but not usually cooking every day.
- Light housekeeping such as tidying up common areas and doing laundry for the kids.
- Providing children with playful activities, outings or educational activities
- Helping to transport kids to and from school or activities.
- Babysitting after the kids are asleep (counts as working hours)
Every au pair has different strengths and skills, so it is advisable to tailor the duties to the things she / he is best at. Supporting with learning new skills (especially handling a Dutch bike) is also something that will require teamwork between au pair and host.
Working Hours and Regulations
In the Netherlands, au pairs are allowed to work a maximum of 30 hours per week, spread over no more than 8 hours per day. It’s essential to adhere to these regulations to ensure a fair and legal arrangement for both the au pair and the host family.
Overworking is one of the main reasons why au pairs may want to leave a host family, either to seek a rematch with a new host or to return home. This is certainly not an ideal outcome, as it can result in stress and losses for both parties. Therefore, it is very important not to ask your au pair to do extra tasks or work more than the agreed schedule.
At Sunshine au pair, we help you to create an agreed weekly schedule as part of your paperwork dossier, before the au pair arrives at your home. This will be signed by both the family and the au pair. Consistency will allow each party to plan their time and activities accordingly. For example, if an au pair wishes to follow a language course, she/he will need to be able to plan that around the work schedule. Significant changes to the schedule during the year should be reported to the agency within two working days, as part of the agency’s responsibilities.
Cultural Differences and Cross-Cultural Learning
When welcoming an au pair into your home, it’s essential to be mindful of cultural differences. What may be considered normal in your household might differ from the norms in your au pair’s home country.
Take the time to communicate openly and respectfully about expectations, traditions, and boundaries. Embrace the opportunity to learn from each other and celebrate the richness of cultural diversity. Trying new foods and experiencing museums and famous sights will be high on an au pair’s bucket list.
Small tastes from home, such as a special dish can also do wonders to ease homesickness! It is a good idea to look into the home country of your au pair and find out about what meals they eat, how they get around, what the cities are like there etc. You may be surprised at how similar our small world is today, especially regarding the youth of today. It is likely that you will have lot of common ground to build on, as well as interesting differences to learn from.
Language Learning
As a host family, it’s crucial to provide support and guidance to help your au pair settle into their new environment. Offer assistance with practical matters such as collecting the residence permit and BSN number, opening a bank account, or navigating public transportation. Encourage your au pair to explore the local community and participate in cultural activities. Create a welcoming atmosphere where they feel valued and included as part of the family.
In conclusion, hosting an au pair can be a transformative experience that brings immense joy and enrichment to your family life. Many of our families at Sunshine Au Pair go on to host au pairs year after year, falling in love with the program and staying in touch with their au pairs for many years. By embracing the role of a supportive host family, you can create a nurturing environment where your au pair can thrive while making lasting memories and friendships along the way.