Ask any working mom what her biggest stress is and her answer will undoubtedly be childcare. Specifically, finding quality, reliable childcare that is actually affordable is becoming more and more challenging in today’s world. Texas continues to grapple with the challenge of providing accessible and high-quality childcare at an affordable rate. Like most of the nation, Texas has a shortage of childcare centers and workers. Since last year, Texas has lost nearly 75,000 child care providers, according to data compiled by child advocacy nonprofit Children at Risk.
So what is the solution to this problem? What do desperate, stressed out working moms do? While childcare centers and nannies are still the most common childcare options, there is another option: hosting an au pair.
Participating in an au pair program with an agency like Cultural Care presents a
solution that mixes affordability, flexibility, and individualized care with the added benefit
of cultural exchange and enriching relationship building.
What is an Au Pair?
Au pairs are young people between the ages of 18-26 who come to the U.S. for 12 months on J-1 visas in the Cultural Care Au Pair program and have the option to extend their program for another 12-, 9- or 6-month term. They provide up to 45 hours a week of childcare service.
An au pair lives in the home with the host family, becoming a member of the household.
They can adjust the hours they are on childcare duty to exactly fit the families’ needs. It’s not just the hours that are individualized—the host parents set the household rules and guide their au pairs to care for their children in a manner that aligns with their own parenting style.
The au pair program presents young people abroad with the opportunity to experience everyday life with an American family while continuing their education; for host families, they receive flexible, personalized childcare from individuals that become part of the family. For all participants, the program facilitates the sharing of different cultures, customs, traditions, and perspectives.
Benefits of Hosting an Au Pair
When looking at all the factors involved in a childcare decision, hosting an au pair is the obvious choice for many reasons:
Flexibility: schedule up to 45 hours a week and up to 10 hours per day of
childcare when you need it
Convenience: An extra driver to transport kids to and from school and activities
Reliability: An extended member of your family and parenting team
Cultural exchange: Exposure to a different culture and language
Affordability: Hosting an au pair is comparable to the cost of a nanny or daycare in many areas but the cost doesn’t increase with the size of your family
About Cultural Care
Cultural Care is the largest designated sponsor of the U.S. State Department-regulated au pair program. For 35 years, they have placed more than 175,000 au pairs in the homes of American host families, creating memories and cross-cultural connections that last a lifetime. All host families and au pairs have a Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) that serve as the local representative of the program. Oftentimes local moms themselves, LCCs wear many different hats: welcome committees, support teams, relationship mediators, event planners, and community builders for host families and au pairs in their network.
Are you currently experiencing the stress of finding reliable, affordable childcare? Consider contacting Cultural Care and find out if hosting an au pair would be right for your family.
