For Host Families

      At EurAupair, we believe in recognizing and celebrating the outstanding contributions of our dedicated au pairs. Each year, we host the Au Pair of the Year competition, a heartwarming tradition that allows host families to nominate exceptional au pairs who have gone above and beyond in their roles. The competition not only showcases the incredible talent within our community but also f...

  As a EurAupair Community Counselor (CC), you'll be that all-important point person for au pairs placed in your area during their year abroad, and for the host families in your area during their program year. Find out about responsibilities of Community Counselor here. CC Dawn, Illinois"Being involved with EurAupair since the late 1990's has been the most rewarding experienc...

It may feel like full-time, in-home, educational and flexible child care is impossible to find — and pay for. However, au pair programs work to provide this precise solution for families who want something different for their children. Whether you're familiar with au pair programs or want to learn more, we've compiled some helpful information to help you get started. The Days of Having a Nanny Are ...

Au Pair Daniele from Brazil "My days with the quarantine has changed a lot. It used to be just me and the 2 years old girl for most of the time and just 2 hours with all of the kids. With the pandemic all of us needed to adapt with the homeschooling, no friends around and staying at home. Now that the weather is getting nicer we can go, at least, for walks. Other than that we are having long tim...

Searching for kid-friendly activities in NY? When you have a toddler, you have tons of fun options — but you need to plan carefully to find places that fit with your child's short attention span. Try these fun destinations for a day to remember with a toddler. Tisch Children's Zoo, Central ParkThe Tisch Children's Zoo is home to Manhattan's only cow, along with a slew of other animals your t...

People tend to joke that meteorologists can never give an accurate forecast. However, sooner or later, they definitely get weather patterns right. When big snow storms and other inclement weather events hit, parents can be thrown into a tizzy. Who will watch their kids when they have to be at work or visiting clients for important meetings? How can they make it in time to pick up their child...

The afternoon breezes have definitely become cooler, the leaves have fallen off the trees and New England has officially become a winter wonderland. This ultra-fun time of the year is the perfect opportunity for you to make suggestions for activities for your au pair and children. Why do you need to recommend indoor and outdoor activities? First, your au pair is not going to be as familiar with the ins ...

Is your family busy from morning until night? Welcome to modern life in Washington, D.C. and neighboring areas, one of the reasons mothers and fathers often contemplate a live in child care solution. City life can and does become hectic, which puts pressure on parents to get everything accomplished in what little time can be carved out. Unfortunately, even making to-do lists and maintaining calendars is...

The holidays are a time of great joy for families who love indulging in favorite traditions and exchanging gifts. But when you are away from home, as an au pair is, the holidays can also be a difficult time. Your au pair may feel uncertain about joining in family activities as a visitor. They may also miss their own family and feel overwhelmed by the buzz of the holidays. You can help your au pair feel ...

Au Pair of the Year 2020 – Edna Imbachi Guaca from Colombia As every year, EurAupair proudly announces the winner of the Au Pair of the Year contest.Congratulations to Edna! Read her essay below and take a look at her video here. “My heart is so full of love and excitement to be nominated for the Au Pair of the Year! What an honor! My host mom, Zaklina, showed me...

When you host an au pair, it is normal for minor issues to arise as the au pair adjusts to life in America and as your family adjusts to having a new family member. However, there may be instances in which the au pair is not what you expected. If you are having some concerns, consider trying these five steps 1. Work on Communication It's important to remember that language and cultural differences can ...

These days, child care can cost a fortune, as the expense of day care and nannies has grown exponentially. Many families struggle to afford these necessary services. But there are different options for child care that you may not have considered. In particular, there are affordable au pair options that are becoming increasingly popular. Learn more about the benefits of hosting an au pair for your child c...

Hosting an au pair is an increasingly popular and affordable child care option. But how do you know if your family could benefit from hosting an au pair? You may wonder, should I get an au pair for my child, and is my family right for hosting au pairs? Here are the top five advantages to hosting an au pair that may make the decision the right one for your family. 1. Cultural Exchange You and your fami...

You may have heard of au pairs, but do you know how they differ from a nanny? There are some key differences between the two, as well as many benefits to choosing an au pair for your family. How Is EurAupair Different From a Nanny Service or Agency? There are some essential differences between nannies and au pairs. For example, while nannies leave at the end of the workday, a EurAupair au pair will liv...

Hosting an au pair can be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. At EurAupair, we are a government-designated au pair agency that can help you find the perfect au pair for your lifestyle and needs. What Are Au Pairs Expected to Do? When an au pair comes to America, her primary duty is to provide daily child care while the parents are not home. Au pairs will quickly become an essential part ...

If you’re new to having an au pair in your home, there’s a bit of adjusting that comes with this transition. Your au pair will be figuring out where they fit into your family, and you’ll likely be making a few changes as well as you try to welcome them into your home and life. During this process, both of you will be asking questions and experimenting with new routines. Will the au pair take the kids o...

The City of Los Angeles, California is a sprawling metro area that boasts activities for everyone. The second-largest city in the U.S., LA has everything — beaches, parks, museums, amusement parks and plenty of activities for kids of all ages. If you have an energetic and curious little one, Los Angeles has all kinds of toddler-friendly activities that will be perfect. Whether you live in the city or ...

Hosting an au pair is a rewarding, exciting and enriching experience. She provides in-home child care and peace of mind for your family, you provide a warm home and hearty meals, and both she and your family benefit from building a personal, intercultural bond that will change your lives. When you welcome your au pair into your host family, you want to set the stage for the best experience possible &mda...

Are you considering or preparing for an exciting new addition to your family — an au pair? When you're looking for affordable, reliable child care that fits in with your daily schedule and your work life, welcoming an au pair into your home offers so many benefits for you and your family — from built-in care for your children to developmental cultural exposure and the opportunity to form new friendship...

by Mary Brown, EurAupair Host Mother Neila Maria Santana Costa joined our family as our Au Pair in April of 2018. My husband Dave passed away on March 1, 2018 leaving me and two young boys (Scott, 9 and Sean, 7) to figure life out without his love and constant care. I was left with a 70 year old family orchard and farm market business to run and the need to manage the boys’ hectic schedules and fear...

In 1988, EurAupair opened its doors as a not-for-profit, public benefit organization, aiming to improve understanding among people of different countries through cultural exchange. This year, we proudly celebrate our 30th anniversary as we continue as one of the oldest, largest, and most trusted au pair programs in the United States. In thirty years, we have seen it all, from lifel...

If you’re thinking about welcoming an au pair into your home to care for your children, you might be wondering, “Can an au pair care for pets, too?” The simple answer to this question is no — you cannot require an au pair to tend to your pets. When an Au Pair May Care for Your Pets While providing pet care can’t be a formal job requirement for an au pair, there are instances when an au pair may assist....

Your au pair’s year is coming to end and you have chosen a new person to continue taking care of your children. The children have most likely created a bond with the current au pair and you might be wondering how the transitioning will go when the new au pair arrives. Will the children like her? How are the children’s lives impacted by this change? How long will the transitioning phase last until life fe...

How to Prepare For and Conduct an Au Pair Telephone Interview? Selecting an au pair offers the chance to find the perfect child care provider for your home. You will need to interview the au pairs you think might be a good match for your family over the phone, which lets you learn more about them, explore their child care background and discuss what you both are looking for out of this experience. You...

Can My Au Pair Drive? One of the most frequent questions people ask us is can our au pairs drive a car? The answer is yes. EurAupair only accepts applicants who have a driver’s license. We know many families will rely on their au pairs to drive children to and from school, to sporting events or on fun outings. Knowing they have successfully passed a written and behind the wheel test and have experien...

When Your Au Pair Arrives If you’re preparing to welcome an au pair into your home, you may be wondering what you should do to be ready for the moment she arrives. If you’re curious about how to prepare, you can rest assured that getting ready for your au pair is a fun process you and your children can experience together.   How to Prepare for Your Au Pair: Ask Questions Preparing for the arrival o...

History fills the streets of Boston, but that’s not all the city holds. Boston offers many exciting spots perfect for your young child. Even if your tot isn’t ready for the major historical sites, you’ll find plenty of things to do with your toddler in Boston, MA. Here are our top picks for toddler-friendly activities in Boston. New England AquariumWhen deciding what to do with toddlers in Bosto...

Never say goodbye… | An Au Pair Reunion Story Say à bientôt or auf wiedersehen because you never know when you’ll see one of your au pairs again. It happened to me in July. I got a call from my host family asking if I could come to dinner. Kim, our au pair from Germany, was back in the States! I had conflicting plans that evening, but I called one of my friends and my current au pair, Charlie, and a...

Chicago is known for its excellent live theatre, amazing cuisine and cultural activities, but it’s also a wonderland for families with young kids. The city offers up a wide range of activities perfect for the active, curious toddler set. Not sure what to do with a toddler in Chicago? Keep reading for an assortment of ideas for toddler activities in Chicago.   Shedd Aquarium Tons of tanks full o...

Finding a long-term solution for child care can be tricky for busy families. Depending on your area and the ages of your children, there may be many different options available to you. The key is finding a solution that fits the current and changing needs of your family and your lifestyle. In-home child care options seem limited to nannies and au pairs. Hiring a nanny or hosting an au pair might be two ...

Why Host An Au Pair | Question to Consider When Choosing to Host Is my family's need just temporary or do I need regular full or part-time child care? Do I want my children to be taken care of at my own house and doing extra activities or stay at a day care facility? Do I perceive the support from EurAupair as valuable or am I too busy to have someone check-in on me regularly? ...

Tips to get the host children more interested and involved in their Au Pair's culture and language One of EurAupair's missions is to improve understanding among people of different countries through cultural exchange. However, sometimes the children might not initiate their interest in learning about where their Au Pair is from. Here are a few tips you can do to incorporate some of the ...

Living abroad for a long period of time is something exciting, thrilling and exhilarating but can also be complicated and stressful at times. Everything can be so different from what your au pair is used to: language, landscape, food, weather, driving, customs and much more. Although you may want your au pair to dive right in your family’s routine and lifestyle, it may be useful for you to understand wh...

Joining the military isn't just a job. It's a lifestyle, and when you make your career in the military, you need to be prepared for all the requirements, enriching experiences, changes and challenges it poses — including the way it shapes your family life. If you claim the title of both military member and parent, you know how important it is to provide and care for your child while also meeting your se...

by Amy (and Luke and Mavis), EurAupair Host Family A little four year old girl knew immediately. As our jobs became more chaotic, always having someone to watch our daughter Mavis was getting to be a challenge. We had worn grandma and the neighbors thin, and we needed something more stable and reliable. I knew we needed someone that would be a constant, and love Mavis as we did. Luke, my husband, w...

While all au pairs at EurAupair have some experience caring for children, it's always a good idea to go over the following safety tips when hosting an au pair. Childproofing Keeping kids safe from themselves is a full-time job in and of itself. Help your au pair keep your kids safe by explaining the basics of childproofing a home and ensuring everyone in the household works to keep it so. Common ...

5 Steps to Finding the Perfect Au Pair Is there such thing as a perfect au pair? The true answer to that question is more that there is an au pair who is the “perfect fit” to your family rather than the perfect au pair. Finding an au pair who is a perfect fit for your family depends on your own personal child care needs, lifestyle, and expectations. All of which you should think of and be aware of...

If you're hosting an au pair, you know it's a unique, beneficial experience for both your family and your au pair. While you gain access to flexible child care and life-changing intercultural exposure for your kids, the young woman you're hosting gets to explore a new country, make connections with a new family and participate in growth-oriented cultural exchange programs. Having an au pair in your famil...

EurAupair is here to assist you if you are looking to host an au pair; from the moment you apply, until your au pair boards her return flight at the end of her program year! EurAupair is proud of its excellent, well-trained, and extremely knowledgeable team of Community Counselors and Area Coordinators who provide invaluable advice to host families and au pairs in our program. While they won’t hesit...

All across the country children are returning to school. As the air turns crisp and leaves change colors, host families and their au pairs are often at a loss for interesting and fun things to keep the children engaged after school. Here are six fun ideas for after school activities. 1. Head Outside After being kept inside for most of the school day, children need time to get outdoors and get their...

Summer is in full swing all across the USA, and with children out of school it is important to design a new schedule for your au pair to ensure her work hours do not go over the daily & weekly limit allowed by the program. Here are a few scheduling tips for families hosting an au pair in USA this summer. How to Avoid Over Scheduling Summer time often means that children spend a lot more ti...

Is your family participating in an au pair program? Hosting an au pair is an exciting, beneficial experience for both your family and your au pair. In addition to gaining in-home child care, you and your children will gain the rich benefit of cultural exposure — and your au pair will get to experience a brand new country. During your time together, she'll become an important part of your family — eating...

6 Easy Steps to Welcome your Au Pair into your Home!   Becoming a Host Family is an exciting time as you welcome a new member in your family. From preparing her room, to getting the children involved, and preparing phone numbers & addresses for your au pair, find out what steps you can take to make her transition into your home as easy & pleasant as possible. You can also read more abou...

Hosting an au pair through EurAupair is a great alternative to other child care options since it allows the host family to enhance the cultural understanding of their children, welcome a new member into their family, and receive flexible child care. Here are a few tips to help you create your au pair's schedule and communicate it clearly with her. The Basics of an Au Pair's Work Week ...

Many of EurAupair's host families will need their au pair to drive while in the U.S.; whether it's taking the children to appointments, to or from school, or to after-school activities. Driving in America is obviously different from many other parts of the world. Although all au pairs have a driver's license from their home countries, each will have different driving experiences and comfort lever. ...

More than just an affordable and convenient child care option, hosting an au pair is the best way to enhance the cultural understanding of your children in the comfort of your home. Au pairs will look forward to learning the American way of life and immerge into your routine, however, this is not an easy process. We gathered in this host family guide a few tips to keep in mind when se...

As a single parent, there are a thousand demands on your time every day. Between your job, picking up the kids from school, chauffeuring them to after-school activities, and caring for your home, you've barely got time to breathe. The situation becomes even more stressful when an emergency arises and throws your schedule into chaos. An extra pair of hands around the house would ease some of the pre...

Most of the discussion about au pairs centers on the services that they provide to working parents, especially child care relief and domestic support. What sometimes gets lost in the discussion are the benefits that au pairs can provide to your children. By integrating your EurAupair au pair as a true member of your family, you will understand the real meaning of a cultural exchange and see its many...

by Christine (and John, Alex, Zara & Emma), EurAupair Host Family My husband and I are both physicians, and we have three very active children. I am always very upfront with the au pairs during the interviewing process, warning them we run a busy life, and life with three kids, while a lot of fun, can be chaotic at times! Elise arrived in our family from France in August of 2014. Elise comes f...

The winter holiday seasons are an exciting time of the year to spend time with the family, however, for an au pair, the holidays can be a source of stress. The following information provides insight and tips to concerns commonly experienced with au pair programs during holiday season. Working on the Holiday Season Au pair programs do allow an au pair to work on holidays; however, it's vital to in...

Hosting an au pair is an excellent opportunity to bring the world to children and provide them with a healthy cultural exchange. An au pair is a young international student or person who becomes part of your family, and takes care of your children and household during the process. The au pair becomes an integral, trusted, and beloved part of the family. While this program offers countless benefits, there...

I ask this question since I find myself at the age of 72 in an interesting situation. A good 15 years ago, an old high school friend asked if I’d be interested in becoming a community counselor for an international au pair placement service. Community counselor? What’s that? Well, my friend said, it’s kind of a “go-between.” You help qualify the host family who applies for an au pair through EurAup...

You’ve gone back and forth thinking… is this really the right decision? Do we want to commit to bringing a young au pair from another country into our home? How many candidates should we talk to? Which one should we choose? You’ve finally made the jump and now it’s almost time for your au pair to arrive to your home! More questions arise… How to prepare for her arrival? Do we get her a gift? What will s...

Learn 7 Quick Facts about EurAupair Au Pairs!   Where are they from? How old are they? How are they screened? Do they speak English? Can they drive? How much experience do they have? Learn the au pair's basics right here!

By Kelly (and Micha, Erik, Max & Milly), EurAupair Host Family Let me tell you about our phenomenal au pair, Jacky. She joined us in August 2013, and from the very beginning has been an integral part of our family. When I decided to return to teaching and attend graduate school full-time, it made sense for us to welcome an au pair into our home to help care for our three young children. We kne...

Want to host an au pair? Here are a few reasons why you should choose EurAupair!   Lower Program Fees! Our program fees are among the lowest of all au pair programs available, and so is the initial deposit. Some organizations have a program fee & also charge an additional matching fee. With EurAupair there are no hidden fees! Highest Repeat Family Discount! Our repeat families ...

Here follows a not-so-uncommon scenario… As a host family you are about to repeat for the first time. You have had a very successful year (or two) with your first au pair, who became a real part of the family. The second au pair arrives and things start to go off-kilter from the get-go. Within a month, you think this is not going to work and want a different au pair for your family. Are you a...

by Kati (and George, Lisa, Leia & Ava), EurAupair Host Family Oh my God. What have we done?? We haven't even met this girl yet, and she is already writing to us telling us she loves us?? What if we can't stand her? What if our girls hate her? What if? What if? But what if we love her too and she changes our life? George and I had been going back and forth on whether or not to hire an au p...

“We have happily used EurAupair for over four years now. All three of our au pairs have been outstanding and dependable, and each one has felt like a member of our family. It has been a positive experience for us. There are always many different candidates to choose from, from many different countries. There is always someone at EurAupair, whether at the home office or with your local Commu...