We all know that choosing childcare is no easy decision. As parents, we want a high-quality solution we can trust that provides flexibility and enrichment. This month, we decided to take a look into a little-known childcare option that hundreds of thousands of American families have been turning to for the past 30 years: hosting an au pair!
We say ālittle-knownā because many people arenāt exactly sure what an au pair is or does, much less how to find one. An au pair is a young adult between the ages of 18-26 from another country who comes to the U.S on a J-1 cultural exchange visa and lives with an American family for up to two years. The au pair can provide up to 45 hours per week of childcare while experiencing life as part of an American family.
We recently caught up with Maja and Daniel Torssell Bundzik, parents of two from South Orange whose family has hosted au pairs for several years, to get an inside look at what itās like to host an au pair in New Jersey, and why their family chooses the Cultural Care Au Pair program year after year as their childcare option.
Macaroni Kid: Hey, Maja and Daniel! Tell us a bit about your family.
Maja & Daniel: We live in South Orange with our two children, Vega (11) and Sixten (8). Weāre currently hosting an au pair from Sweden for the second year and sheās been a wonderful addition to our family.
MK: Thatās great. So why did you initially decide to host an au pair, as opposed to other childcare options?
M&D: We realized early on that no other child care option can beat the quality and flexibility provided by an au pair. In our decision we were weighing different aspects-- the amount of homework that our kids receive any given week, their activities that require them to be driven back and forth, the travel that we do for work, and having an extra pair of hands in the home and a "big sibling" to our kids. Since weāre originally from Sweden, an added plus was the opportunity to have a Swedish au pair so that our children got additional exposure to the language, and someone who was able to join us in celebrating our Swedish holidays.
MK: Can you share how Cultural Care Au Pair has supported you throughout the process of finding and hosting an au pair?
M&D: The process of matching with an au pair can be nerve wracking, but we had great support from our matching specialist who understood what we were looking for. Fortunately, we quickly found our current au pair and did not have to spend too much time in the āmatchingā stage. We also have a great local childcare consultant, Heather, who is really approachable and supportive, and whom I know would be there if we ever run into any challenges.
MK: Weād love to hear some of your favorite memories about hosting your au pairs...can you share some with us?
M&D: We have so many! A particularly memorable one is camping at Lake George during the tropical storm Harvey. We spent a lot of time inside the tent, trying to keep dry in the downpour and playing cards to pass the time. Just spending time together in such a crazy situation makes it a great memory.
MK: Do you have any words of wisdom for families who might be thinking about hosting an au pair?
M&D: Donāt rush the matching process. Take the time needed to ask concrete, behavioral questions, but also listen to what your gut tells you. Discuss the non-negotiable qualities with your spouse and what are mere ānice-to-havesā. Be transparent with the au pair regarding likely weekly schedules - if you are not sure about the number of hours a week, communicate the maximum allowed to provide some buffer. Be clear about the expectations, and keep the communication alive. Lastly, always assume positive intent!
Learn more about hosting an au pair.
