An Open Letter to All My Former, Current, and All AuPairs,

It’s been 4.5 years that we have relied on an AuPair as our primary means of childcare for our sons. During that time we have had 6 AuPairs in our home with varying stay durations (10 days to 1.5 years).

Often people who use other forms of childcare are misled to believe that only the rich can afford to have live-in childcare. I am quick to correct them that AuPairs make approximately minimum wage for a job that is insanely hard. So hard that, I, as a self aware mother of 3, know I could not be a SAHM full time. Note: the wage remains the same whether an AuPair cares for one child or 4, or 5!!

What I find baffling is that there are people and families that completely disregard this amazing resource to their family. AuPairs are often over worked, not given their due respect, or treated like a member of the family.

These amazing young people (who don’t have children of their own yet) wipe your children’s asses, kiss boo-boos, brush away tears, pick up toys, do the kids’ laundry, help with homework, make meals, serve as a personal concierge and chauffeur all in a day’s work.

Sure there are some bumps in the road, curfews broken, dings to the car, parking/traffic tickets and the like to deal with on the occasion. But good communication and an open, mature relationship have seen us through the tough times.

We have been truly blessed to have forged amazing and lasting relationships with our AuPairs. We keep in touch. We genuinely miss them when they are gone.

Thank you all for being brave and taking a chance on our crazy family of five plus a dog. It’s not easy being away from your family, friends and all the comforts of home.

Thank you for your kindness. The last few years have been very tough emotionally for our family and you, our AuPairs, are the glue that keep/kept this family together.

Thank you for turning a blind eye to the chaos and disorganized mess. There are only so many hours in the day and we try our best.

Thank you for pretending to have a deaf ear to our raised voices or tantruming children. What can I say, but we live and love life LOUDLY.

Thank you for loving my children as much as you could at any given moment. You have connected with them in ways you will never fully recognize. You have given them the affection they needed, when they permitted it…the structure and discipline they craved, when testing those boundaries…the creativity to try and learn new things. You served as the best proxy to us, their parents, being there full time. For that is a debt which can never be repaid.

They say “it takes a village to raise a child.” I am glad our village is made up of awesome AuPairs. I will be sad when we reach a day and age that we no longer require an AuPair for childcare. You all have truly become “the family we choose”.

We hope you accept this letter as a small token of gratitude and appreciation we have for each one of you.

And a final note of thanks…Thanks for not posting any embarrassing pictures of our recycling bin, because we know how much this Host Mama likes her vino 😜.

I wish you all a great AuPair year and hope this experience enlightens you and allows you to grow in ways you never thought possible.

“To travel is to live.” -Hans Christian Andersen

Gratefully Yours,

Kristine

Host Mom