When you need help with your little one, and you decide to hire help that comes to you, what is the best way to bring that into your home? Your main options for that type of childcare are a nanny or an au pair. While they will both aid you in easing the load of parenthood, is there a right one to hire?
When the question of using an au pair vs. nanny comes up for your household, which one is the way to go for your family? Know the differences between them to make the decision that works best for your situation at home.
Au pair vs. nanny
A nanny
Think of a nanny as a paid employee. You pay a set rate for a set number of hours, with what they do — and do not do — clearly outlined before they start. There will be a bit of lighter household cleaning and chores associated with the children a nanny does, but it is nothing too extreme. They come to you, clock in, do their job, and then go back to their home and their life.
An au pair
Think of an au pair as another member of your family or an extension of your family. Au pairs come from another country on a work visa for a set amount of time, mostly for one year. They can extend their visa, sometimes up to one more year. An au pair lives in your home, taking care of your children, and the day-to-day responsibilities are more extensive than a nanny’s. They bring their culture with them and can really give your child a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The main differences
- Work schedule
- Pay
- Experience
- Duties
The big things you have to think about that will decide which fits your lifestyle best are the differences in the work schedule, pay and other fees, their experience, and the daily duties. While they both watch your child, the duties and responsibilities beyond that will determine which best fits your home situation.
Work schedule
An au pair’s work schedule is set by the government. One cannot work more than 10 hours in one day and can work a maximum of 45 hours in one week. Because the au pair lives with you, you can be flexible with the schedule, more so than you could with a nanny, throwing the housework in here and there as needed.
A nanny can work whenever they want, but it’s up to them. They dictate their hours and when they are available, and you decide if that could work for your family. You have a little less control in the scheduling department with a nanny.
Pay
A nanny is paid an hourly wage agreed to before they are hired, but the rate can be almost anything as long as it’s the minimum wage for the state. They can charge extra for last-minute needs, overnights, or only be available mornings, but they are paid a flat rate otherwise.
An au pair’s pay is more involved. You have to pay the agency they come from, support them for the time they live with you, and a weekly stipend is paid to the au pair. Since they live in your home, the increase in normal bills will fall on you to cover in addition to the weekly stipend you pay them. If you take the au pair to a festival, you pay for them to go and other things like that.
Experience
An au pair does go through a certain training process before being placed with a host family, but their level of babysitting or childcare experience can vary from person to person. The agency can help place a person with the qualifications and training you want for your family.
A nanny can have as little or as much training as the individual person goes through. It is more up to you to ask the right questions for the qualifications you want.
Duties
A nanny helps with childcare first. Depending on discussions beforehand, the nanny may help with light housework in relation to the children, such as cooking for them and cleaning up after them.
An au pair helps with the children and does housework in relation to the children, like cooking and cleaning up after the kids.
The duties of the two are pretty similar, but since the au pair is living with the family, the tasks will be more focused on the children and anything that revolves around them.
Au pair vs. nanny for your family
So, which route should you go? Since an au pair involves a higher financial commitment, and you will need the room in your home, that is where you should start when considering between the two. What kind of level of involvement you want the person to have in your family and in your home can really distinguish which one you want to hire for your family.
An au pair will eat with you, live with you, and be another member of the family. If that feels too intimate for your situation, a nanny who comes, does their job, and then goes back to their life might be a better fit for you. Ultimately, you have to decide which is better for your situation, but no matter what, as long as you feel your child is being cared for in the best way possible, you made the right decision.
