These days most parents feel there are not enough hours in a day to keep up—and I’m one of them! Caring for our children, keeping up with work, managing personal commitments and the all-too-frequent spontaneous emergencies that come up from time to time often require a balancing act for parents that could rival Cirque du Soleil. Also, wouldn’t it be nice to have that occasional date night with your spouse more than ‘once in a blue moon’? Most of my friends wish they had more flexibility with their childcare to create more balance in their life.

As an Area Director for Au Pair Care, an au pair placement agency, I’m often asked the question, “What’s the difference between an au pair and a nanny?” There’s a common misconception that hosting an au pair is very expensive, when in fact au pairs are highly affordable and often the most flexible. Au Pair (pronounced “Oh Pear”) translates to ‘on par with others.’ As Wikipedia effectively defines the role, “the au pair is intended to become a member of the family, albeit a temporary one, rather than a traditional domestic worker.” Au pairs are young adults between the age of 18 and 26 years old and come from approximately 40 countries from around the world. Placement is regulated by Federal governance.

Hosting an au pair is a special experience because you introduce a new culture to your children. They are exposed to a foreign language and experience new customs and foods— all in the comfort of your own home. And of course parents have complete peace of mind that their children are being cared for by someone who can fast become an extended member of the family.

When bringing on an au pair through a Department of State regulated agency, you can receive up to 45 hours a week of childcare support at an affordable cost of approximately $340/week in exchange for room and board and a small weekly stipend for the au pair. This totals to approximately $18,000 per year compared to the $30-$50,000 per year (not uncommon) for a nanny. It is also important to know that the cost remains the same whether you have one child or multiple children. Au pairs typically come for one full year but have the option to extend for a second year.

So you may ask, why do these young men and women decide to become au pairs? For these young adults it is a rare opportunity to be part of an American family experience and meet other young people from around the world. First and foremost these au pairs love caring for children. In order to qualify for this program they are required to have childcare experience. If you have a child under two years of age an au pair who has at least 200 hours of experience with that age group will be placed with you.

At our agency, when the au pair first arrives in the U.S., their first stop is three days in training. This special program is designed to provide au pairs with an introduction to the year and provide practical training and information about childcare and safety topics. The program also focuses on introducing au pairs to American culture and what they can expect living with an American host family. In addition, all au pairs take a minimum of 60 hours of classes—further enriching their experience in the United States.

Whether you have (or are expecting) your first child or your fifth, determining what type of childcare you might require to provide that necessary balance is an important and very personal decision. This choice must match your family’s culture, budget and goals. Consider learning more about your local au pair placement options and see if this experience is one that would meet your childcare needs while at the same time creating some wonderful cultural experencies for your family.

Marni Karel is a local Area Director for AuPairCare in the San Francisco Bay Area and can be contacted at marniapc@gmail.com. For more information visit www.aupaircare.com.