Au Pair in America branches into Thomasville, seeks host families

Sep. 25—THOMASVILLE- Childcare in rural areas can be difficult to come by, and finding a babysitter who parents trust may seem daunting. Luckily, Au Pair in America is expanding their reach to Thomasville, allowing families to feel right at home with their child under the close eye of someone seen as their equal.

Au pairs are typically young people, primarily women, between the ages of 18-26, from all over the world, who travel to the United States to live with a host family and become a caregiver to the child, all while sharing their culture with the family and learning more about America.

According to Au Pair in America Community Counselor Lauren Schuler, the French word au pair means "on par" or "equal to," which is exactly what these young women will be, when caring for the child.

"We try to find them host families, who at minimum need the au pair for a year," she explained. "After the year is up, they are able to resign and have the au pair for a maximum of two years."

Au Pairs can provide up to 45 hours per week of child care assistance, up to 10 hours per day, but the schedule is designed to be flexible to fit every household's personal needs. In addition to helping out with the kids, au pairs can also help with household duties related to the children, including laundry, dishes, meal prep and overall cleanliness.

Many host families find that au pairs are great at helping parents cart the kids to various practices or picking them up from school. After picking up the kids, au pairs are able to provide them with homework help and additional fun, educational activities. Some of the activities the au pair may share with the kids is their language or some of their cultural traditions.

"The family hosting is immersed in a new culture," Schuler said. "When you host, you're introducing your family to another culture, another corner of the world, all without leaving your home. From food, to language, to holidays, sharing cultures is the beating heart of the au pair program."

Au Pair in America has one of the largest au pair recruiting agencies across the globe, with au pairs from every continent except Antarctica. Part of the recruiting process is finding host homes for the young women hoping to help care for children while experiencing American life.

Schuler is excited to begin the search for host families in Thomasville and wants people to know that au pairs are for families of all income levels.

"One of the best things about a live-in child care provider is you set the schedule," she said. "The great thing about them is they're reliable and they are dedicated to you and your family. The childcare is truly unmatched."

Au pairs can be caregivers for anyone under 18 years of age, but at minimum must be three months old.

Schuler has worked with au pairs for years and said she recommends to anyone and everyone, as the experience provides benefits for all involved.

For those interested in learning more about becoming a host family to an au pair, visit www.aupairinamerica.com or contact Schuler at 850-325-0440.