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Au Pairs
Dear MrDad:
What’s an au pair? Should I hire one to
take care of my kid?
A: Au pairs are usually young women who
come to the States on yearlong cultural exchange
programs administered by the United States
Information Agency (USIA). Legally, au pairs are
nonresident aliens and are exempt from social
security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes.
What an au pair provides is up to forty-five
hours per week of live-in child care. In exchange,
you pay a weekly stipend (currently around $155) as
well as airfare, insurance, an educational stipend,
program support, and full room and board. On
average, having an au pair will set you back about
$13,000 for the full year.
You can hire an au pair though one of only eight
USIA-approved placement agencies. It can be a
wonderful opportunity for you and your baby to
learn about another culture. One drawback, however,
is that they can stay only a year, then it’s
au revoir to one, bonjour to another. It’s
also important to remember that from the young
woman’s perspective, being an au pair is a
cultural thing. She may be far more interested in
going to the mall with her new American friends or
hanging out with your neighbor’s teen-age son
than in taking care of your kid.
You can find out more about au pairs at
exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges/private/aupair_brochure.htm#once
©2008, Armin Brott
* * *
It's clear that most American children suffer
too much mother and too little father. - Gloria
Steinem
A
nationally recognized parenting expert, Armin Brott
is the author of Blueprint
for Men's Health: A guide to a health
lifestyle,
The
Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for
Dads-to-Be;
The
New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First
Year, A
Dad's Guide to the Toddler
Years, Throwaway
Dads, The
Single Father: A Dad's Guide to Parenting without a
Partner and Father for
Life. He has written on parenting and fatherhood
for the New York Times Magazine, The
Washington Post, Newsweek and dozens of
other periodicals. He also hosts “Positive
Parenting”, a nationally distributed, weekly
talk show, and lives with his family in Oakland,
California. Visit Armin at www.mrdad.com
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