Do you want to travel abroad for dirt cheap? Want to live with a host family to truly experience the local culture? Do you love kids? Then being an au pair may be a great choice for you!
Being an au pair means you live with a host family, work with children, and help with light housework.
In exchange, they feed you, give you a place to live, and usually provide a small salary. The au pair deal is a pretty great one, but like any travel abroad experience, there are definitely pros and cons of being an au pair.
Is being an au pair a good experience?
Usually! While being an au pair has pros and cons, it depends heavily on having a great relationship between you and the host family. Because you’re spending the majority of your time with these people, it’s important to do your research and make sure it’s a good fit.
Explore different programs and investigate various cultures that you feel comfortable with. Taking care of children isn’t always easy and neither is dealing with their parents. Communication and cultural awareness is the key to a great au pair experience. When tough times come along, having supportive parents and a well-organized au pair program can go a long way.
READ: 5 Au Pair Jobs to Keep You Exploring (and from Going Broke)
What are the pros and cons of being an au pair?
5 benefits of being an au pair
1. It provides a cheap way to travel abroad
Who would say no to earning money while traveling?
Working as an au pair means that room and board are provided. You’ll live with the family and they’ll provide all your meals. This means you don’t have to worry about searching for an apartment and settling for a tiny (but expensive!) studio apartment that never completely loses that weird smell.
You also won’t have to worry about the cost of meals every day. The family that employs you will take care of all of that and provide you with a small salary. When it comes to finances, there’s no better way to travel abroad.
2. You’ll get the host family experience!
Not only does the family you live with provide room and board, but the routine everyday experience will help you grasp the local culture from an insider perspective! Not only will you get to try many of the ethnic dishes, but you may also get to learn how to cook them too!
That way you can take your favorite meals home and cherish the recipes forever. Your host family can also teach the ins and outs of local culture - and prevent any potential social mishaps. Soon you will eat, talk, and even make jokes like a local.
READ: Part-Time Nanny, Full-Time Fun: Summer Au Pair Jobs
3. Working with cute kids can be really rewarding
Kids are generally really funny and cute! Au pair work can mean anything from babysitting to supervising homeschooling to teaching a new language.
No matter how you interact with the kids, you’ll have an enormous impact on their lives. Not only is it a nice taste of parenthood, but it feels awesome to positively influence the next generation!
4. Your language skills will improve
Imagine speaking your target language to these cute kiddos!
When you live with a local family, chances are you’ll be speaking the local language constantly. This regular practice is excellent for your language skills! Besides the practice, you’ll also be communicating the language with kids.
The kids might catch mistakes in your grammar and point them out, which is an added bonus! it’s not such a big deal when a cute kid points out your grammar error which makes it easy to learn from your mistakes. You’ll be fluent in no time!
5. You’ll meet tons of new, awesome friends
When you’re an au pair, you’ll live abroad for an extended period of time. This means you’ll have tons of time to create and nurture friendships with locals. Au pair programs will sometimes provide a network of other au pairs to connect with as well!
Say goodbye to making fast acquaintances and losing touch after a week. Living in one area makes it easy to make friends and keep them! You will meet tons of people that turn into lifelong friends.
4 disadvantages of being an au pair
1. Working with kids can occasionally be frustrating
Kids can be challenging, but 90% of the time they are AWESOME!
Kids are really funny and cute!... most of the time. They can also test your patience. The good news? The more you work with the kids, the easier it’ll get. You’ll learn what techniques work best for the children and they’ll learn to respect and listen to you. Any prior childcare experience will help but is not necessary.
2. You’ll have to adjust to how the family does things
Working with any family means getting used to their way of doing things. Although the adjustment is unlikely to cause any friction or trouble, it can be a little jarring and feel like a lot to remember! This is another one that will also get easier over time.
You’ll adjust to the family and their routine in no time! Just note that any tension or confusion is usually due to cross-cultural misunderstandings. It’s nothing personal.
Read: Overseas Nanny Jobs: What You Need to Know
3. Separating work and life can be difficult when you live with the family
Living with a family can be a great experience, however, it’s important to make and keep boundaries. When you are “off” work, you may not want to change diapers or help with bedtime. The specifics are up to you and the family, but make sure you communicate about it! Know all expectations from the beginning.
Clarify the boundaries and check in regularly with your host parent. Be honest and transparent about your needs. Host parents want the relationship to be good just as much as you do. While striking the work-life balance can be tricky, this con is definitely not a deal-breaker.
4. You might travel around the area a little less
If you au pair for a family in Paris, you may be excited to see the nearby area as well! However, depending on the au pair deal, you might not be able to take trips every weekend. Since you’re on the family’s schedule, traveling when the kids have holidays may be difficult.
The good news is that you’ll be able to get to know the area where the family lives really well! And day trips on your time off will be your best friend.
Our FREE Online Advisor can match you with 5 au pair programs abroad
Being an au pair could be your ticket to seeing the world!
Time to start planning!
Imagine living abroad with a local family who provides free housing, food, and language practice! Although there are pros and cons of being an au pair, the pros outweigh the cons! And any cons will improve with time, clear communication, and a positive attitude.
There is no better way to live abroad for cheap, gain language fluency, and understand the local culture than being an au pair. Overall, it’s a fantastic way to see the world. Get ready to immerse yourself in the culture, work with cute kids, and have the time of your life!
