Make your French au pair feel welcome into your family
France is known for excelling in a variety of fields, including art, history, science, food, architecture, and language, to mention a few. But did you know that the French are also excellent caregivers?
Au pairs are a concept that is literally titled after the French. After all, the phrase “au pair” means “on par” in French, which perfectly describes the type of relationship an au pair enjoys with a host family: equal, mutually enriching, and caring.
Au pairs in France are seen as more than just nannies; they are considered full members of the family, acting as a “big sister” or “big brother” to their host children. They develop a united front with their host parents to make things operate well at home.
Perhaps some of this is due to the substantial childcare experience that so many young French women and men have. Whether it’s a French au pair, a French nanny, or a French babysitter, these caregivers typically gain experience in childcare through babysitting, caring for younger family members, or working in daycare centres or summer camps.
The French are known for helping out with childcare, making it a collaborative effort that lends itself nicely to the au pair experience in the United States. Au pairs from France also come from a country where most families place a high value on quality childcare.
France has an excellent childcare system in which the government pays for 80% of the care, implying that there are many families enrolled in childcare programmes and thus plenty of opportunities for French caregivers to gain the experience they need to participate in programmes like the au pair programme in the United States.
Welcome an au pair from France into your family!
Aside from the experience that au pairs from France bring to their host families in the United States, they also bring with them an incredible culture that they are eager to share! The French are proud of their culture and language, and they go to great lengths to preserve it while also sharing it with culturally interested and open people like host families.
When you choose to host a French au pair for your children, you are exposing them to the wonders of the French language. An au pair who speaks French is eager to teach your children basic French phrases. And having a native speaker living and working with you every day is the best approach to master French pronunciation, which is one of the most difficult to master.
Of all, just because a French-speaking au pair is eager to teach your family their language doesn’t mean they’ll be difficult to converse with. French au pairs are fluent in English since they are introduced to it as young children in primary school and are exposed to it throughout their lives. Indeed, one of the most driving factors for au pairs from France is to be immersed in an English-speaking environment, so you can expect a flawless blend of French and English when you welcome one into your house.
French au pairs are proud of their background and eager to talk about it, whether it’s about their vacations, family life, art, or anything else. With a live-in daycare provider from France, your children will be able to participate in French traditions such as making crepes or other French cuisine on important occasions.
It also entails studying French songs, dances, and other aspects of French culture that contribute to the country’s popularity! (Did you know that France receives around 75 million tourists each year, making it the most visited country on the planet?)
Hosting a French au pair is a joy for many of our host families because they value quality family time and intimacy. Au pairs from France value family, so they will relish the chance to cook for parties and family meals, as well as get-togethers and holidays that will allow them to connect and learn more about the American way of life and present their culture to a receptive audience. The French love family and are excellent communicators when it comes to voicing any issues or worries, so you can expect deliberate, honest dialogue regarding the most important thing in your life: your children.
There are a plethora of reasons to host a French au pair, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to what your family needs the most. An au pair from France is the way to go if you want to host a live-in childcare provider who will love your children, share their culture and language with you, and look forwards to spending quality time with the entire family.
