Au Pair

If you enjoy working with kids but are looking to spend some time abroad, consider becoming an Au Pair. As the international equivalent of a Nanny, you spend your days playing with and caring for your young charges.

Like any type of Childcare Worker, you make sure the kids you watch stay safe and entertained. You play with toys, color pictures, and plan excursions to places like the zoo or museum. Throughout the day, you make sure the kids stay on schedule by planning out snack time and putting them down for naps.

If they’re school-age kids, you may also be in charge of dropping them off or picking them up from school. Your exact responsibilities depend on the number of kids you have under your care, their ages, and what the parents want your duties to be.

Safety is a big part of this role, and you should be able to react quickly in stressful situations. Though there can be a language barrier in the beginning, you should always know how to ask for directions to a hospital, or seek help if a major fall or accident happens on your watch.

An Au Pair enjoys a special position, as the purpose of this role is not just to care for the kids but also to become a part of the family. Most Au Pairs live with their host families, enjoying dinners and vacations with the children and their parents. Au Pair contracts will spell out how much time you’ll be working during the week, though the exact hours can occasionally be flexible. This might mean working night shifts as a Babysitter one week, and then days the next.