The benefits of having an au-pair

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Our au pair has been with us for just over two months and our life has changed so much. Mostly for the best but I have to admit it is quite challenging to have an extra person living with us. It takes a little bit of getting used to :).  

However the positives outweigh the negatives.

There are several benefits of having an au-pair:

1- I can spend more quality time with my husband. We can even go out together (and on our own!) and we don't have to worry about the availability and the cost of a babysitter. Having no family nearby, it is not something that we have done often in 6 years.

2- I have more time for myself. I can go to the gym or go for a quick jog. I can also have a lie-in once in a while, meet with my friends (even if hubby is at work). I have also grown a new passion for grocery shopping. Only kidding! However I must say that grocery shopping without the kids is much more enjoyable (no tears and no tantrum). It is just me, my trolley and my shopping list. Bliss!

3- I have someone to help me with housework: cleaning, laundry and mealtime chores.

4- I have someone to help me with the kids: When I come home from work, the kids have already been bathed, the toy room tidied, and the homework done. Anna even looks after the kids whilst I cook! Isn’t that beautiful?

5- And Finally, last but not least, having an au-pair at home reinforces the kids’ learning of the minority language. Our au-pair is French. So am I. However the majority language at home is English. I do speak to the kids in French but only when Dad is not around (Dad is British). It does help to have another person in the house who speaks French. The kids’ French has improved so much since she arrived.

As mentioned previously, although it is difficult to cohabit with someone new, I have discovered a new sense of freedom, something I thought was long gone and I am loving it! I am not going back!

If you wish to read the whole story about how we found our au-pair Anna and how our first week went, I have written a series of post which I have filed under the “Childcare" label in my blog.

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