As a family with 3 young daughters, help was welcome. O-PAIR guided us through the entire process, but it didn't stop there. Because the paperwork is only 1 part of the story, the actual search for an au pair is also more intensive than expected. An au pair that is suitable for one family, is not necessarily suitable for another family. O-PAIR also helped us with that, to find someone who met our specific needs. Afterwards I heard from our au pair that O-PAIR had done exactly the same for her, namely specifically searched for a family where she would feel good.
In the beginning, this requires some adjustment from both sides. The au pair is of course thrown into the deep end in a foreign country, where she not only has to integrate with another family and another culture, she also has to leave her acquaintances behind. On our side, there is of course suddenly a 4th daughter in the family. My fear of cold water was great, but in retrospect unfounded. Yes, there is an 'odd one out', but she takes away a lot of practical concerns about the children, which means you can spend much more effective time with your children. Also in terms of privacy, there are far fewer issues than I expected. We are all adults in this process, and most of the time you spend with the au pair is with the children anyway.
Yes, when you walk through your house during the day, you will sometimes come across the au pair. That takes some getting used to, in both directions. And if there are any problems, good agreements make good friends. But it never really gets to that point, since you both sense where the boundaries are without actually making a policy about it. As mentioned before; the au pair may be young, the girls who choose this are clearly more independent than the average 20-year-old and are therefore mature enough to judge for themselves where the boundaries are. It certainly does not come down to having to raise an extra child. And they themselves also need privacy, with mutual respect you can go a long way.
As a host, you also get to know and appreciate another culture, so it is not a one-way street. I have even reached the point where I would rather consider it a loss to have to live without an au pair. The scales clearly lean towards the advantages.
I can only recommend it to anyone reading this, especially when you work with a top team like O-PAIR!
Guy, Bekkevoort