From our friend Carrie Crompton at Cultural Care Au Pair:

Au pairs are young adults, 18 to 26 years old, who arrive in the United States on a J-1 Cultural Exchange Visa. Au pairs hope to acquire a better understanding of the cultural aspects of American life while living with an American family and caring for their children. They typically come for one year, but can extend their stay for up to two years. The translation of "au pair" is "on par" or equal, based on the idea that an au pair becomes like a member of the family.

During her au pair year, an au pair can travel both domestically and internationally with her American Host Family. This can provide a tremendous help to families who travel for both business and pleasure.

As a working mother of a baby, I take my baby, Rand, and our au pair with me on as many work trips as I can. By taking Steffi, our au pair, with me on a business trip, I can continue to nurse and comfort Rand and know he is in good hands while working. When a baby is young, separation anxiety can be particularly stressful for a business-traveling mother. By bringing Rand and Steffi with me, the problem is solved. Steffi cares for Rand while I conduct business during the day and then we were happily together in the evening and overnight.

On vacations, Steffi always provides some much needed downtime for me. She often takes Rand to the pool or beach herself, or takes him back to the hotel room for afternoon naps. This allows me to enjoy some flexibility and alone-time on vacation.

There is no researching or interviewing local agencies or individual babysitters. By having an au pair with you on vacation, Choice Moms can have the peace of mind knowing that their children are being properly cared for by someone the child knows and loves - just like at home.

For more information on the au pair program and Cultural Care Au Pair, contact Carrie Crompton at 314-750-0509 or carrie.crompton@culturalcare.com.