Advantages of an Au Pair over a regular sitter?

Question

My friend is an Au Pair, but will be leaving the country next week, and I am interested in caring for the familes child. I am not young, but have my own transportation, and to top that, can cook-which I would be willing to do for the family.

Do most Germans hire Au Pairs, or do they hire a private person?

By the way, I am an American, and also willing to teach their child English.

Answer 1

The problem with you working as an au-pair for the family is the following: You need to apply for an au-pair visa from outside Germany and must be younger than 24 when you apply. IIRC you are already living in Germany, so you can only work as a regular carer, not as an au-pair. (It is a work permit issue.)

Your best course of action would be to contact the local Jugendamt and inquire there on courses to certify yourself as "Tagesmutter". Once you got that certificate and have also jumped through the bureaucratical hoops of becoming self-employed (toytowngermany.com can help you with this), the family can hire you as a regular carer if they want.

To your question "Do most Germans hire Au Pairs, or do they hire a private person?" I can only answer that personally I would prefer to send my child to a daycare. (So far that is only theoretical, but still.) Next choice would be a "Tagesmutter", a regular carer watching kids from various families in her own home. I would be uncomfortable in letting a total stranger like an Au-pair or a regular carer into my home, plus I would prefer that my child learn social skills by playing with other children.

Hope I helped a bit.

Answer 2

Germans most definitely hire aupairs and nannies.  Check with www.felicitynannies.com.  Its a nanny agency based in Munich.  Also, check on www.toytowngermany.com, an english based online site that you may find helpful.

Answer 3

Breezer, I think I would hire a regular sitter probably over an Au Pair, because i would not like to have anybody living with us. I think this would be a great job for you!!!

Plus the fact that you are an adult, drive a car, are an American and can teach my children English and you would cook.....WOW...I would hire you on the spot!

Try the weblink the first answerer mentioned. Good luck to you!!!

Answer 4

I think German families hire both Au Pairs and regular sitters.

You should introduce yourself to the family and tell them that you would be interested in being their sitter when their Au pair leaves.

It could be that they prefer an Au pair because they are more or less 24 hours available, but who knows..? Maybe they might like the option of a regular sitter better because they can hire you only for certain hours of the day.

Viel Glueck!