Would You Hire A Male Au Pair?
We received the following email question this morning:
Hi Edina, I have a question for your readers (and you). I have 3 boys all under the age of 9. They are active boys and like to run outside and play ball, go to the park, etc. They are not the type of kids who like to sit and do arts and crafts! I work at home and need an extra pair of hands with my boys! I am looking for an au pair, and my placement manager told me to consider a "male" au pair. How often do host parents hire a male and what is the consensus on male au pairs? Is it safe? Do they like to watch children? Thank you!
Sarah T., Vermont USA
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Male Au Pairs or "Mannies"
Hi Sarah, good question. Only a small percent of host parents hire a male au pair in the U.S.A. Some agencies will not recruit male au pairs (example, Au Pair in America used to offer male au pairs, but they have made the decision to recruit only females).
In Europe, they are much more common. Hiring a male au pair for active boys is an excellent idea.
We ran a poll on male au pairs and asked our readers "Would You Host a Male Au Pair?" and the results were very positive! We think the concept of male au pairs is catching on in America and we predict the trend will continue to grow.
Our 2010 poll results indicates that American families (63%) are open to hiring a male au pair to care for their children.
These data indicate favorable opinions regarding these young men despite negative news stories about male au pair abusing children in their care. Of course, Cultural Care's male au pair, Ricardo Silva de Araujo, winning the Au Pair of the Year Award, didn't hurt the image of male au pairs! This was a great story of a young man who won the award for his caring and involvement in the life of a special needs teenager.
According to StartAnAupairAgency.co.uk, male au pairs tend to: be less affected by homesickness, are more likely to be drivers, interacts better with other boys, can do heavier work and are less likely to return home before their year is up.
What other kinds of factors might influence a family to either hire or reject a male au pair?
To find out, read the entire report at Poll Results Male Au Pairs