Is an Au Pair the way to go or is it a bad idea?

[ziglet]

Hi, I am a mummy to a 8 month old daughter and a son who is almost 3.
I have my own mobile soft play hire business and my husband works most hours of each day (he's just set up his own business) he's out 7.30am-8.30pm or later every weekday.

I am struggling to keep up with my business and keep the house running smoothly whilst giving my kids the extra attention I want to give them.

Dinner, bath & bedtimes are a particular nightmare at the moment.

My toddler play sessions will begin again soon and an extra pair of hands to keep a watchful eye on my children would be fantastic.
Sessions including setting up and packing away would be approx 8am-2pm twice per week.
I could also use some help 7.30-8.30am on the other 3 weekdays and then approx 4.30-7pm each weeknight. Maybe a few more hours as needed.

The au pair would very rarely be in sole charge of the children, maybe occasionally for an hour or so.
I work from home and during the toddler sessions I will be in same the community hall in which I run them from.

Does an au pair sound like a good option??

Thanks in advance :)

The hours may be restrictive for someone who wants to do an English course but possibly workable. Given that you will be around it's not an absolute no-no given the ages of your children as they'll be more an extra pair of hands.

More importantly are you happy about having someone live in your home etc?

before having children we used to have foreign exchange students stay with us, upto 4 students at a time and they'd stay for upto 6 weeks.
We quite enjoyed it, my husband is a youth worker so it was ok.
I guess it comes down to finding the right person.
No idea how i'd even start!

It sounds like an AP could be ideal for you. Try posting an advert on Au Pair World. State exactly what you're looking for including hours, pay etc and see what the applications are like. You have nothing to lose by looking and wouldn't be committing to anything unless you specifically offer the position to someone.
Our first AP has just gone home this morning and despite my worry about someone living with us she was a massive help and is already sorely missed!