"Sharing an Au Pair" anyone done it?

[WonkaBar]

Having just moved to London, and with a new 4 month old, some help would be FABULOUS.

However my German hubby and I do not want some one here all the time, and thought it would be great to "share" an au pair.

We invisioned partnering up with another family in the same town, and doing 3 days/4 days at each house...or alternate weeks.

Has anyone ever tried this?

We are looking to get a German Au Pair for the language exposure. So if this sounds interesting, we are in Teddington.

I'm confused by 3/4 days at each house. Which house would she live at? Surely she is not going to work 3 days at one house and 4 at the other because that would be a 7 day work week.

I think maybe a live out mothers help might be more your thing.

I have done a nanny share 3 times and would guess the idea is the same. Ask away!!

Actually, it was exactly what I was thinking. Certainly not the situation for everyone, or every au pair...but someone might prefer it, especially if they could be paid a slightly higher wage for doing so.

And of course they would not work 7 days a week...just stay at both houses during the week or alternate weeks.

It is too expensive for a "nanny" and I really want to get a German speaker.

I am sure I am not the only one who wants a greater degree of affordable help, but does not want someone in the house all of the time.

I recognize that finding the right situation would be difficult, but certainly not impossible.

Why don't you just get a German au apair and give her plenty of time to get out of the house. Maybe pass her name out to friends and offer her up for babysitting. But, I would certainly not be happy living in two different places.

Agree this sounds like a part time mother's help role, possibly shared with another family, possibly just a couple of hours a day with you. As the German mother tongue sounds important, maybe a student on a year abroad? No idea where you start looking tho.

You might find a German speaker from the accession states perhaps who was happy to do a couple of hours a day?

I am sure you could find a live-out German student or an existing au-pair who wouldn't mind making extra money by helping out a few hours per week. I myself have employed a number of cleaners who have been au-pairs in other families and looked for extra work for times when their host family didn't need them.
Seems like an easier arrangement as there would be no need to coordinate with any additional families (and no need for anyone to live in two different places)

Have you looked at Look at gumtree.com?