Au Pair boys...

[dalstondaisy]

I'm new to this au pair lark, but I'm going back to work after Christmas and I think an au pair would be a good option for us. I'm a single mum, so I was thinking it might be good to have a male au pair to give the kids a male role model. Does anyone have any experience with au pair boys? I don't know anyone else with an au pair at all, let alone a boy.

What do you want them to do? Mainly housework? Play with the kids? Will they have any sole charge?

A bit of housework - loading/emptying the dishwasher, hanging washing out, buying bread and milk. Mostly would be for taking the kids to school in the morning, picking them up and looking after them sole charge til I get home at about 6.30pm. And taking the dog for a walk. I think about 30 hours work a week.

I considered aupair boys briefly. Must say I was more taken with it than dh who vetoed it.

I think they are good with children who are older boys. Football, rough play and all that. Plus more likely they can do gardening and heavier work (provided they have the skills and inclination). Less issues with food or borrowing of clothes but could eat you out of the house?

All stereotypes here.

Not sure about the male role model, but perhaps someone else could come along. You are assuming this male person is a suitable role model, when the aupair business could be very hit and miss, the sort of person you get, especially if they are young.

Ok,...I've tried a few male au pairs this year, I won't be trying it again! I'm sure I was unlucky, but a combination of useless teenage boys and me being quite anal just didn't go together! I know a few people who have boys and have had great experiences so you could be just as unlucky with a girl BUT the summer boy I had this year, had never done anything for himself, no washing, no cooking and as for multi tasking FORGET it! It was just like I had 3 boys to care for instead of 2 and tbh my ds's (6&8) were more capable than him. The boy I tried earlier this year had a horrendous attitude, he was Romanian and obviously thought housework etc was womens work and beneath him. This is a very comman attitude I'm told in Eastern European men..he also thought it was acceptable to scream at the kids! and he was racist! not a role model I would want for my kids particularly. If this is your 1st AP I would think very carefully about getting a boy, I might think about it again when the kids are older but I personally would recommend a girl especially if your kids are young. I'm sure NannyNick will appear and give his opinion and defend men but I think he might just be one of a kind!

I can imagine teenage boys being a bit useless! I was hoping to find someone a bit older who had lived away from home before - maybe a university student who wants to improve his English? I'd hope to find someone with previous childcare experience too. I was thinking of looking for a German (or Austrian or Swiss) au pair since I speak a bit of German and would like the chance to improve too!

Oh, and if I was hiring a male aupair, I would consider it vital that this person has had previous AUPAIR experience, and speak to the previous family about him.

lol, dalston, about teenage boys being useless. So many partners on here (grown-up to boot) are still useless, especially in the housework department.

I agree with blueshoes actually..summer boy was German, had just finished his civilian service in a nursery...don't think he did anything!

Hmm... so not an overwhelming vote of confidence in au pair boys then! But I've also been reading some of the threads about people's nightmare au pair girls .

I feel that an au pair is the only option that makes sense financially though