Au pair vs nanny
Talking to a couple of friends who might be considering taking on an au pair, I first found the idea amusing. There was a little vintage side. When they told me, it was to play nanny, but at a lower cost, the idea especially struck me as weird.
Back home, I wondered if it was better to have your children looked after by the first or by the second.
An au pair is a young person, usually a foreigner, who comes to a large city in South Africa such as Johannesburg or Pretoria, to offer a service in exchange for room and board. And according to a series of regulated guidelines and a weekly monetary contribution.
Nanny is a broader term; it refers to any person offering a service to take care of the child(ren) in the household. Nannies are, in general, residents in South Africa. They may have their apartment or house, but do not live with you. Au pairs must necessarily live with you to take care of your children.
Au pairs may or may not have experience with children, which is more difficult to verify, due to the distance. If you don’t speak the language of the people, they cite you as references…
- Nannies can be part-time or full-time, depending on your needs.
- Au pairs can work up to 45 hours a week, which is not the case for a declared professional in South Africa.
- Au pairs and nannies can provide housekeeping services as well.
- Au pairs may speak very little French, which creates a language barrier.
An au pair girl: what does it cost you?
If you are considering hosting an au pair, the good news is that the regulations on the amount of her small reward are quite clear. However, there are other costs in addition to the allowance you must pay. And these costs can vary, especially if you go through an intermediary agency to make your choice easier.
In addition to these costs, you must also pay an allowance to your au pair. If she babysits children over 2 years old, she must be thanked for around R1500 per week. If she manages children under 2 years old, she must receive almost R2500 per week. The estimated supplement, serving the maintenance of your au pair, is approximately R5000.
The benefits of choosing a nanny
If you are looking for reasons to choose a nanny, and to convince yourself that you are making the best choice, here are some obvious facts:
Child care is not a decision taken lightly. When you decide to entrust it to a nanny, you can meet a candidate face to face, during an interview, and estimate how this person interacts with your child.
Your search is simpler because it will necessarily be limited to the local level. You can also use the online nanny database offered by Smart Helper Center.
When choosing a nanny, you can be more flexible about the qualifications you desire. Whether it’s several years of experience, a first aid certification, or the possibility of working part-time, you are not limited by the search criteria predefined by an au pair agency.
At the end of the story, my friends came to the same conclusion as mine: long live the nannies! When it comes to money, thoughts tend to converge…
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