Trustees, Timelines, Family Dynamics

When people think about an au pair, they often think about childcare. While dependable childcare is one benefit, many host families discover that the experience offers much more. Au pairs bring different cultures, languages, traditions, and perspectives into a family’s daily life, often becoming trusted role models and cherished members of the household.

One local mountain family recently shared their experiences hosting au pairs through Cultural Care. Their story highlights the practical support the program can provide, and the meaningful relationships and cultural connections that can develop.

The Arak-Eng family shared, “When I joined the Cultural Care Au Pair program in 2019, my two boys were just 2 and 4 years old. I had recently started working as an in- house attorney in the Silicon Valley, we were living off Summit Road, and my husband was out of town at least half the time. Like many working parents, I needed help.

In our close-knit mountain community, someone connected me with a consultant from Cultural Care. From our first conversation, it was clear that she genuinely cared about both the young adults in the program and the host families she supported. After speaking with her, I began the search for an au pair.

Over the years, our family has had wonderful experiences. Our first au pair from Cultural Care was a young man from Sweden who adored my boys and was always planning fun adventures. Later, we welcomed a young man from Portugal who shared his love of sports and kept the boys active, engaged, and constantly on the move.

Like any childcare arrangement, things were not always perfect, but we had support. Whenever challenges arose, our consultant was there to help both our family and our au pair navigate them. Our current consultant, Angela, continues that commitment of support. She is kind, fair, assertive, and deeply dedicated. Her guidance helped me better understand what our family needed, establish clear expectations and appropriate boundaries, and find the right match.

Now we are preparing to welcome our third male au pair, or “bro-pair,” as they are affectionately known. He is from Poland, and my boys are already excited to explore and learn coding with him. For our family, the au pair program has provided much more than childcare. We love having an older role model in our home, who brings a new culture, perspective, and energy into our daily lives. The practical help, especially with driving and managing busy schedules, has been invaluable. Even more important is knowing that my boys are receiving attention, encouragement, and guidance from someone I trust.

Hosting an au pair from Cultural Care has been one of the best childcare decisions I have ever made. It has provided our family with dependable support, meaningful cultural exchange, and relationships that have enriched my boys’ lives in ways I never expected.”

While every host family’s experience is unique, many find that welcoming an au pair enriches their lives in ways they never anticipated. Children gain exposure to different cultures, families build international friendships, and young adults from around the world experience life in an American Opportunities remain for families interested in learning more about hosting. The organization is expanding its network of local childcare consultants in other parts of the country to support growing communities of host families.

To learn more about the Cultural Care Au Pair program, call me at 408-771-5219, email angela.wuerz@lcc.culturalcare.com, or visit culturalcare.com/lcc/awuerz.