Never
in a million years did I think I would have an au pair. The Legos
alone frequently threaten to take over the living room in my Hoboken,
New Jersey apartment – where would I put an extra person? Yet here I
am, with an au pair who has rescued my marriage, career and sanity. I
cannot imagine life without Jana.How did I wind up making such a drastic turnaround? I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when I changed my mind. The catalyst to my conversion? AuPairCare area director Andrea Coyle. I met Andrea three years ago at a street fair and wound up exchanging a few emails because I was curious about how urban families fit au pairs into their lives (hint: temporary walls and loft beds are your friends). Andrea has been consistently helpful, reliable and knowledgeable. She has given me peace of mind about the au pair process throughout my entire experience.
I never intended to be a work at home mom. Seven years ago, when I became pregnant with my first child, I wound up staying home due to medical complications. Parenting and physical recovery turned out to be much more difficult than my husband and I expected. With two intense, time-consuming careers, we decided the best option for our family was for me to stay home. However, in these uncertain economic times, I did not want to abandon my career. We also needed my earnings. The flexible hours provided by an au pair were the best fit with my highly unpredictable schedule. It was also the most affordable option at $8 per hour compared to the going rate of $20.
Increasing my family by 150% while growing a business has led to some rough patches. Four months after Jana’s arrival, her presence in our lives is an unmitigated success. My children have wholeheartedly accepted her as a family member – it helps that they have an uncle who is the same age. We no longer have the giant piles of unfolded laundry that were the bane of my husband’s existence, and the kids have actually been picking up the living room legos under Jana’s tutelage.
We have taken Jana to see New York City cultural sites like Coney Island and Central Park, and her adoration for the baby is obvious in the way she runs to pick her up when she cries. Best of all, my husband and I have gone out on a couple of dates for the first time in over a year. We are grateful to have found this wonderful person thanks to AuPairCare.
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