This is the story of an Australian family who had a French au pair in 2017. The writer of this article is known to Mamamia and has chosen to remain anonymous when sharing her personal story. Names have been changed to protect the privacy of her children.
When I returned to full-time work, I knew I would need a lot of support with our kids who were one and six at the time. My husband worked shift work, and often overnight, and I would be working a regular 8:30am to 5pm job.
Considering the costs of childcare, we decided that having live-in support in the form of a nanny would help us all settle into the new routine. But not just a nanny – an au pair.
An au pair from a registered agency in France sounds fancy – but it was the most practical decision for us. We had a spare bedroom, and would give her board and food, and pay her $170 a week. She would be able to help before and after school, and most importantly, be a stable adult in our home when we couldn’t be there.
One huge factor for us was that an au pair was a fraction of the cost of a $25/hour babysitter. In fact, it was so cost-effective for us, some of my friends accused us of exploiting the young 22-year-old.
They might have been right, had it not been for the lovely home she got to stay in for six months while she explored our city, her two nights off a week, her every meal catered for, and use of my car during the week as I caught the bus to work.
Mamamia Out Loud speaks to the woman who broke the #libspill story, Sharri Markson. Post continues after.
Want to hear to more? Subscribe to Mamamia Out Loud.
We knew when we were talking to the agency that the arrangement would be strictly six months only; that’s how long an au pair’s visa would last before she had to leave the country.
When Clare arrived, the whole family fell in love with her. She was kind and patient with the kids, and so helpful to me. I couldn’t believe my luck that the universe had sent us someone who was such a great fit for our family, when I needed the support the most. Clare made all the difference in the success of my return to work.
Top Comments
People in the American South justified being slave owners very similarly. They took such good care of "their people", allowed them to live on their property or even right in the house if they were house-slaves. They fed them, they clothed them, they gave them leave to go to church sometimes or visit family on other plantations. They were "just like family".
If you control someone's person and own their labor, you are a slave owner. If her ability to stay in the country is attached to her being what amounts to your slave or indentured servant, then you have enslaved her.
One hundred seventy dollars a week - with two evenings off? My 15 year old makes more than that doing odd jobs and lawn care two afternoons a week. This woman is responsible for your children's well being for most of their waking hours and this is what she is worth to you?
Your friends are right, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Only two nights off?! So she is expected to be working day and night for the rest of the week for just $170? That is appalling and absolutely exploitation. And no, you opening your 'lovely home' for her to stay in and providing your car for her ferry your kids around doesn't make it okay. There needs to be serious regulation of this industry, with such a large power imbalance between very young women coming to a foreign country and wealthy host families who hold all the control.