Why would you consider hiring a professional nanny or au pair when nobody can do the job of caring for your children better than you? The reality is that many of us must return to work at some stage and knowing that your baby is being looked after with love and in a safe environment with stimulation is enough to make any mother, especially a working mother, more relaxed resulting in higher productivity.
The answer for me is simple: Happy mommy equals happy baby! You may be familiar with a concept called Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – in a nutshell, it looks at what a person needs to survive, develop and grow.
One cannot become a whole and complete being unless all the levels are attained, and parents aren’t always able to fulfil all these needs 24/7/365. It is at this point that we need to bring in some assistance.
“Au pairs come with childcare experience and qualifications, as well as training in important skills such as first aid.”
Here is a perfect example: As a mother, you may be able to provide your child with the physiological needs such as clothing, shelter, food and water.
Yet when you leave your child to go to work you are unable to contribute to your little one’s sense of social belonging, as you cannot take them to religious services, birthday parties or even school/playschool events.
This can result in your child not building social connections, community and stimulation. Having a right-hand person who can take your little one safely and with good intent to these types of occasions or simply to play with the neighbour’s children, will satisfy their social belonging needs.
Of course, mothers can’t simply shrug off their parenting responsibility to another, but it is comforting to know that when your family can’t help you out, there is professional support out there if you need it.
It’s also good to have a loving person with a different approach and positive outlook on life around your treasured possession. You may not enjoy the outdoors, so commissioning the services of someone who can expose your children to the magic of the outdoors takes some of the pressure of being everyone’s everything off you.
This is where au pairs come in. You can contact a reputable au pair agency, such as AuPair Express, who will do the screening process and reference checking for you and recommend the right person according to your needs and specifications.
Au pairs come with childcare experience and qualifications, as well as training in important skills such as first aid. You may argue that you can’t afford a full-time au pair, but how much are you prepared for peace of mind that your children are in safe hands?
Take another look at your budget and see where you can cut back – or opt for a part-time service if you must. Every little bit helps.
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