An au pair is an adult or a young adult aged between 18 and 30 years, who belongs to a different country and provides live-in domestic childcare for approximately 10 to 12 months. An au pair can play a role of an elder sibling for your children. You can find these individuals via au pair childcare agencies that ensure protecting the rights and interests of the involved parties. By the means of this exchange program, parents get a lending hand and reliable companion for their kids. Moreover, the au pair gets an opportunity to experience the country’s culture and learn its language.

Au pairs are often compared to nannies. However, there are some major differences between the both such as:

• Age limit Agencies facilitating au pair childcare services have certain age requirements, whereas while hiring a nanny, there is no such prerequisite.
• Background check Au pair services make sure that they thoroughly review the prospective au pairs as well as their families to thwart exploitative activities. On the contrary, a potential nanny’s records have to be verified by the parents.
• Working hours Au pairs are live-in caretakers but they have designated work hours that can be anywhere from 30 to 45 hours per week, which are agreed upon by both, the host family and au pair. Similarly, nannies have specific work hours, but they should abide by the country’s labor laws.
• Nationality The au pair program’s objectives revolve around positive cultural experience. Therefore, the au pair is required to be of another nationality. On the other hand, parents looking for nannies preferably want a local resident.
• Remuneration An au pair is supposed to receive a weekly stipend, which is usually around $200 a week. Likewise, a nanny receives a weekly or monthly salary that should meet the country’s minimum wage standards.
• Education If the au pair wishes, they can take up a language course during their stay in the country. The host family is responsible for managing the required fees. Conversely, a nanny doesn’t require a language course. Likewise, the family isn’t accountable for any of their educational expenses.
• Employee status An au pair is considered as a temporary family member and friendly companion for the kids, while a nanny is an employee who is supposed to look after the kids mostly while the parents are away. Since an au pair isn’t an employee they can quit any time they want.
• Responsibilities The duties of an au pair are only restricted to childcare and some light domestic work. On the contrary, a nanny’s routine tasks will depend on the agreement between the nanny and the employer.

The costs of au pair childcare services will vary across agencies. Typically, au pair childcare agencies charge a program fee, which can be between $7,000 and $9,000. These exclude the non-refundable application fees and minimum weekly stipend expenses.

The arrival of a baby marks the start of a whole new time and phase in the life of a parent. This is a time when love and affection take a priority even as the logistics of raising a baby into adulthood will become the uppermost concern on everyone’s mind.

There are several products that we tend to invest in, when a new baby is on the way. Starting from clothes to cribs and even baby strollers or prams, there are a number of things that make life easier when you have to handle a baby. It is imperative to invest in the right kind of products because handling the delicate infant is a matter of getting the position, posture and other such details correct so that the child and mother are both comfortable. For this, one will have to look into many details so that the products will actually help in taking care of the child. Here are a few tips on buying the best kind of baby stroller for your baby.

Lightweight and easy to push
One of the main things to remember is that you will need all your strength and both your hands at the same time for your baby. For a while, the new mother will not be able enjoy a hands-free existence unless the baby is sleeping. So, it would be best to invest in a stroller that is lightweight and easy to push rather than a very heavy duty stroller, which will cause discomfort for the mother.

Brakes and other mechanics
There are a number of mechanisms that have to be in place so that the baby stroller is safe to use. You will need to check the brakes and ensure that they work properly and are easy to apply. Also, ask for a demo at the store so that there is no confusion thereafter. Further, you can check for the guarantee or warranty on the stroller and find out what all it covers. Also, the wheels and other aspects should be checked properly. This is especially important so that your toddlers and older children are also safe in case they are walking beside you while you have the baby in the stroller.

Expandable and foldable
The average baby stroller today is one that can be expanded in terms of size and also folded so that you can easily stow the same when you are on the go. Ensure that these mechanisms work properly and check for the location of the levers so that the same is well out of the baby’s reach and grasp.

Try and choose a piece that can later on accommodate a toddler as well so that you do not have to invest in a new baby stroller with the growing years. Do check whether the seat can be pushed upright so that the baby can easily sit up when he or she starts to sit.