By Corrie Pelc

 

A Cultural Experience

rdana">When Shelly Roberson of [UNKNOWN NODETYPE 7]San Jose found out she was pregnant with twins, she realized she was going to need help. Although her mother-in-law had been their childcare for their 6-year-old son, they knew the twins would be a lot of work.

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rdana">“We actually looked into a nanny, but the nanny we were going to hire moved,” Roberson recalls. “We were about three months before I was due to have the babies and I talked to my sister who had an au pair and several of my friends who had had au pairs and we thought we would explore that option.”

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rdana">An au pair is a male or female between the ages of 18 and 26 who comes from a foreign country on a cultural exchange visa through the U.S. State Department that allows them to live in the U.S. for one year with a host family. During that time they have to complete six credits at a college-accredited institution. In exchange for the room and board the host family supplies in their home and a weekly stipend, the au pair provides up to 45 hours a week and no more than 10 hours a day of childcare.

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rdana">Enter Dale Dubowy, field regional program consultant for the Northern California area and local childcare coordinator in the East Bay for the au pair agency Cultural Care Au Pair,

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