3 Benefits of Welcoming An Au Pair When You Have a Toddler

Of course, you can welcome an au pair to your family with kids of all ages! When it comes to toddlers (and pre-schoolers!), the ages and stages of 1-3 years old can be especially tricky. As a child reaches one year old and beyond, it's time for toddlers to learn about the world - and they love exploring it! They begin to walk around the home, start trying to communicate with you and develop personalities by expressing what they like or dislike. With an au pair in the home, you have an extra parenting partner to help navigate the toddler twos and threes. Check out the three big benefits of welcoming an au pair to your family when you have a toddler:

1. Earlier language immersion

Having an au pair who can speak a foreign language fluently brings a great deal of language immersion to toddlers. Since au pairs live in your home, a toddler is exposed to learning new words in a new language - or even several! Research points to the fact that by age of 24 months, toddlers are capable of speaking 50 words or more. By learning a foreign language naturally at home, children have a head start on building linguistic fundamentals and improved learning. The best time to learn a second language is when you're learning your first language!

2. Physical development

By definition, toddlers are learning to explore the world around them and are pushing the limits of their spatial independence. From walking around inside your home to testing the stairs on their own or the classic unraveling of toilet paper, we know that your toddler is now fully mobile! This means that during the toddler stage, trying out different physical activities leads to improvement in their movement and coordination. Au pairs can be a big help with keeping energetic toddlers occupied, coming up with as many activities or exercises needed to keep kids moving while mom or dad is at work. While toddlers are practicing physical development, they are also in the midst of potty training! Toddler Care au pairs undergo thorough potty training classes to help with your child's next big step!

3. Helping with social interaction and development

We all know about the "terrible twos" and "threenagers"; toddlers are learning they can be more independent and are still developing their communication skills to express how they feel. Toddlers can be quite stressed when they are away from their parents or if they have to hear "No". Plus, toddlers are at a critical age when they must learn how to play and share with others, whether it's with siblings or at pre-school. Helping nurture a toddler's social development and interactions can be made smoother with a live-in au pair. Through our Academy training, AuPairCare au pairs learn about common methods of discipline for toddlers and will communicate with you - the parents - on discipline preferences. They'll also come equipped with activities and strategies to help guide your toddler's emotional and mental growth.