Having an au pair like our Dutch au pair was a very enriching experience for both her and our family. She was fluent in English before she left but she also taught my children a few Dutch phrases which they still use almost daily. They miss her a lot because she was like the older sister to my 6 and 4 year old girls. She did Arts and Crafts with them every day and she was constantly looking at websites for Arty ideas. It’s amazing what can be created from toilet rolls. She played Snakes and Ladders until she was blue in the face with my youngest daughter…it wasn’t just child minding. It was stimulated play! She taught my older daughter a Dutch card game. The au pair experience is a cross cultural experience and it is a rewarding one for both the au pair and the host family.