IMPORTANT NOTE: Let us know which agency are you using or planning to use, since just some serve our area: Check on the internet these Au Pair agencies since they serve New Mexico: "CHI AuPair USA", "Au Pair International" or "Au Pair Foundation". We prefer CHI Aupair USA but could work with the other 2 agencies too.

Hi, we are looking for an AuPair that is an EXPERIENCED DRIVER, has experience with INFANTS and toddlers and preferably (but not a must) coming from countries where they speak SPANISH as their 1st language. Since our faith is important to us (we are CATHOLICS), it will be great to have an AuPair that shares the same faith as us so she won’t have problems to continue encouraging our toddler to do things like little prayers before his meals. We will also be happy if she could join us in mass, but we will not push her to do anything against her own beliefs. We consider ourselves a very nice family. We are friendly, easygoing and honest persons. We will consider our AuPair as a family member and would like that she feels the same. (I know how it is to be an aupair, since I was myself an Au Pair some years ago). We are a family of 4. Isaac (hostdad), Nadia (hostmom), Peter (our first son) and baby (I am still pregnant and I am due on october 2012). Peter (2y 8m) is very cute and loving boy. He goes to a play group (like a daycare) Monday to Wednesday 9am to 12. He has some delay in speech but he has had a lot progress lately and has been talking more now. A speech therapist & developmental specialist comes home once a week to play with him. He was recently diagnosed with Autism, but with very good prognosis, it's a very mild autism and most of the people can hardly notice it. He doesn't need special care because he is mostly like other kids his age. His language development is his main challenge. He is not the typical autistic kid you might have in mind. Other than that he is in very good health and he is very smart. He understands more than he talks. He speaks mainly in English and some words in Spanish. He understands both languages. He loves books, animals, music and BEING PRAISED :) He likes to sing, play the keyboard/piano & little guitar he has, he also likes to play in his play area at home or outdoors in a play ground. He likes to be with people. He is easy to take care of. In the group he goes they have told me that he behaves very well,and even if other children sometimes hit him he doesn't hit them back, he is learning to take turns and to share. He is almost potty trained. New baby is due on october 2012.

Isaac, my husband, is a mechanical engineer and I am a medical doctor licensed to work as a physician just in Mexico, however I'll start working as a biology teacher here in NM, USA. We are both very family oriented and we like to be involved in our church. Our faith is important to us. We also like to have fun together. We both like music, biking, swimming and reading. Skiing during winter (Isaac is more experienced) and sometimes going camping and hiking. Watch some movies once in a while. I like to dance and do zumba, playing guitar and keyboard/piano and singing. Isaac sometimes plays the saxo& he is the choir director on our parish. We both like to play with Peter, make him laugh, and read him books. Isaac and I also enjoy going to walk with Peter around the neighborhood, sometimes using the jogging stroller, other times using bicycles & a trailer for Peter. Our house has a beautiful view of the mountains, so you will be surrounded by nature with the city close by. We go often to Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We like to hang out in the mall, go shopping, going to the zoo or other interesting places where Peter can also have fun. We also like to hang out with some of our friends that also have kids. The AuPair will be more than welcome to join us in having fun together, but we will also respect her working schedule & time off. For us is important that our AuPair is RESPONSIBLE, MATURE, HONEST, and an EXCELLENT DRIVER. She should have a safe drving record and at least 2-3 years of experience driving, plus have EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN HIGHWAYS/FREEWAYS. She should really enjoy children and have experience in caring for them. At least 2 years of experience in child care, INFANT QUALIFIED and at least 2 recommendations. She should know how to be patient with kids. It will be a plus if she has experience as a children educator/teacher, speech therapist or as a health professional. She should be willing to do crafts with toddler and limit children's screen time (TV/computer). She should be willing to have good communication with hostparents. We'll always be willing to listen/help her if she has any problem. As parents we know how it is to deal with children so we will understand her need of having her time off and hanging out with young adults. We'll support her to join in groups where she can make friends and hang out with AuPairs in the area. "Happy Aupair = Happy Kids"

DUTIES:I will provide the AuPair with a detailed "Aupair Manual" about duties/responsabilities, activities w/schedules and other things. Plus some days of training at home (to get familiar with the children/family activities) and outside driving the car around the area where we live ( to get familiar with the roads/places in the area). Here is a summary of duties: Child care of toddler and infant. To feed, bath and play with the children. Playing with them will be an important factor, since kids learn while playing. Since toddler has some speech delay it is important to talk to him a lot and reading books to him. Preparing some meals for children (the baby will be breastfed and bottle fed with breastmilk for the first 4-6months; the aupair will use the milk I willl leave in the fridge/freezer and sometimes she will bring baby to my work to nurse him/her (my work is 15 min from home) To drive toddler to and from day care. Taking both children to some other places/local activities (park, playground, library, gym, etc). To change infant's diapers. While on duty the Au Pair will be responsible for housekeeping such as picking up after the childern (picking up toys/books, cleaning their dishes & bedroom clean) and taking care of their laundry. As a family member (we will see the au pair as the "big sister") we will expect her to lend a helping hand with the household chores like puting dishes away from table and diswasher. AuPair will be responsible to keep her bedroom & bathroom tidy. SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday mornings and afternoons. Probably from 8am to 5 or 6pm. AuPair will have most of Saturdays and Sundays off, and might have every other Friday off or work half of the day on certain Fridays. General activities with schedules will be on the "AuPair Manual" I'll provide to the AuPair during training. I will also provide each Monday or Sunday night with specific activities/ideas to do with kids during the week but I will be very flexible and I will be open to new ideas provided by the AuPair. I would like to share with the AuPair a type of journal about the activities the AuPair will be doing with kids, In this journal she will be able to share her comments about what happened each day, express her feelings, ideas etc; if she is not feeling comfortable with something, I would encourage her to let us know. BENEFITS (taken from US Department of State website): -Host Family Stay -Professional Training: Receive a minimum of 32 hours of childcare training before you start (besides the training given by the AuPair Agency we will probably provide some days of supervised training to get familiar with our activities and the area we live) -Childcare Experience: Provide up to 10 hours a day/45 hours a week of childcare. As Hostparents we will: -Pay up to $500 toward the cost of the au pair's required academic course work; -Provide an appropriate private room and three meals a day for the au pair (you will have your own bedroom and will share bathroom with children); -Pay a weekly minimum stipend based on the program option selected (it will be the standard salary used in all the Au Pair Agencies regulated by the US government: $195.75 per week) -Give the au pair one complete weekend off each month (she will actually have MOST weekends off! ) -Facilitate the care provider's requirement to enroll in and attend an accredited post-secondary institution to fulfill her Educational Component requirement (there is a community college 15 minutes driving from our house - where I will start working - also we can help you to find other alternatives to take classes); -Provide a minimum of 2 weeks paid vacation for each 12 month exchange term, in addition to regular weekly/monthly time off; -Include the au pair whenever possible in family meals, outings, holidays and other events. -You'll have access to computer/internet -You'll l have access to a car to drive kids, and we will consider also for your personal use (you will have to share costs of gas) -You will be able to improve your English and if you want also learn some Spanish (My husband is American and I am Mexican) but we will talk to you mainly in English (my husband doesn't speak Spanish). We will be willing to teach some of the skills we have (skiing, playing some musical instruments, languages, knowledge of our professional background, etc ) and we will be willing to learn from you as well ;) -At the end of the year you will get more experience in child care and we'll be willing to provide you with excellent references, and keep in touch with you!