Hiring an au pair completely changed how Barbara’s family functions, and in this episode, she’s sharing exactly how and why.

Whether you’re a working parent looking for more flexible childcare, a dual-career couple juggling inconsistent schedules, or just curious about how the au pair system compares to traditional nannies, this is a must-listen. In this mini-episode of our Toolkit Series, host Barbara Mighdoll shares her candid experience with four different au pairs (and two nannies) and breaks down the real-life pros, cons, and logistics you actually need to know.

You’ll also hear an unreleased clip from the original episode with Samantha Wu, CMO of Eventbrite and former CMO of Facebook at Meta, who shares her own au pair experiences and wisdom from life as a high-powered executive and mom of two. If you've ever wondered whether an au pair could transform the way your family operates, this conversation offers the clarity, structure, and gut-check questions you need.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

👶 What an au pair is—and why it might be a better fit than daycare or a nanny

Understand the structure, rules, and unique features of the au pair program, including legal hour limits and household responsibilities.

💸 The real cost of hiring an au pair

Barbara compares the annual expenses of an au pair vs. a full-time nanny and explains what’s included in the price.

🛫 Why au pairs are ideal for parents looking for flexibility,

Learn how au pairs can adjust to your changing schedule, help with travel logistics, and offer reliability that’s hard to find with other forms of childcare.

🏠 How to evaluate if your family is truly ready to have an au pair

Walk through a step-by-step readiness workshop with your partner to determine if this live-in childcare model aligns with your lifestyle and boundaries.

🧠 What makes an au pair relationship work—and where it can fall apart

From mismatched expectations to communication pitfalls, Barbara and Samantha share lessons learned and actionable advice to ensure your success from day one.

If you’re looking for an honest, mom-to-mom guide to navigating the au pair world, this episode is your toolkit. You’ll walk away with not just knowledge—but a process you can start using today.

Need help crafting interview questions for your au pair? Start here.

Follow Barbara:

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Follow Samantha:

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About New Modern Mom: You know the dream of having it all – a thriving career, an active social life, present time with your kids, and adventures in travel. But how the F can we actually do it all? Host Barbara Mighdoll chats with other working mom executives on the raw truth behind their support systems, self-identity shifts, productivity, infertility and pregnancy loss, mom guilt, partner dynamics, childcare and even imposter syndrome. We’re exploring how these incredible women are translating their professional superpowers into their personal lives. Because we believe you can have it all, you just cannot do it all. Together, we’re building the playbook for the new modern mom.

The New Modern Mom Podcast is produced by Barbara Mighdoll, Ali Alquiza, and Em Roberts.

Toolkit Series: Demystifying the Au Pair Program

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