Oh Baby! Infant Specialized Training in the Spotlight

Oooh, Ahhhh, Wooooow are just a few of the words au pairs enthusiastically use as they enter AuPairCare Academy's Infant Specialized Training classroom - which is packed with all the essentials needed to learn how to care for an American baby.

Au pairs who participate in Infant Specialized Training Class, IS (for short), are always excited, curious, and eager to learn more about the American Way of caring for infants. Even though there are many similarities in the way infants are cared for around the world, the American way is slightly different than many of the countries our au pairs come from. Baby terms such as baby proofing, pacifier, sippy cup, bouncy chair, and tummy time, commonly used by families in the U.S., can be foreign to au pairs! The au pair's concerns about these nuances are openly discussed in class and any apprehensions are quickly eliminated.

Our au pairs benefit from a small classroom setting with specialized trainers who give them one-on-one attention and guide them through key topics such as safety, intensive infant CPR certification, First Aid Training, baby massage, and infant sign language. Routine tasks such as making bottles, feeding, bathing, and putting babies in car seats are also demonstrated and practiced. Parents can rest assured that their au pair can take great care of their child day to day, and is also prepared if an emergency arises.

One of the fun highlights of the training is when au pairs are given the challenge of trying to fold and unfold the classroom's stroller and pack-n-play. Au pairs quickly learn how important it is to ask families how to fold and unfold all of their baby's equipment as they find out it's nearly impossible to fit a stroller in the backseat of a car that's not folded up ;-) By the end of the Infant Specialized training program, au pairs feel more comfortable and confident in taking care of their American baby and leave our doors with a better understanding of what American families want and need when it comes to childcare.

As a parent myself I see how beneficial it is for an au pair taking care of a baby to participate in our Infant Specialized Training program.It's a win-win for both sides and gives everyone a positive head start to their year ahead!

Crystal Bichalski began working as a trainer for AuPairCare's Academy in 2007. She has met thousands of au pairs during their training and helped them to transition into American culture. When she's not working with au pairs, she's being a Mom to her 7 year old daughter and 3 year old son. Read about her experience teaching au pairs.