10 Types of Kids Almost Impossible to Find an Au pair For

No one wants to think of their kids as being difficult to deal with, but sometimes that is the reality. When au pairs are looking for work they are more often than not looking for kids that are easy to take care of. Some may be willing to watch different children, but it is more difficult to find that kind of au pair. Check out ten types of kids almost impossible to find an au pair for.

1. ADHD: A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder will be a challenge if they are not on medication. Even when these children are medicated they have other challenges to face. Much of the time kids suffering with ADHD will have impulse control problems and be inappropriate with what they say and how they say it. I think these things and others tend to scare of potential au pairs.
2. Autistic: Kids with autism can be the most loving and affectionate kids, but depending on the severity of their autism they can have many issues. Autistic kids don’t know their own strength and can actually hurt someone who has not been trained to work with children with autism. For these children it’s best to hire someone with specialized skills instead of the usual expectations.
3. Down syndrome: The child will have physical characteristics that will draw attention from people. Developmentally the child will be slower to reach milestones and struggle with these issues. The struggles could manifest in the child being more physical when they get frustrated. The severity of the case varies widely, but when getting an au pair you really need to have someone who has experience with Down syndrome and may have special training to help them reach their full abilities.
4. Physically handicapped: There is a lot more work involved with caring for a child who is physically handicapped. Many young women might not be able to lift a child in and out of a wheel chair or perhaps into a bath. Often au pairs will shy away from caring for a child with disabilities for fear of the unknown. What if they do something wrong? As a parent you will need to look for just the right fit and it may be difficult.
5. Blind: When a child is blind it is much harder to do things with them that a au pair might do with a sighted child. Taking a blind child to the park might be incredibly dangerous because they cannot see where other kids are or where the equipment is. If the au pair stays with them the whole time it might work, but that is more work for the au pair. The challenges associated with a blind child might scare off some au pairs.
6. Deaf: Challenges that face a au pair with a deaf child would definitely start with communication. If the child is very young they won’t be able to verbalize their wants or needs. If the child is older they will need an au pair who knows sign language. There are those out there that do, but they aren’t as easy to find and will charge more.
7. Asperger’s Syndrome: A high functioning form of autism, Asperger’s syndrome is when the child lacks social skills like empathy and being able to read people’s non-verbal cues. Many children often also deal with repeated movements. Sometimes people with Asperger’s will show a talent or intense interest in something and be amazingly adept at it, but they will be so into whatever it is that they won’t listen to anyone and won’t obey a au pair. This disorder is one that might be hard to find a au pair that is willing to sign on.
8. Turret’s Syndrome: This is a difficult thing to live with and as a child they will be less likely to be able to control the outbursts. Sometimes it’s random noises and other times its profanity and rude statements. The filter that people without Turrets have is missing so it’s often embarrassing to take the child out in public. This added burden is not something most au pairs would sign up for unfortunately.
9. Sibling to a cancer patient: The parents are so frightened of losing a child that they dedicate all their time to him/her and the healthy sibling is often neglected. Not on purpose, but just out of necessity. Having a au pair for that child would be a great option if financially possible, but very difficult because you will have to deal with a lot of emotions from the child and the parents. When the sick child comes home you will most likely take care of them as well and if they die that is a heartache I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
10. Bully: Now it’s not often that they wear signs and the parents may not tell you up front that their child has discipline problems, but if they do then this might be something a au pair would shy away from. Often people who hire au pairs are very busy with their work life and have little time left for their kids. Their kids may rebel against the au pair and that would not be a pleasant work environment.

There’s almost always an au pair to fit every situation, so don’t lose faith and keep up the search. You should, however, expect it to take longer if your child suffers from one of the above conditions. A caring, quality au pair that meats your needs is out there. You just have to find her. Good luck in your search

Taken From Au Pair Jobs