Reply #6: I'll explain it to you

[sandnsea]

The au pair takes care of kids, but is not "raising" them. A parent still has to keep up with school, health, extra-curriculars, etc. A parent has to manage and shop for the meals, or hire a cook or nutritionist, which is money on top of the au pair. A parent has to clean the house and do laundry, because the au pair and cook are not doing that, or hire a housekeeper. Then there is the management and scheduling of household repairs and repairmen. Somebody has to manage the budget, balance the checkbook, pay the bills, compile tax info or do the taxes; since there probably isn't a bookkeeper doing that. My mother did the yard work as well, and often planted a garden. It adds up.