That means if you want to use your hours early in the morning, late at night on the weekend, there's a lot of room to change it up, to fit the needs of your family. Not only has it been such a lovely and enriching experience for our family, but having an AU pair in our area costs about a half of what a nanny costs AU pairs can provide up to 45 hours a week of flexible childcare. And this type of flexible childcare arrangement has been amazing for our family. We've been participating in the AU pair program for the past two years. And I will say that AU pairs have truly become part of our family.
For up to two years, they provide childcare in exchange for room and board and the opportunity to become part of an American family. If you're not familiar with what an AU pair is in a pair is a young adult from overseas who comes to live with you and your family on a legal visa. Cultural Care is an AU pair agency, which is an agency that links you with AU pairs. Today's episode is sponsored by Cultural Care. But first here's a quick word from today's sponsor. So I'm going to tell you a little bit more about how I met Jen and got to know her and more about her story. And that's when I thought of my friend, Jen, who I've been more or less out of touch with for the past 10 years, but she's one of those friends that it doesn't matter how much time passes you can pick up right where you left off. And this time I was trying to brainstorm who would be a good guest, who would bring some new, insightful perspective on the mental load. I generally run this program three times a year and each time I run it, I try to focus at least one or two podcast episodes on the topic of the mental load.
You'll get all the information and how to sign up there. If you want to join us on this journey to jumpstart your self-care, go to /unload. Many of us, maybe most of us struggle with the mental load of motherhood. The mental unload is a seven-day program geared at tackling your mental clutter. Next week, we're getting ready to launch the mental unload. I'm excited to bring you this story today. So you're going to hear conversations that are based in research, but more importantly, real life. My perspectives are based in my firsthand experience, raising kids, but also rooted in my Ph.D. In this show, we focus on minimalism with kids, positive parenting, family wellness, and decreasing the mental load.
Simple Families is an online community for parents who are seeking a simpler more intentional life. And she's giving us an intimate look inside of her parenting journey. I'm joined by my dear friend, Jen, who I met on Craigslist about 12 years ago. And today I'm sharing a very special story with you.