Milking life experience

When Swedish au pair Emma Steinholtz took a job on a Taranaki dairy farm, she planned to stay well clear of the milking shed.

"I said, 'I'm looking after the kids, there's no way I'm going near those cows'. But I ended up milking the cows all by myself."

Steinholtz has worked for the O'Sullivans for a year, caring for Flynn, 3, and Lachlan, 18 months.

After a few months on the farm she tried her hand at milking - and enjoyed it so much she took on an extra job as a relief milker.

The 21-year-old had been struggling to find a job at home, and had several friends working as au pairs in Europe.

But many of her new Kiwi mates struggled to understand the concept.

"They thought I was an exchange student, but I'm a full-time, working nanny."

Mother Karen O'Sullivan hired an au pair to avoid a two-year waiting list for childcare. The children see more of dad Simon and there's no rush to get to daycare in the morning. Steinholtz returns to Sweden this week, where she hopes her New Zealand adventure will help her application to join the police.

"They say you need life experience, and if going to New Zealand by myself for a year and milking cows isn't life experience, then I don't know what is."