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- Hosting an au-pair will widen their horizons.
- Very convenient and affordable childcare solution.
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Becoming a Host Family
Why get an Au pair.....
If you got this far…hopefully you have began to answer that question yourself!
I will share you our experiences and this might help. Times have changed. Maybe for the better, but in some cases they are for the worse. A lot of families are in the situation where two parents need to work to pay the mortgages, utilities and to basically stay afloat….. make ends meet. This has put a fierce strain on couples as their quality time for each other and, indeed, the children is pushed to the limits trying to balance work with life. A balance must be found where your time, which is must precious, is used more efficiently.
Instead of waking the children up at six am and heading out into the early morning madness on the roads to rush them to the crèche / child minder, your kids remain in their beds until they have to, where the extra pair of hands you need will get them up and look after them. Gone is the rushing from work to make the impossible closing time of a crèche or seeing the look of the child minder because you are 10 minutes late!
Our personal situation reflected that some mornings we had to leave for work around the 6am mark, what child minders will start to look after your kids from six am? Having an Au pair in your home lessens the chances of kids picking up cold sand flu’s where it is far more likely when conjugating in large numbers. Instead your kids are looked after in the safety of their own home. It's fair to say it is possibly the best ratio for minding children as Crèches and Child minders are there to make a profit. Ouraupair believes there are good crèches and, of course child minders, out there, but we see the benefits of an Au Pair as being a fantastic solution.
A nice hot meal !
A meal prepared with some of the lighter house chores done takes pressure of the parents where they can spend more quality time with their children… and indeed themselves.
Great news …there is a new arrival on the way ...
You're due you second child! What a difference it would be to have help when you can dedicate yourself more to the new arrival. It’s fair to say this is an exciting time but certainly the first 6 weeks is tough going even for the most experienced parents. Current leave for spouses is not paid in most countries which makes it difficult for extra time off work. There are many advantages to having an aupair and every day life will throw lots of reasons why you should spend some time to reflect the benefits this will bring.
Having an Au pair join your family will be a cultural experience where all the family will benefit from. It's a great opportunity for children to learn new languages and learn from the experiences of the aupair from their country.
I hope that this gives good examples of the benefits of having an Au Pair. Now for some questions you want answered..
Does have an Au pair have their own room ?
YES!
An aupair will typically have their own room with a TV. A lot of homes have access to a Computer and typically there should be no problem using it to email home etc It not unsual to give the au pair the use of a Mobile phone for their stay also.
Your family might need the Aupair to pick kids up from school or bring to dance classes’ football training or do some shopping. It is important the family ensures that the Au pair is fully insured to do so. It is also reasonable to assume that the Au pair would have use of the car for personal use. It is the responsibility of the family to make sure that the car is serviced, is road worthy and has plenty of petrol.
Vacation Time ?
Host Family is planning a summer vacation. It would be normal for the aupair to go on holidays and participate on any excursions and really be part of the family’s vacation.
Having an Au pair on holiday will be a great relief to the parents should they decide to go for a meal and a glass of wine that the kids are safe hands back at the apartment / Hotel
What will the au pair do in our home ?
The Aupair will be expected to mind the children for a minimum of 25 hours a week.
The making of some meals and general house work will also be expected.
Two nights babysitting a week is not unusual, but an Aupair should get 2 full days off a week where this time is their own, unless specific arrangements are made prior to the au pair joining the family.
It is recommended that before a family chooses an Au pair that you give a sample roster for a week so they know what to expect when the come to your home. This will reduce the chances of misunderstanding when the au pair joins the family.
It is also recommended that you agree how much you should be paid. Spend time wisely when choosing your Au pair as they are the person who will be taking care of you most precious assets - your kids. Follow out tip guides
What country can we get an Aupair from ?
You can get an au pair from almost any Country…but some have pre conditions such as visa / work permit. Please spend time on our Visa section whether you will gain a lot of information. We have a lot of information for you to use as a general reference but we at Ouraupair would recommend that you should contact the consulate of the country you want the aupair from, in your home country to ensure that your family meets the conditions required.
Picking an aupair
We have prepared some questions for you to put to the Au pair of your choice. This will help narrow your choice. We also recommend that you read out tips guide and look at information we have provided about Visas. It is important that you research your choice, by what I mean by this that you send several emails and find out as much as you can, such as previous experiences, references etc. We have also included some questions that will help make your decision.
Remember the best reference is from a previous family.
Before your Au Pair Arrives ...
Before aupairs comes, all paper work should be complete and there should be no surprises from both parties. You will face some tricky situations over day to day things, so be aware of this and think before you act. For example, when our aupair came and joined our family we had the dilemma where the Aupair wanted to get a tattoo. We felt a certain responsibility that this should not happen, but your aupair is 21. This is just a situation we came up against and morally you will have to make that decision when you face it.
Some aupairs ask if they can do some part time work. Most families would not have a problem with this. But beware to ensure the Aupair does not over do it as we all know after working long hours it can be stressful when kids are tired or hungry - our patience can be pushed. Watch out that your aupair still has the energy to console little kids when they are irate.
All of these considerations should be taken into place should you agree for the aupair to take on extra work! We would advise you agree they can work 1 or 2 evenings and see how they get on. If you feel that work is impacting their judgement etc, this situation would need to be addressed quickly.
When your Au pair Arrives ...
Remember that this could be the aupairs first time a way from home so it is important to be supportive and re-assuring. It is appropriate that you give a day or 2 off after arriving for them to get over the travel and ease them into their new surroundings.
Spend time showing them around and it is important that after a week that you sit down and review the previous week on how it went. This will stop any misunderstandings and will help build a better relationship. Remember an Aupair becomes family and they will be caring for your kids!
It is normal to meet the Aupair at the airport and also when they leave to drop them off.
Questions You should ask your Au Pair
- Have you ever traveled outside your home country before?
- Have you much experience working with kid’s
- Do you have a qualification
- As we live in the countryside it can be quiet….
- Do you smoke
- Do you drink
- Can you help with housework
- Do you have brothers and sisters
- Where did you gain your experience
- Do you like pets
- Do you have a driving license
- Do you mind doing some cooking
- What are your interests
- Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend
- Sometimes the kids cousins come to visit.. do you mind having to mind extra children occasionally
- How many children would you feel comfortable with
- Can you help with housework
- Can you help with shopping
- How would you discipline a child
- What will you learn from been an au pair
Typical Questions from the Aupair
- How many children will I be caring for?
- How old are they?
- How many hours a day will I be working?
- How often will I get paid?
- How much will I get?
- Do you have pets?
- Are you near a town / city?
- Is there an English school near?
- How far are you from the airport?
- Can you send me more pictures?
- Have you got Internet access?
- What kind of house work will I have to do?
- Do I need to drive?
- Will I have to work evenings? If so, how many?
- Can you send me a sample roster?
- What jobs do you do?
- Will I be on my own some nights?
- Is it acceptable to have friends call (other aupairs) etc?
- Do need me to cook?
- Will I have a TV in my room?
