How To Prepare for the Arrival of An Au Pair

When it comes to having an au pair, both parties benefit from each other as they get money and you get extra help. More and more people are deciding to Become an au pair in the USA to help gain experience and money so now is a perfect time to get one. Having an au pair can be an exciting opportunity for families. Those who become au pairs might come to the US to study or might want to learn English from somewhere like Effortlessenglishclub.com.

When you hire an au pair, you have live-in childcare, which is always great. In addition to that, your children will be exposed to another language and culture. Au pairs also tend to be relatively cost-effective in terms of childcare. If you are considering hiring an au pair, but are also contemplating using the services of a nanny, or sending your child to daycare instead, you might want to check out this useful guide titled ‘au pair vs nanny vs daycare‘ that outlines the key differences. Ultimately, doing your own research is crucial when it comes to making the right decision for you and your family.

Furthermore, if you’ve already hired an au pair, you may be a little nervous about what to expect when the person arrives.

The following are some tips to help you prepare, as a host family anxiously awaiting your new family member.

Think About Logistics

When your au pair arrives, you want her to feel comfortable and not have to worry about too many of the technical elements of being in a new country. Start by thinking about finances.

First, you want to create a clear plan for how and when you’ll pay your au pair. You don’t want her to be constantly concerned about money when she should be spending time with your children and getting to know your family. You might pay her with cash but think about the fact that she won’t be able to send money back to her family in her home country very easily.

Instead, you might think about helping her set something up so that she can manage her money electronically, and also send money back easily. Of course, you’ll want to be aware of the fees to send money abroad, which many people do not usually account for.

If you set up electronic transfers for your au pair, you’ll also be able to keep up with your payments, which can be helpful.

Create a Schedule

Along with being proactive regarding planning how and when you’ll pay your au pair, create a schedule before she arrives. An au pair can feel overwhelmed being in a new country and living with a new family. A schedule can help eliminate confusion and let her know what the expectations are.

If an au pair doesn’t have a defined schedule, she may feel obligated to be on duty at all times, and that’s not fair, and it’s not likely what you expect either. Scheduling your au pairs free time and time off can help everyone stay clear and be happier with the arrangement.

When you’re creating a schedule, you should also think about when your au pair will be part of your family time and when she won’t be. Again, you want everyone to be clear on expectations to avoid potential conflicts.

Plan for Language Courses

A big part of being an au pair is participating in language classes while staying in a foreign country. Make sure you plan for these before her arrival, so she knows when and where she’ll be going to class.

You can correspond with her before her arrival to figure out the class that’s going to be right for her.

The Room

Finally, you’ll want to create a space for your au pair to live where she’ll feel comfortable and like it’s her own. Think about the conveniences you’d want to have if you were living with a family in a foreign country.

You’ll want to provide a computer if possible, as well as a TV and course furniture and places for her to store clothing and other items.

Think about putting some fresh flowers in her room before she arrives, and make sure her door has a lock so she can feel like she has privacy.