Top 5 Ways To Help Your Au Pair Settle In

Mums Tips

Childcare

Published on Monday, 08 June 2015 12:26

Last Updated on 08 June 2015

Monica Costa

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Hosting an au pair can be a strange new experience. You will have someone new living in your home and it may take a little time for you to get used to them and for them to get used to you. There are a few simple things you can do to help your new au pair settle into your family and make them feel at ease in their new surroundings.  Here are our top 5 ways to help your Au Pair settle in.

Make Their Room Comfortable

Au pairs need to have their own bedrooms – this helps give them a space of their own to retreat to when they need to relax after a busy day of looking after the children. If from your interviews with them, you have any ideas of things they enjoy you could add a few special touches to their room, for example if they like reading, perhaps a book they might enjoy. A welcome basket with a few toiletries would also be a nice touch so they have one less thing to worry about. Something from the children to welcome the new addition to the family is sure to help them feel at ease as well, like a welcome banner or some pretty drawings.

 

Encourage Them To Keep In Touch With Home

When the au pair arrives they will probably want to call or Skype their family to let them know they have arrived safe and sound. Make sure they are able to phone or video call their family as seeing a familiar face when they are far from home will make the transition easier too. Obviously there will have to be some boundaries with regards to how often they can use the phone or internet to contact home but don’t make them feel like they can never use it.

 

Write A Schedule

Draw up a typical schedule for the week and stick it to the fridge or noticeboard so the au pair knows exactly what needs to be done and when. This should include things like timings for school drop off and pickups, any extra-curricular activities or evening babysitting (if it’s going to be regular). Having a schedule will make it easier for them to fall into a routine and know what is expected of them.

 

Give Them Some Ideas

Your new au pair knows very little about your children when they first arrive, so give them some pointers as to what kind of things your children enjoy doing. You could get them a notebook and write down some things the kids love to do, whether its Frozen-themed craft activities, making dinosaurs out of Play-Doh or feeding the ducks at the park down the road. Include maps and addresses of places the kids like to visit, and even some meal planning ideas for those fussy eaters would be a great addition.

 

Take A Little Time Off                 

The best way to help your au pair settle into your family and routines is to take a few days off and do things together. This way your au pair can learn all about you and you children without lots of pressure know what they are doing right from the start. It will take a few days for them to get to know your children and how to look after them so by doing this together they can get a feel for your parenting style and hopefully try and echo it when you aren’t around.

For more information about hiring an au pair, speak to Smart Au Pairs, a London-based au pair agency, who can help you find your perfect au pair. To start your search for an au pair, register online today.