Useful Tips for Families
Meet your Au Pair on time at the arranged meeting point (airport, bus station, train station 
etc).
Introduce her to the family and have a ‘welcome present’ for the children to give her when she arrives.
Allow her time to phone home once she has arrived and give her time to unpack and settle into her room.
Ask her about her home country and her family. If she has photos she may like to share them with you.
Welcome her into your family as a helper and as a friend. Remember she is not a cleaner, nor is she a nanny. She is an extra pair of hands who can really help you and will provide you with flexibility and reliable childcare.
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Show her around the local area, pointing out places of interest.
Take her to the local language school and help her to enrol in her classes.
Write down your house rules, her duties and her timetable and take her through them carefully, ensuring she can understand all you are saying. Provide her with a copy of these for her to read in her spare time.
Explain carefully what your expectations of her are and ask her what she is hoping to gain from this experience and what her expectations are.
Discuss the children with her. Explain what they like and dislike and what they enjoy doing. It may be helpful to write these down for her.
If you know of any other families in the area who also have Au Pairs, contact them and put your Au Pair in touch with theirs. We will sometimes be able to help you with this too.
Carefully and sensitively discuss your preferred method of disciplining your children. This can vary widely from family to family and if not explained to your au pair, can be a common cause of misunderstandng and upset. It is important for your au pair to understand how you would like her to handle any ‘little monkey’ moments!
Pay her on time every week.
Include her in family outings as an additional family member.
If you are happy with the way things are working remember to tell her so. If you are unhappy, sit down and explain why and discuss ways of resolving the problems.
Above all, keep communicating with your Au Pair. This is very important. Good, clear, honest and open communication will really help in establishing a good relationship and will provide you with a happy Au Pair who can bring a lot of fun, flexibility and friendship into your family.
