What an Au pair means for your family

‍Most families are up early and so are Au pairs. For families with smaller children, this may mean the Au pair is ready for that morning nappy change, dressing and making breakfasts.

For older children, this may include making lunches, school drop-offs and making sure the children are packed for the day including the elusive excursion notes.

Each day activities vary depending on the family and the age of the children. For younger ones, au pairs may escort the children to playgroup, the park or sports activities. For school-aged children, activities normally occur after school.

This means no more racing from work to juggle soccer training or ballet lessons. An au pair can assist with these after school tasks in addition to daily duties such as helping with homework. 

Meal times are a lot of fun for any family. It is time to catch up and come together, although often getting a meal on the table can be a challenge for working families. This is a game-changer, an au pair can make dinners if you need and feed younger children based on their earlier mealtime schedules.

Many au pairs love cooking, so don’t be surprised to find cupcakes, fruit animals and other treats appearing in your kitchen!

Not all families run on a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 schedule. Work events and late meetings are always a juggle with traditional childcare. With an au pair, you have the peace of mind knowing your children are at home and well cared for.

Au Pairs are young so it is important that they have plenty of time off to explore and socialise with people of their own age. After dinner, your Au Pair may join you for a chat, tv or a card game but on other nights you or your Au Pair will want time alone.

Depending on your schedule, your au pair will likely have some time off each day. This may be a block whilst the kids are at school or just a set time throughout the day. Most au pairs use this time to explore the local area, head to the gym, catch up with friends or just relax.

It is important to factor in time off for au pairs to explore the local area and beyond. A 6-month placement will include 1 week time off in addition to at least 1.5 days off per week. An au pair cannot work more than 35 hours per week.