Everything you need to know about being a host family and Au Pair!
Au Pair in America is the nation's first legal au pair program. Since 1986, we have provided the best child care opportunities to host families across the U.S. and au pairs from around the world.
Being spontaneous and just traveling to a place and deciding what to do as you go along can be fun. But, there are benefits to doing research and planning before your trips. These ideas are to help you make general plans. You shouldn’t book any tickets or make any financial commitments until you know when Read More
Reading, playing, and doing art projects are always great ways to entertain children and keep them physically active and learning. It’s a good idea to limit screen time. But, in this time of social distancing, technology can play an important role in allowing kids to see and connect with the world outside of their homes. Read More
Social distancing is important right now to help slow the spread of coronavirus. This means avoiding places where you come in contact with lots of people (schools, movies, restaurants, museums, concerts, parties, etc.) I am sure you keep hearing a lot about the things you should not do. It’s also important to have ideas of Read More
The coronavirus has caused lots of temporary changes to our daily routines. Right now, we are being asked to practice “social distancing” to reduce the spread of the virus. What is social distancing? Social distancing is a way to keep people from interacting as closely or frequently enough to spread the virus. Schools, sporting events Read More
Common problem: “It’s the end of my au pair year and I have sooooo much stuff! It’s going to cost me a fortune in extra baggage fees.” This post is about one way to prevent that problem. I know it can be tempting. There are so many beautiful things and great sales out there. But Read More
Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year in the United States. It started as a harvest festival and has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789. The most important part of Thanksgiving for American families is to spend family time together. “My favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. Firstly, Read More
Being knowledgeable in basic first aid and CPR is important for au pairs (and anyone else caring for children). Au Pair in America’s commitment to infant/child safety begins before au pairs arrive to the U.S., with pre-arrival training and continue throughout the au pair year. #1 Training At Orientation Our orientation includes seminars by American Red Cross Read More
Almost everyone experiences culture shock when they come to a completely new environment. Everything is different: the language, the food, and the people. When everything feels so unfamiliar, it is natural to long for the security of home. However, you don’t want to let that feeling of longing for home, make you too sad or Read More
Back to school time is here. This can mean changes to the au pair schedule and possibly to the duties. It is very important to communicate these changes to avoid problems. Here is a list of topics to consider discussing: Au pair’s work schedule The children’s school and activity schedules Where the children get dropped Read More
Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time. Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video Read More
