Monthly Archives: May 2014

Au Pair Hint For Success – Do Your Best

daisy flowerAs time goes on, it can be tempting to become relaxed in the way you complete your duties. This is especially true in the final months of your au pair year.  Don’t let yourself get into a routine of not doing your best.  Take initiative – don’t wait to be asked, anticipate children’s needs, offer to help when you are sharing “family time.”

Handling Expenses

Miscellaneous Expenses

There are different ways to handle the little day to day expenses that come up.  Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon of milk.  Some families keep a cookie jar fund, a little cash that they set aside weekly or monthly for this kind of expenses.  Here are some suggestions for avoiding problems with expenses.

Host Families

  • It’s important to be clear about how long this money should last and what types of expenses are approved.
  • Let the au pair know whether or not you expect receipts.
  • Au Pairs

  • Only spend the money on approved expenses.
  • If it is something you are not sure about, ask first.
  • Put your receipts in the cookie jar in place of the money to avoid any confusion.
  • Gas and Fare Cards

    Host families are responsible for the au pair’s transportation costs:

  • to and from classes and cluster meetings
  • driving the kids
  • It is a good idea to figure out how much gas an au pair will use for these trips and either put gas in the car or give a gas allowance.   If your au pair is riding to classes or cluster meetings with another au pair, you should offer to share the cost of gas.

    Au pairs are responsible for their own transportation at all other times.  You should replace the amount of gas used for personal use.

    Photo: Andrea Travillian

    Privacy, Personal Information & The Internet

    Just a reminder about how important it is to respect your host family’s privacy and not share personal details and information.  This applies to all kinds of situations, including: personal conversations, email and social websites.

    For your own safety, it is a good idea to be careful what personal information you share about yourself as well. You should not be giving out information like your telephone number and address to people you don’t know.

    Once you post something on the internet (even if you later delete it), it can show up elsewhere.  Unless you have specific permission from the host family, you should not post pictures of them, their children or their home on the internet.

    If you have a blog or website where you post in your native language, remember there is translation software.  So, even if you say it in your native language, be sure it is not something you will regret.

    Holiday & Vacation Reminders

    With Memorial Day almost here, I wanted to remind everyone about program rules on holidays and vacations.

    Holidays

    • Host families are NOT REQUIRED to give au pairs any specific holidays.
    • Each host family will make different arrangements on holidays, some au pairs will be off and others will be required to work.
    • Au pairs should NOT make plans for holidays without checking with your host family FIRST.

    luggage maliasVacation

    • Au pair earns 2 weeks of paid vacation during the course of her year.
    • The host family can pick a week and the au pair can pick a week, if an agreement is not reached.
    • All vacation should be preplanned (at least 4 weeks in advance.)
    • All au pair’s friends and/or family visits/vacations should be pre-approved prior to purchasing a ticket.
    • If an au pair travels with their host family, it should be discussed UP FRONT whether this is the au pair’s vacation or if she is working.
    • If an au pair travels with the host family to work, the host family is required to pay for her transportation, lodging and meals.

    Important: An au pair MUST have her DS2019 signed PRIOR to her departure from the US. More info. about this can be found on the right side of this page under “Travel Links for Au Pairs.”

    Mother's Day Gift Ideas

    443px-Happy_Mother's_Day_-_geograph.org.uk_-_709934Mother’s Day is celebrated each year in the U.S. on the second Sunday in May. This year that is May 11. It is always a nice gesture to do something for your host mom. You could help the children make a surprise for her or give her a card yourself. Any gesture is appreciated. Don’t forget to send a special message to your own mom back home. Without her love and support, you wouldn’t be here today. 🙂

    Looking for some great Mother’s Day ideas?

    Check out the Au Pair in America Mother’s Day pinboard on Pinterest.

    Frappuccino Happy Hour Returns – May 1-10

    From the Starbucks website

    starbucks happy hour

    Click here for more info

    Frappuccino® blended beverage lovers, we heard you – and we are excited to announce the return of Happy Hour to Starbucks!

    Starting May 1 and running through May 10, come into participating stores between 3-5 p.m. for a half-price Frappuccino® blended beverage of your choice.