Aupair Responsibilities

Child Care:

As an AuPair, child care will be one of your main duties. For much of the time the children will be attending school or nursery and one ofyour duties may be taking the children to and from school/nursery, and staying with them until a parent(s) comes home from work. Remember they are children! They will want to play games, be read to and have fun with you. Be creative with the children and plan interesting activities which will makethe time spent together more enjoyable and fun for you and the children.
During your working hours you are ''on duty'' whether the parentsare at home or not. Be very SAFETY CONSCIOUS. Know where the children are atall times and be attentive.
PATIENCE, is very important, especially at the beginning. Thechildren will be brought up in a different manner than in your own countryand may appear to be spoilt but if you are patient, and don’t lose yourtemper easily, and can laugh and joke them out of a bad temper yourrelationship with them will be good and enjoyable.
Remember, when you first arrive the children will probably bewary of you, as you will be a stranger to them but if you are friendly andtake an interest in them, children can be won over quite easily! Try toremember yourself as a child and put yourself in their place. Understandingis a key to friendship!
Your first week or so may be difficult to begin with as yousettle into your new surroundings and get to know your host family and theirchildren, but most AuPairs settle in very quickly and make lastingfriendships with their family!

Housework :

As an AuPair you will be responsible for light housework. Eachfamily is different, but your duties may include ironing, dusting,vacuuming, light cooking for the children, keeping childrens'' rooms tidy,and general tidying of the house.
Be willing, try to do things without being asked by using yourinitiative and make sure you know what the family expects of you.
Be positive and enthusiastic in your attitude and when yourfamily asks you to do something make sure it gets done, don''t wait untillater.
Remember it is your responsibility to keep your own bedroom andbathroom clean and tidy.

Language Classes :

A huge benefit of being an AuPair, attending a language classis very important and are taken during your free time. Whilst you areresponsible for the cost of your language class some host families may wishto contribute towards the cost.
This is a great way to meet friends and learn more about theculture. Ask lots of questions, don’t be afraid to speak to your teacher,this will help to improve your fluency and broaden your language skills.

Family Life :

As an Aupair you will be considered to be a member of thefamily. Show an interest in your family; get involved, you will makelifelong friends!
It is important to recognise when to give the parents privatetime, on their own maybe or with the children. It is also important for YOUto have private time and space to maybe study, read, or write letters.
COMMUNICATION with your host family is very important. Shouldyou have any worries or fears, feel homesick, or any other problem, you musttalk with your host family. Be open with them. They will want to know howyou are feeling and will want to help you.
As a visitor from another country you may find the somesituations very different to your own country and may even experienceculture shock. Remember their culture may be very different to your own i.e.the family’s lifestyle, their marital patterns, and the way they disciplinetheir children.
Remember, if you talk to your host parents regularly it will beeasier to talk to them about any problems you may be experiencing. This is agreat opportunity for you to practice your communication skills, especiallyusing another language.

Social Life :

Take the opportunity to make friends, especially at yourlanguage school and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people.
Always be careful, especially at night. Never travel alone atnight, only with friends and never take rides from strangers or people youdo not know well. Always arrange for a reputable taxi or minicab to pick youup and take you home. They should have an identity card. Give your name whenyou telephone and ask the driver to confirm YOUR name before you get in thecar.
Never take a ride from someone who offers you a lift and says heis a taxi driver. However, if you do get stuck with no lift home, call yourhost family who will either make arrangements for you to be collected orcollect you themselves. They won’t mind as long as you don’t do itregularly!
Marina Hay operates PUKEKO INTERNATIONAL AUPAIR CLUB. Contact the agency if you are interested.

working Time & Time Off :

Be flexible. Work with your family and their schedule. Plan inadvance when you can. If you are doing a good job and the family is happywith you, they will try to be flexible as well.
Whilst your host family will not want to put too manyrestrictions on your social life, they are to a large extent responsible foryou so please respect their house rules and curfews. They will be also beconcerned about your ability to function properly with the children duringthe day which could be hampered by a too hectic social life! Try tounderstand how the family might feel if your late nights affected your careof the children.
Reading, studying, letter writing, hair washing, etc., should bedone in your free time. You should not take a book onto the beach while youare looking after children and it is vital to ALWAYS keep your eye on them.
You should not bring friends into the house, male or female,without the prior consent of the family.
It is wise not to sleep out overnight except in particularcircumstances and you should first discuss it with the family. It is commoncourtesy to tell them if you are going out and expect to return later than usual.

Settling Down Problems :

Expect to be homesick and accept it while it lasts. IT WILLPASS! Most Au Pairs will feel homesick anywhere between the first 2-3 weeksthey are with their new family. DO NOT BOTTLE IT UP - DISCUSS IT WITH THEFAMILY. The best way to overcome homesickness is to get involved with yournew family, make new friends and stay interested in what you are doing.
Changing host families is possible, but do not think that if youhave any problems that you can just find a new family. You will have to workto make the placement a good experience. However, if you have problems that you cannot resolve with your host family direct, you should contact us.

The thing which families complain about more than anything is thatsome AuPairs abuse the use of the telephone by running up HUGE telephone bills which do not always come to light until after the Au Pair has gone home!If you like to talk with your family and friends on a regular basis,please reverse the charges or ask them to call you.