Au Pair Responsibilities
The host family will expect you to take on the responsibility to educate children and add value. All of you will rely on each other to make this a truly happy inter-cultural experience. What can you expect as an AU Pair? Make no mistake, being an AU Pair is not easy! You need to be prepared to take on certain daily educating tasks, involving an average of 5 to 6 hours of work each day, 5 to 6 days a week. You will also need to take responsibility for the family’s children when required, a job which can be challenging at the beginning as the children learn to adapt to someone new. You will work up to 30 hours per week, with responsibilities ranging from playing with children, taking them to and from school and preparing snacks for them. The main purpose of the position is to develop the language skills of those you are coaching through tutoring and conversation. You will be a role model for the children in your care, and they will look up to you for guidance and support. After you officially register, we will email you an AU Pair handbook, which will carefully introduce what you can and cannot do. Do not worry, the requirements are not difficult to follow.
Language Instructor
Families are looking to hire an Au Pair to give their children a foreign language environment as well as broaden their cultural education. The #1 requirement of an AU Pair is having great love for children. The best part of the program is the relationships our AU Pair’s build with their host children. You may be the one who gets a hug first thing in the morning, sees a child reaching a major milestone, such as taking their first steps, or be the one who gets the biggest laugh of the day. These moments are special and help to make your year both memorable and rewarding. The bridge of communication you build with your child is also very rewarding. As time goes by, you will see how he or she progresses in his or her foreign language. You will also have a little helper to help you with your Chinese.
Bring Value
Because the whole program is paid for by the host family, you should bring some value to this family. You will need to show the host family that you are committed to their well-being so that they feel safe and happy in your care. Make sure that you spend quality time with the children everyday by allocating a time when you can give them your full attention. During this time, do a fun activity with them that they really enjoy, like baking a cake, drawing, painting, create something, playing outdoors, cycling, going to the park, etc. Because you do something fun together every day, they will quickly begin to enjoy your company, and you will naturally develop a close and lasting friendship with them. Never make personal phone calls or email your friends when you are alone with the children: this sends the message to the children that you are not interested in them, and they are likely to behave badly as a result!
Some work
In the host family, you are one of the family members. You should share some light housework, but requirements are different between families. You are NOT obliged to do all housework, but at least responsible for your own room being clean and tidy, as well as making sure that all shared facilities, especially the kitchen and bathroom are clean after being used. If possible, you should do some more basic stuff like make beds for children and tutoring for the kids. Sometimes, the family has a nanny or maid for all the housework.
Share
Prepare something typical from your country, for example something that you can show and tell about your country, the school system, history, sports, Christmas, etc. Also prepare some educational toys, for example chess, game materials, and story books as coaching materials.