Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

How did you choose your Au Pair

108 replies

CountessDracula · 21/03/2006 15:37

I have finally given in and said we can have and au pair - difficulties with dd being ill, dh's work going mad and general exhaustion have finally persuaded me that we should give it a go.

So what did you look for in yours

I have a preliminary shortlist (not spoken to them yet)

  1. English, 21, looked after her much younger siblings for the past 2 years. The first line of her profile says "I am a christian" which tbh I find offputting, not because I don't like christians but to put it in the first line may imply fanaticism do you think? She sounds very nice and sensible.
  1. A 22 yo hungarian girl who says that people say she is a responsible, tolerant ,open minded person who loves fun,children and the life. That sounds more like my cup of tea, she has worked in UK for a year and I think is still here so could interview her. She has worked in a nursery too.

what do you think?

What do you look for in an au pair?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Uwila · 21/03/2006 15:57

Is this au pair in addition to or in place of the nanny? Ask a billion questions about nutrition if you want her to cook. They all say that nutrition is important. But, dig deeper. Like do they actually know how to use a cooker, or does everything go into a frying pan? What kind of oil do they fry with? Is a potato a veg?

I think people say "I'm a christian" so you think they are a nice respectable type. For an au pair, I think I would look at the greataupair.com website and search for Estonians personally. They are hard working and honest and generally eat a very healthful diet.

oliveoil · 21/03/2006 15:56

they are usually foreign as part of the remit (as it were) is to learn english isn't it?

I may be wrong though as I have no experience on this, but thought I would post on the gut instinct thing anyway!

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/03/2006 15:55

Yes I am not going to rule someone out for that, I will certainly talk to her.

do you think it woul dbe weird having an english au pair?

OP posts:
oliveoil · 21/03/2006 15:50

Gut feeling would tell me a lot more than a cv I think.

Am maybe the first one put Christian as she maybe thinks church going/religion denotes a good characteristic? Maybe.

SenoraPostrophe · 21/03/2006 15:49

I think being outgoing is an absolute must.

we had an au pair once and it was a total disaster, mostly because she was very introverted and therefore just hid in her rom the whole time. it led to communication problems and she walked out. (there is more to it than that, but that is the essence of it!)

I agree about the line about being a christian being first, although it may not show fanaticism so much as naivity (she thinks everyone with kids would prefer to have a christian looking after them). either way, not good imo.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/03/2006 15:48

ks?

OP posts:
Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/03/2006 15:46

Yes I agree, I really would like to get someone I can meet first tbh!

OP posts:
elliott · 21/03/2006 15:45

talk to them and go on your gut feeling - that would be my advice never having done it before Grin
Actually just did my first nanny interview last week and I do think a lot of it is just down to personal chemistry.

Swipe left for the next trending thread