Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Paid childcare

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

Au pair arriving tomorrow night. How can we make her feel most welcome?

9 replies

Northlondonma · 20/03/2014 21:47

Hi!

Our German au pair arrives tomorrow night! We are all excited to have her here.

Any tips on making her feel most welcome?

Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
mousmous · 20/03/2014 21:50

clean, comfy room.
sit down with a cuppa and short introduction then I would let her unpack and go to bed.

Northlondonma · 20/03/2014 22:20

Thanks. Am going to put fresh flowers in room and then spend weekend showing her round. Quite nervous buy excited.

OP posts:
Boris13 · 20/03/2014 22:34

Make a 'welcome pack'

Names, times, days open and directions.of Places the children like to go to

Local bus, train maps

Drawings / letters from the children saying welcome

Towels, flannels and toiletries

A phone card to enable her to phone home

Some people include a weekly travel card
and a pay as u go phone

Emergency numbers she may need, including urs and husbands work

House keys

I'll keep thinking......Smile

Boris13 · 20/03/2014 22:36

Directions to school, drop off / pick up times

Email addresses of other things like this site. And AP sites, where she can possibly make friends.....

mousmous · 20/03/2014 22:49

oh, and if she's supposed to drive, do a couple of test runs. it's the 'wrong' side of he road for her.
goid luck!

OvertiredandConfused · 21/03/2014 00:56

We've found it really helps to talk about the fact that the first few days will be tough. She needs to settle, adjust to speaking English all the time, find her way around your home and get used to your ways - all before she starts taking on duties.

We always make it clear that our au pairs are welcome to be with us or in their room when they're not working and mean it. We ask what sort of food they'd like us to have in for them, especially lunches when they're usually by themselves. Make sure she knows how to get to key places, and not just places she needs to work. Bus / train station, local shops, town, cinema, college etc.

Finally, we always make sure new au pairs have a bit of time in the house alone in the first couple of days and encourage them to poke around, open doors, see if they can operate the oven, hob, dishwasher, washing machine and so on. It's always easier to do that when you aren't being watched. And if she offers to help when you're in the kitchen in the first day or so, emptying the dishwasher is great as it gives chance to find out where things go as you can keep up a running commentary!

Hope that helps. Good luck!

HSMMaCM · 21/03/2014 08:08

The welcome pack is a great idea. Make sure your wifi password is in it.

NannyK7H · 22/03/2014 10:30

Overtired you sound fab to work for :)

House keys is a definite must. I'm a live in nanny rather than au pair but one family took 5 months to get me my own set of keys. Was horrible!

oscarwilde · 25/03/2014 13:29

Her own A-Z
Instructions on how to use the shower/how the hot water works if there are any quirks

New posts on this thread. Refresh page