Any Aupair World veterans out there?

[mishmash]

Our au-pair will finish with us sometime in August so rather than leave it very late, like I did last year, I decided to start looking for a replacement now.

I used an agency for last AP but am not going that route this year. I have been on Aupair World and so many girls match what I am looking for, started adding them to My Favourites and have been contacted by a few girls and likewise I have contacted a few I liked.

I am only on the first 3 pages and there are so many who sound lovely.

Anyone have any tips or advice as to how to whittle them down. I don't want to go too, too fussy to look for a perfect match. My children are older now so my needs aren't as great as before.

UWILA - if you are reading this can you bump up your questionnaire.

Also any other seasoned AP mums - what nationalities have you found to be the best (or is there such a thing) - our current girl is German but is a bit on the serious side, though she came across as being bright and bubbly when we saw her CV and sounded so when we interviewed her too. Don't get me wrong lovely girl but hard work at times.

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated as I am not relying on an agency this year to do the work (not that they did much in the first place and are being paid for old rope!)

[mishmash]

No-one???????????


Bump

[lesleyjane]

Hi. We've had Au Pairs for about 4 years now - most have been great, only a couple of 'bad' ones; not mean - just extremely lazy! Our experience so far has been that the girls from Czech and Slovak have been the best. Amiable, flexible, hard-working. We had a Danish girl who was good with our children - like a big sister - but lazy as hell. Currently have a French girl who is ok - but a little too serious and also avoids housework like the plague!
We tried Au Pair World too - but found it terribly time consuming; answering all the emails - ploughing through the 'suitable' applicants. Like you - found it hard to decide who might be good and who might not. Then we were let down at the last minute by a girl who fitted the bill perfectly. Told us she was available....2 weeks prior to the start date said she couldn't come. Back to an agency for us I'm afraid....
Not sure I've been of help - but it's nice to share experiences!

[MrsRecycle]

Oops missed this. On applying, I send out the following questins which seem to whittle down the serious few:

1. Why do you want to become an Au Pair?
2. Why do you want to come to London?
3. Do you have any friends/relatives in London or the UK?
4. If so, where do they live?
5. Have you looked after children before? If so what were their ages and were they boys or girls?
6. What was you favourite part of looking after them?
7. What aspect of children?s behaviour do you not like?
8. dd2 likes to say ?No? a lot ? how would you deal with this?
9. dd1 is very slow in everything she does ? how would you encourage her to speed up?

10. What activities/pastimes have you done in the last month?
11. What do you plan to do in your spare time when you are with us?
12. Are your parents happy with your decision to become an Au Pair?
13. What pocket money are you expecting? (This will be for 25 hours a week plus 2 evenings a week babysitting.)
14. Do you have a bank account?
15. Do you have the funds for your flight to the UK?
16. Have you had any first aid training?
17. What food do you like?
18. What food do you not like?
19. What is your favourite meal?
20. We like our girls to eat healthily ? do you know what this means?
21. dd2 is lactose intolerant ? do you have any allergies yourself?
22. Do you have any phobias?
23. Describe your health in the past year.
24. What interested you to the role we are offering?
25. Are there any aspects of the role that you need further explanation on?

Nationalities - don't really like to discuss this here as seems to get shot down by non-AP mums. I've had 3 and the best was Canadian with Dutch being a close 2nd. Hopefully my next AP is going to be Auxtralian.

Good luck.

[MrsRecycle]

I've heard French are don't like housework as well LJ! Agree with time consuming of AP-world.