role of an au pair

[phraedd]

just because i don't want to either take advantage of someone or have someone take advantage of me, what do you all consider the role of an au pair to be?

What should be in their contract (do you evven do contracts?)

Morning phraedd, do a little search in messages under AP, there should be lots of info on this, but generally an AP does 25+ hours a week for £60+ of light housework (anything except spring cleaning, windows etc) and childcare. Whether it's sole childcare depends on the age & experience of AP and age of dc. In return they get full board, pocket money and chance to go to college, which is usually in the evening or during school hours. I do an agreement but I know lots of people don't. I don't think they are legally binding just a promise.

phraedd, aupairs are a mixture between member of the family, big sister to your dcs, mother's help and housemate. In other words, quite a complex relationship, particularly if she is live-in, as she tends to be. Bear in mind there are also male aupairs.

I don't have a contract, but I have written house rules, which I go through when the aupair arrives. If I feel any are controversial, I mention it before I make the offer, just to make sure they are ok with it.

You can't really and don't really want to abuse an aupair in the sense that they can and have been known to just up and leave if they are unhappy. And even if you have a written contract, there is no point in enforcing it against a young girl, assuming you can find her in the first place. So your best bet to make her stay is to keep her happy (if you like her and want her to stay). That means treating her as part of the family.

Good luck.

I don't need my ap to do any sole charge child-care, so she mainly does light housework. Her daily tasks are to keep the kitchen tidy, hang wet washing/fold dry washing and hoover the downstairs. Weekly she changes beds, cleans the bathroom, hoovers upstairs & mops the kitchen floor.

I'd say my ap has a fairly easy life, but my DH often works away, so I like the feeling that I can ask for more as and when required.

In return, I bought her a phone, pay her £60 a week, which is on the low side IMO, let her ring her parents / boyfriend when she likes (so long as she uses the 1p per minute services), provide access to broadband, plus full board and own room. I feel we're both getting a good deal - although her pocket money is low, I am very flexible with her as I don't require any childcare, so she can go to school whenever she likes & goes to the gym quite often. I also don't ask her to get up in the mornings with me - so she gets up at 9am. She sees this as a perk (as her ap friends do have to get up early), but for me it's no problem.

I originally said the deal would include 2 nights babysitting per week. In reality I've asked her to do 3 nights in 2 months.

My ap works Monday to Friday, and although I wouldn't expect to be her slave on the weekends, she doesn't do any 'work' then.

My aupair takes my girls to and from school, and looks after them at home until I get back. She cooks tea for them. Her household duties are children's laundry, and keeping the parts of the house used by the girls clean and tidy.