How to Welcome an Au Pair to Your Family

Au pairs today have a great opportunity to learn a foreign language, live and mingle with people of another culture, and also to gain some independence. Welcoming an au pair into your household on her arrival is the first impression you will both have of each other, and if the two of you click instantly and the children seem happy too, that is a great start.

Welcoming the au pair on her arrival

• An au pair is likely to be a little shy when they first arrive at your home, so be sure to make the effort to welcome them properly. It doesn't take a lot to put someone at ease, and something as small as a "Welcome to my Home" banner on the wall can go a long way. Have welcome t-shirts printed for the children to wear when you introduce them to their new nanny. Show her the room in the house where she will stay and make her feel comfortable. Allow her some time to collect herself. If she has traveled from overseas, she may feel jet lagged. Have a meal ready and tell her about the children, and how much they mean to you. Perhaps even have each child give a little gift to make her feel part of the family. When she has settled in, ask her about herself and her family and discuss her study plan as well as her duties in the house.

Importance of a reliable au pair looking after your children

• There is nothing as important as a mother feeling safe in the knowledge that her children are in good hands while she is at work. In order to have a good relationship with your au pair, wait for some quiet time when the children are asleep and discuss exactly how your day works and what you require from her. Make sure you provide her with contact details and the neighbor's number in the event of an emergency. If you take your children to the park, have her go with you to some of the places you need her to go on her own. Give her a map of the city so she can find her way around.