Au Pair 101 (or: Everything I’ve Learned From Two Years as an Au Pair)

I’ve had several people ask me questions about being an au pair, how I got started, what the experience has been like, pros/cons, all those questions that people have when thinking about doing something new. My au pair series is still up for various bits of information, but this is going to be a full guide to the five W’s and one H of au pairing. And,  I figured that since I’m wrapping up my time au pairing (I’m finished at the end of August), almost exactly two years after having started,  now is as good as time as any to put this together.

Au Pair Lessons: Be the Good, Better, Best Organized

I pride myself on being a pretty organized person. Depending on how I’m feeling, I even throw in some colour coding for good measure.  However, over the last six months, I have stepped it up a notch. Or five.

Au Pair Lessons: Say Yes. But Also No.

Moderation is key. As is being honest, at least with yourself. Families tend to do things on the weekend, when everyone’s more or less home, which is great! However, as great as that can be, sometimes you just don’t want to be a part of it, and that’s fine.

Au Pair Lessons: What is an au pair?

I feel like I should have led off with this. It would have made sense, really, but what’s done is done and the only way to go is forward. So forward we go and I bring information! And links! And charts! YAY!

The Coffee Break

Yesterday I woke up to slamming doors and kids yelling at each other. I checked my phone and could have almost cried when I saw the time. I’m not a morning person, but I’ll crawl out of bed when need be. ‘When need be’ yesterday should not have been 6:45. This morning, even though the kids don’t have school on Wednesdays, I came down to the youngest hugging the freezer door and sobbing because, out of the blue, he decided that he wanted ice cream for breakfast.