January is when most people start working on their resolutions for the year that has just arrived. If you have an Au Pair in your home, or if you are in the process of becoming a Host Family, here are some ideas to become a Better Host Family for your Au Pair.
- Get to know your Au Pair:
Au Pairs offer a unique opportunity for families to experience cultural exchange. Good Host Families take the time to enjoy these benefits and to get to know their Au Pair’s culture, language, background and life style. Cultural Exchange can offer so much for your family, it improves one’s ability to adapt and be flexible to new circumstances. Children are especially fast to learn a new language and to create acceptance of people different from themselves. Plus, your Au Pair will return home with a positive impression of America.
- Learn to better communicate:
You and your Au Pair are teammates during the experience. Your partnership is successful through open communications, managed expectations, and feedback to which you both contribute. Good Host Families ask specific and clear questions and create an environment that will encourage their Au Pairs to ask questions as well.
- Include your Au Pair in your family life but know when to give them privacy:
A good Host Family will make sure their Au Pair feels part of the family. Include your Au Pair in some of you family’s activities and conversations, make an effort sometimes to cook what he/she likes and ask for her opinion when making decision that will affect her. One the other hand, Au Pairs also need their private time. A good Host Family understands their Au Pairs will want to go out with their friends, have private talks with their family back home and experience things on their own.
“It is important for Host Families to really get to know the Au Pair before offering a position, and to continue to get to know them before and after they arrive. Communication is key to a good relationship and families and Au Pairs that talk to each other will no doubt have a better program experience." Tanna Wilson – Go Au Pair Managing Director
Posted:
2/3/2012 12:58:14 PM by
Site Editor