5 Tips About Becoming An Au Pair
Making the decision to be an au pair is an exciting one; you're finally venturing out into the world on your own and becoming independent. However, there are some things that need to be considered before taking the plunge…
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So Here Are 5 Tips For What You Should Know About Becoming An Au Pair:
1. Be Organised
Try to make a schedule for the day, which includes all your duties. For example, if you are an au pair with children who go to school, be sure to make their lunch in the morning before they leave and save a car accident lawyer number on your phone should anything happen while on the road! Be organised and accomplish as many tasks as possible during your time with them.
2. Be Flexible
Au Pairs need to be able to adapt to new situations easily, so it's important to have an open mind and take on board new experiences. Open communication is also key, so your host family can ask for help if they need it without feeling uncomfortable or burdened by their own inexperience.
It would be best if you didn't become set in one way of doing something because it will change over time as you spend more time with the family. Information about your host country should be shared between all involved parties, so everyone feels included and understands what is happening at all times throughout your stay.
3. Be Understanding
Au Pairs are always in a state of flux, so it's important to remain flexible and find ways to relax on the go. A lot of new experiences will come your way as an Au Pair, so it's vital you have patience with yourself and others in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It's also important that you ask for help when things get tough, even though expanding your comfort zone can be challenging at times - support from your host family is invaluable when navigating through difficult situations.
4. Be Confident
It might take time to become established in a family dynamic despite being only there temporarily, so self-confidence is vital throughout this process. If you don't feel totally comfortable speaking up for yourself or being assertive, especially at the beginning of your stay – don't be afraid to take a step back. You have your own life, and you don't want to lose it over something so short in comparison.
Being reserved can lead to feelings of isolation if host family members become distant through a lack of understanding, so it is important you stand up for yourself in situations where compromise or agreement need to be made. You are an adult, and you know what suits you best, so it is essential that the needs of the Au Pair come before anything else in order to maintain healthy relationships with everyone involved.
5. Be Natural
It's important to remember that you're there to be an Au Pair and not a full-time parent, so it's vital to find the balance between the two as this role will change over time as you become more integrated with your host family. You should never feel like you have to play a certain part in order to fit in - if anything, this is likely to make things worse rather than better. It's important that you enjoy spending time alone without feeling the need to constantly socialise with people around you because it can help maintain healthy relationships throughout your stay.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.