Everyone experiences those “first day jitters” when starting a new job. You hope for things to go as perfectly as possible, to make a good first impression and to learn as much about your new job as you can without feeling overwhelmed. Here are some ways you can ensure that the first day of your new au pair job ends on a great note.
1. Make sure your expectations of your new job are aligned before your first day.
Before you begin your first day as an au pair for a new family, you should ensure that you have an understanding of the family’s expectations by means of communication. The family’s needs and requirements should be outlined in a formal contract, which should be signed by both you and the family as an indication of mutual understanding and agreement.
On the other hand, just as important as it is that the family communicates their needs and requirements, you should provide your expectations for the job, payment, communication and availability..
2. Understand the guidelines for managing the kids and the house rules.
Before your first day starts, ask the parents about the child’s daily routine and how much time should be spent doing certain activities throughout the day. Become aware of any allergies or medications that the child might need to take and any physical or mental impairments that you need to understand
Ask the parents for any specifics on how they would like the day to go. This should include when the children need to eat, play, sleep, do homework, chores, play and have a bath. Times to be taken to and from school, if applicable, should be understood and extramurals and their relevant times should be taken into account. The parents should set the priorities and the au pair should structure the day accordingly. It is advised to add your own twist of fun and adventure within this structured day, to make sure that it’s a great day!
3. Identify things that may contribute to the worst-case scenario
Expect the best, plan for the worst. On your first day, do a scan of the house. Take note of any obvious danger zones — stairs, exits, pools, medicine cabinets, etc. Put away anything that, in your judgement, might be hazardous.
Take some time to save any must-have numbers into your phone — the parents personal numbers, work numbers, backup contact person, etc. Learn where the nearest emergency room is and the number of their family doctor.
4. Bond with the child by doing hands-on activities
You won’t establish a meaningful relationship with the kids on the first day as those take time to create and grow. Instead, during your first days and weeks with the family, get to know the personalities of each child in your care. Engage in activities and games as icebreakers with the kids, that involve interacting and getting to know one another and lay the base for developing a bond.
Which activities do they like to do? What games do they like to play? What are their favorite movies and pretend characters? Which books do they like? These are all questions that should be asked on the first day in order to get to know the kids.
5. Give the parents a run-down of the day
At the end of your first day, communicate a short end-of-day summary with the parents about what you did with the children. This might become a part of your daily communication between you and the parents. It’s also always nice for parents to receive a message or photo of the children here and there throughout the day.
You can let the parents know what the children ate and which activities you engaged in. If any questions come up throughout the day, this is the best chance to communicate them with the parents in order to find out how you can better the way you carry out your duties, which may also show the parents that you are proactive!
With this advice and your own initiative, you should ace your first day.
You’ve got this, au pairs!