Updated 14-Sep-2023
Note: other titles (with different duties) for the household staff include: Au Pair, Governor/Tutor, Nanny, &c. We are looking (again) for someone to perform the duties of Au Pair. Unfortunately there are two aspects we've been getting wrong: - An Au Pair is not usually expected to do general cleaning, and - An Au Pair is usually provided accommodation We've been including the first and disincluding the second, which limits things a bit. That said, getting it wrong is how to learn to get it right.
Character Attributes of an Au Pair
- Kindness, Firmness, Patience, Energy
- Enjoy physical work (lugging around an infant/toddler/child takes strength and effort)
- Flexibility of style in dealing with the children (as they grow, they enter different stages of development and what works with a 1 year old generally doesn't with a 2 year old)
- Good language skills in at least one language
- Good presentation of self in terms of grooming, carriage (I realize this sounds very 19th century, but children pick up every kind of mannerism and habit from adults they are around
- Not addicted to social media, and able to turn off the phone for hours at a time
- Able to communicate questions and information back to the parents