June's Article - Welcoming Your New Au Pair
Hi - it is summer at last and many au pairs arrive in the USA during these lazy, warm months and before school begins again. Take the time to read our featured article "5 Tips To Welcoming an Au Pair to your Home."
It is important to make a good, first impression with your new au pair! Taking the time to freshen up her room, making a welcome basket for her, and talking to the children about their expectations are all good tips for setting the right tone with your au pair. Remember to make her feel special! She is far from home, young and probably a bit shy about being there in your home. So, treat her like you would want your daughter to be treated, and you may find a friend for life!
For our readers, we would love to hear some tips on welcoming your au pair - what have you done that is special? That worked out well? Something different and creative? Let us know!
Happy Summer!
Edina
Welcome Baskets are FUN!
Hi - we have had 4 au pairs and our family tradition to help welcome each au pair is to make up a welcome basket. I get the whole family involved, even the boys. We put in special things from our town, like a local map, a town directory, shopping guide and a t-shirt with our town's name across it.
Then we go to the local drugstore and my girls pick out "American" products that they think she will love: shampoo, conditioner, Burt's Bee's lip balm, hand cream, etc. We also put in a few things from Pier One (Au Pairs love this store) like room freshener and incense and something special for their room, like a throw pillow or a colorful spread for her bed.
We also place something special in the basket that we know she will like (one girl played soccer, so we bought her a soccer ball; another played classical piano and we bought her a CD of Mozart piano sonatas).
We all write in a large card, each family member writes their own welcome note and we put this in her room. Oh, the delight and happiness that greets that basket, year after year! The au pairs are so grateful that we all took the time to pick out each thing, just for her. We highly recommend a customized Welcome Basket!
And, it helps the children understand how special our au pair is and that she should be treated that way - all year long!
More Tips to Welcome Your Au Pair
Great idea! Thank you for the tip on the welcome basket idea. Also, check out our list of things to do when preparing for your new au pair under FAQs (number 10). We also provide a link to Smart Au Pairs and their article on welcoming your au pair - it is chock-full of great ideas.
Thanks for the tips Edina
Hi - This article is very timely - you are right - summer is when most of the au pairs arrive and my au pairs arrive in July - so it is busy time right now, saying goodbyes to the old au pair and getting the room ready for the new one. I always have the room painted - fresh coat of paint is so welcoming and I buy new sheets and wash the comforter and leave a few blank (new) frames on the wall for the new aupair's photos, etc. They always love that (they never think of buying frames, they tack their photos into the wall board and a frame is so much nicer). I will do the welcome basket this year - thanks for the tips!