Comments on: Au Pair Management Tip: Schedule Transition Time http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/ Helping Host Parents and Au Pairs build great relationships. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:01:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Euromom http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-8377 Euromom Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:16:42 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-8377 I have a daily report sheet that my au pair fills out every day before going off duty. It's exactly like the type used in daycare centres and it is extremely fast and simple to fill out with multiple choice questions for example. "My (toddlers) mood today was: cranky / fussy / periods of fuzziness / happy / teething". It covers everything from "What I ate today" to "My activities were" and also bowel movements - sorry to include this but they are important! There is also a separate question for medication administored - v important when dealing with a teething baby and means that we cannot possible OD him. Because the sheet is filled out daily I can see how my child is each day - it is also a great way to review the day with the au pair - it keeps us focused - she can also write comments down for me if she think there is something that I would like to know or need to think about i.e. a playdate, etc. We also have a house diary which both I and my au pair fill in - in case we forget to talk to eachother about a night out or an extra class - this is used to aid communication and not instead off talking to one another but really keeps us focused. I also keep a white board in the kitchen for groceries - what we need kinda list - all these little things help my house run smoother - don't impact on her off duty time - and as an extra - my au pair and I work great together. I have a daily report sheet that my au pair fills out every day before going off duty. It’s exactly like the type used in daycare centres and it is extremely fast and simple to fill out with multiple choice questions for example. “My (toddlers) mood today was: cranky / fussy / periods of fuzziness / happy / teething”.

It covers everything from “What I ate today” to “My activities were” and also bowel movements – sorry to include this but they are important!

There is also a separate question for medication administored – v important when dealing with a teething baby and means that we cannot possible OD him.

Because the sheet is filled out daily I can see how my child is each day – it is also a great way to review the day with the au pair – it keeps us focused – she can also write comments down for me if she think there is something that I would like to know or need to think about i.e. a playdate, etc.

We also have a house diary which both I and my au pair fill in – in case we forget to talk to eachother about a night out or an extra class – this is used to aid communication and not instead off talking to one another but really keeps us focused.

I also keep a white board in the kitchen for groceries – what we need kinda list – all these little things help my house run smoother – don’t impact on her off duty time – and as an extra – my au pair and I work great together.

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]]> By: aria http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-8226 aria Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:54:08 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-8226 Preach. I'm all for scheduling transition time in between, but when my HP are 30- 1 hour late every single night and then I have wait for them to get settled, read kids a bedtime story, then come out and discuss what needs to be done...and I get to go around 8:30-9:00 every night, it starts to wear on you. Resentment builds, no matter how much you like your job! Preach. I’m all for scheduling transition time in between, but when my HP are 30- 1 hour late every single night and then I have wait for them to get settled, read kids a bedtime story, then come out and discuss what needs to be done…and I get to go around 8:30-9:00 every night, it starts to wear on you. Resentment builds, no matter how much you like your job!

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]]> By: Aupair http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-8223 Aupair Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:07:14 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-8223 I work the full 45hrs and my host parents HAVE written on the end of my schedule that im expected to STAY AN EXTRA 15mins (after my 9hr/day) to discuss the children with them....Add to that the usual 15-30minuts of lateness EVERYDAY, and thats alot of "Change-over Time" (as my HM likes to call it!) that is UNPAID and UNWANTED!! I love my host kids!! But when im looking at the clock and 5.30's come and gone.... I start to feel a little used. :( It's a sad fact that MOST Auairs make a run for the door.... But you need to remember, it's still a job and we need some time and space for ourselves aswell. I think scheduling in time for this conversation is imperitive! It makes it a better enviroment for everyone, Host Parents, Children and the Au Pair.... But lets keep it on the clock! :D I work the full 45hrs and my host parents HAVE written on the end of my schedule that im expected to STAY AN EXTRA 15mins (after my 9hr/day) to discuss the children with them….Add to that the usual 15-30minuts of lateness EVERYDAY, and thats alot of “Change-over Time” (as my HM likes to call it!) that is UNPAID and UNWANTED!! I love my host kids!! But when im looking at the clock and 5.30′s come and gone…. I start to feel a little used. :( It’s a sad fact that MOST Auairs make a run for the door…. But you need to remember, it’s still a job and we need some time and space for ourselves aswell. I think scheduling in time for this conversation is imperitive! It makes it a better enviroment for everyone, Host Parents, Children and the Au Pair…. But lets keep it on the clock! :D

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]]> By: Taking a computer lunch http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-8036 Taking a computer lunch Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:30:50 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-8036 When the kids were babies, we had very little overlap, because we needed the AP to work 42 1/2 hours per week, leaving the remaining 2 1/2 hours for my commuting delays. Now, we usually have the AP feed our daughter, so she is in the dining room feeding DD while I am preparing dinner. It's a great time to chat. One of my previous APs trained me, by always asking "How was your day?" And I learned to ask back of her. It was a great way to find out what was important to her, who was new in her life, which APs were going home that week, whether or not she wanted extra time off to say goodbye to someone at the airport, what her favorite things were... This information was as important to me as what the kids were doing. For APs whose English needs improvement, it's also a time to help them improve their skills (you don't need to directly correct, just reply using the corrected language). We also have the AP start at 6:00 when DD needs to get up for school (because she requires total care, getting her ready takes a long time). DH is home with the AP in the morning, and has a chance to chat. DH is home, talking a walk and seeing our son get up in the morning before he heads to work at 7:30, so there is a great deal of overlap there, too. This extent of overlap works because our kids are school-age and spend 6 1/2 hours out of the house each day. When the kids were babies, we had very little overlap, because we needed the AP to work 42 1/2 hours per week, leaving the remaining 2 1/2 hours for my commuting delays. Now, we usually have the AP feed our daughter, so she is in the dining room feeding DD while I am preparing dinner. It’s a great time to chat.

One of my previous APs trained me, by always asking “How was your day?” And I learned to ask back of her. It was a great way to find out what was important to her, who was new in her life, which APs were going home that week, whether or not she wanted extra time off to say goodbye to someone at the airport, what her favorite things were… This information was as important to me as what the kids were doing. For APs whose English needs improvement, it’s also a time to help them improve their skills (you don’t need to directly correct, just reply using the corrected language).

We also have the AP start at 6:00 when DD needs to get up for school (because she requires total care, getting her ready takes a long time). DH is home with the AP in the morning, and has a chance to chat. DH is home, talking a walk and seeing our son get up in the morning before he heads to work at 7:30, so there is a great deal of overlap there, too.

This extent of overlap works because our kids are school-age and spend 6 1/2 hours out of the house each day.

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]]> By: Au pair http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7936 Au pair Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:33:22 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7936 Just make sure you dont talk only about work and kids because no one wants to talk about work while having dinner. Just make sure you dont talk only about work and kids because no one wants to talk about work while having dinner.

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]]> By: Pearl http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7934 Pearl Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:24:05 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7934 My au pairs have kindly picked me up from the metro/bus stop after work most nights. We almost always get a few minutes to talk about issues that arose during the day while she drives me home (and the kids are distracted by a movie in the back). Luckily, all my au pairs have been able to drive and talk well at the same time! We also always try to seek out an au pair who is interested up front in having family dinners with us most nights. It's during those dinnertimes that we usually hear the great little stories about fun things they've done, and that's the best chance to thank and praise our au pair (and our kids) and generally bond. I think it's not so bad for our au pair to run out and get a workout in, or even just escape to her room for a bit right after I get home. Thenwe can talk about things over dinner after she's gotten a break. For those nights she's going out at dinner time, I also have her fill out a daily report form to make sure no necessary info falls through the cracks. My au pairs have kindly picked me up from the metro/bus stop after work most nights. We almost always get a few minutes to talk about issues that arose during the day while she drives me home (and the kids are distracted by a movie in the back). Luckily, all my au pairs have been able to drive and talk well at the same time!

We also always try to seek out an au pair who is interested up front in having family dinners with us most nights. It’s during those dinnertimes that we usually hear the great little stories about fun things they’ve done, and that’s the best chance to thank and praise our au pair (and our kids) and generally bond. I think it’s not so bad for our au pair to run out and get a workout in, or even just escape to her room for a bit right after I get home. Thenwe can talk about things over dinner after she’s gotten a break. For those nights she’s going out at dinner time, I also have her fill out a daily report form to make sure no necessary info falls through the cracks.

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]]> By: Au pair http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7929 Au pair Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:57:37 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7929 i can say as an au pair that taking some time to talk about the day and let my host mom in to what is going on is good to the relationship (and i do that almost everyday) but i remember how i hated to receive a txt message from my host parents asking me to come home in my free time to talk. It got me scared many times as i thought something bad was going on..but everytime i'd come home and they would talk about simple stuff - which made me pissed. They had plenty of time at home with me almost everyday..why dont use this time to talk? and oh, i coud not stand my host mom which made everything worse. In my new family i do that naturally..because even tho i am dead tired when she comes home..i rarely feel like running to the street since she treats me well, respects me and most important of all, APPRECIATES my job. i can say as an au pair that taking some time to talk about the day and let my host mom in to what is going on is good to the relationship (and i do that almost everyday) but i remember how i hated to receive a txt message from my host parents asking me to come home in my free time to talk. It got me scared many times as i thought something bad was going on..but everytime i’d come home and they would talk about simple stuff – which made me pissed. They had plenty of time at home with me almost everyday..why dont use this time to talk? and oh, i coud not stand my host mom which made everything worse.
In my new family i do that naturally..because even tho i am dead tired when she comes home..i rarely feel like running to the street since she treats me well, respects me and most important of all, APPRECIATES my job.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7927 Anonymous Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:52:00 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7927 I think this is an excellent idea. I am a teacher and I am exspected to be in my classroom prior to class and after dismissal. Often, students stop by just to talk. At my son's school, I have heard many parents complain about teachers who just go racing to their cars as soon as the bell rings. It sends a strong message. On behalf of the aupairs, I want to say something. When I was a brand new mother at home all day, sometimes I, too, wanted to run out the door as soon as my husband came home. At one time, I was a therapist and many women told me that exact same thing. If you come home late, through your own fault or no fault of your own ( traffic, demanding client, inconsiderate boss ) , don't be too judgemental of your aupair. She has had a long day, too. Don't take it personally. I think this is an excellent idea. I am a teacher and I am exspected to be in my classroom prior to class and after dismissal. Often, students stop by just to talk. At my son’s school, I have heard many parents complain about teachers who just go racing to their cars as soon as the bell rings. It sends a strong message. On behalf of the aupairs, I want to say something. When I was a brand new mother at home all day, sometimes I, too, wanted to run out the door as soon as my husband came home. At one time, I was a therapist and many women told me that exact same thing. If you come home late, through your own fault or no fault of your own ( traffic, demanding client, inconsiderate boss ) , don’t be too judgemental of your aupair. She has had a long day, too. Don’t take it personally.

]]> By: PA au pair mom http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7926 PA au pair mom Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:44:27 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7926 Last year I didn't schedule overlap time and it would make me crazy, and sometimes angry, when I would get home from a long day and our AP would be waiting on the front porch, purse in hand, to leave. This year, I schedule the AP at least 1 hour after I get home. If I don't need her for the whole 1 hour, I will simply say, "thanks for your help today. We are going to go out for dinner. You are more than welcome to come along, or you can be free for the evening". This has worked out very well. Last year I didn’t schedule overlap time and it would make me crazy, and sometimes angry, when I would get home from a long day and our AP would be waiting on the front porch, purse in hand, to leave.

This year, I schedule the AP at least 1 hour after I get home. If I don’t need her for the whole 1 hour, I will simply say, “thanks for your help today. We are going to go out for dinner. You are more than welcome to come along, or you can be free for the evening”. This has worked out very well.

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]]> By: StephinBoston http://AuPairMom.com/au-pair-management-tip-schedule-transition-time/2010/03/29/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-7925 StephinBoston Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:03:56 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2918#comment-7925 This is interesting, I work from home so I spend a lot of time with our au pairs, morning, lunch and after work I get to talk to them. I think some overlap is very beneficial, lets us both take our time "jumping in" to the situation, whether it's morning for her of night for me when she hands the kids back to me. If I ever go back in the office, I'll make sure to schedule some overlap time This is interesting, I work from home so I spend a lot of time with our au pairs, morning, lunch and after work I get to talk to them. I think some overlap is very beneficial, lets us both take our time “jumping in” to the situation, whether it’s morning for her of night for me when she hands the kids back to me. If I ever go back in the office, I’ll make sure to schedule some overlap time

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