School closes on Friday. On Monday, you still have a job. Most families hire an au pair to fix the school-week squeeze.
But it’s the holidays that quietly break the arrangement, because nobody planned for them.
What an Au Pair Actually Does
An au pair is a childcare partner who supports your family’s daily rhythm. She isn’t a cleaner and she isn’t a full-time teacher. Her job is the children.
Typically, that includes:
- School runs and getting children to activities on time
- Afternoon care, including snacks, play and homework help
- Routine support at mealtimes, bath time and bedtime
- Engaging time with the children that isn’t on a screen
Many families also ask about an au pair versus a nanny. A nanny usually brings more formal, long-term childcare experience. An au pair is often a better fit when you want an energetic, flexible presence who grows into your routine. You can read more about their differences here.
Why holidays are the real test
During term, the school gives the day its shape. In the holidays, that shape disappears. Suddenly your au pair has a full day to fill, and you’ve given her no plan. Bored children, a stretched au pair and a stressed parent make for a bad week.
It’s rarely about ability. It’s about structure.
The term-and-holiday agreement (Our Expert Framework)
Here’s the counter-intuitive idea. Write two agreements, not one.
1. Term-time agreement: School runs, afternoon routines, homework, bedtimes.
2. Holiday agreement: Daily rhythm, outings, screen limits, and what a good day looks like.
For the holiday agreement, agree on three things:
- The anchor: One fixed point in every day, such as a morning outing or a quiet-time block.
- The menu: A short list of activities she can choose from, so she isn’t inventing every day from
- scratch.
- The budget: Any money for outings, and how you want it tracked.
This gives her something to lean on and gives your children something to look forward to
What to Check Before You Say Yes
Whoever you choose, you should be able to answer yes to each of these:
- Identity and police clearance have been verified
- Experience with children has been seen in practice, not just claimed
- Driving has been discussed for school runs and holiday outings
- Hours, duties and house rules are written down, for both term and holidays
- Accommodation or travel arrangements are sorted
At Kith, we handle vetting, including ID verification, police clearance, and a practical session with children. Our au pairs also complete training through the Kith Academy.
How to Brief Your Au Pair in the First Week
- Walk her through the term-time agreement first
- Show her one full day, start to finish
- Tell her the holiday plan before the holidays start
- Book a short check-in at the end of week one, and again at month one
Frequently asked questions
Ready to Find Your Au Pair?
The right au pair doesn’t just fill a gap in your diary. She makes the holidays feel manageable. Join Kith and we’ll match you with a vetted, trained au pair who fits your home.
Want to see exactly how it works for Cornwall? Read about our Au Pair in Cornwall service
If you’d like a younger, more flexible helper instead, our guide to hiring a nanny in Cornwall explains how to hire for the handover, not just the CV ourselves.
1 Comment
Comments are closed.