Work abroad in Silke's family for 10-12 Months starting from Jul 2023 as an Au Pair to take care of 2 children of 1 - 5 years old & 6 - 10 years old in Haan, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany

1. Structure of a typical day

7:00-7:35 The kids get up, get dressed and eat something: You will prepare some food for the kids (usually just cereal with some milk) and pack the lunch in the backpacks. If the dishwasher has not been cleaned out yet, please clean it out.

7:35-8:15 Children put on shoes / jacket and are off to school and day care center: You bring them, either by foot (c. 15 min one-way), by bike (c. 5 min) or scooter to the daycare or school.

8:15-14:45 Kids are in care: Free time for language courses, sports sightseeing, etc.

14:45-15:15 Picking up the kids: The school is open Monday - Thursday and the daycare center is open every day until 4:30 pm. On Fridays, school ends at 3 pm. As a rule, you would pick up the children at 3 p.m., either by foot, by bike or scooter from the daycare or school, so that you have time to do something in the afternoon.

15:15-18:15 Afternoon activities: Prepare a snack (fruit, etc.) for kids and clean out backpacks (remind kids to do this themselves - they should bring their lunch boxes into the kitchen). The schedule is then always a little different: either play at home or on a playground, meet with other kids or take them to the different activities (gymnastics, dancing).

18:15-19:15 Dinner: Help with setting and clearing the table and putting in the dishwasher (all help with that). We usually eat bread with cold cuts and cheese.

After 19:15 Bed time: Free time for sports, going out, etc. (but sometimes babysitting)

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2. Other weekly taks

- Every week 1x: Tidying and cleaning: Clean your floor (room, hallway, bathroom and stairs)
- 1-2x every week: Bathing or showering: Please bathe or shower the kids at least 1-2x per week
- 1-2x every week: Putting children to bed and babysitting: Sometimes we have to work late in the evenings or are out in the evenings and you would have to make dinner for the kids and you and put them to bed
- Sundays: Meal-Prepping: Help with packing the children's lunch boxes for the week
- Always: Clean up after playing: Please make always sure kids clean up all their toys after playing and help if needed.
- Always: Slippers / socks: Please remind the kids to wear slippers or socks indoors.
- Always: News from day care & school: Occasionally check with daycare teachers and school teachers for news and take photos of notices, as this is often the only way events or notices are communicated.

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3. Q&A

Do I have to clean the house?
No, but you are responsible for your own floor and if you see something in the house, it would be nice if you – just like at home – pick up the shoe in the hallway, wipe the table with the rag once in a while or put used dishes in the dishwasher, etc. Please always try, as we all do, to keep our kitchen and dining area clean. After all, this is the main living space in our house.

Do I have to do laundry?
Partly. It would be nice if you would 1-2x per week put the washed and dried laundry of the kids from the laundry rack into the closets and drawers in the kids' rooms. Additionally, you would have to wash the kids' bedding 1x a month and hang it up again.

Do I have to cook for the family?
No. But you have to prepare your own breakfast and lunch. In the evening we eat together. We see you as part of the family. Therefore, you can eat everything that is in the house. If you use up any food, please write it on the shopping list.

Do I need to go shopping?
Sometimes. We usually go once every weekend on a large shopping tour, so esp. the heavy things, so that these should be in stock. But you would have to please go once in the middle of the week for a smaller shopping trip, because then usually small things like milk or another thing are missing.

Do I have to work on the weekend?
No. However, it would be nice if you could be back at the house on Sunday evening for meal prepping. Rarely we would have to go to an appointment on the weekend or have an event and it would be nice if you could take care of the kids if the grandparents can't take them.

What happens when a child is sick?
We try to be at home ourselves but sometimes that doesn't work out or we have times in the home office when we would have to be undisturbed, so you would have to support in that situation. So e.g. pick them up earlier from daycare or school and take care of them afterwards. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.

Expenditures?
All purchases or expenses related to the kids (ice cream or entrance to a museum, swimming pool incl. yourself, etc.) you can pay with the household budget. Please ask before "big" expenses for activities shortly before.

What other basic rules are there?
- During the week, television is not allowed. However, up to 2x a week learning apps (ABC Mouse or Khan Academy) for max. 1 hour are ok.
- Nutrition: Please give the children only very few sweet things, max. 1 thing per afternoon. Rather offer fruit. And please respect family meal times: e.g. don't make another big snack 30 minutes before dinner.
- We do not yell or hit. Every situation must be resolved with words. However, kids can be sent to their room to cool off, for example. If you notice that it's getting way too much for you, better go out of the room and leave the kids alone for 5 minutes so that everyone can calm down.
- We like activities: if the weather is good, it would be nice if you could do something outside with the kids, maybe practice biking, go to a playground, go to a petting zoo, etc. If the weather is bad or if it's ever a "home day", then feel free to offer crafts or other creative things.
- Please avoid being on your smart phone too much when you are with the kids or when we are eating together.
- Please give advance notice of visits from friends. And if you will be home after 11pm, let us know.
- Please wear a helmet (the kids do too) when you ride your bikes and always lock them up, even for 5 minutes.
- When you are the last to leave the house, please remember to turn on the alarm and lock the front door.

Which things are there to do?
We have sport-clubs around the corner where you can do various sports (volleyball, aerobics, etc.). There are also two fitness studios within walking distance. In your room you have a TV with various streaming services (Amazon Prime, Disney+), there is of course fast Wi-Fi but also jogging tracks and a swimming pool within walking distance. You are welcome to use our bicycles for excursions or other tours. The state capital Düsseldorf offers a wide range of leisure activities and this is also where most of the language courses take place. We will provide you with a ticket for the local public transport system, with which you can travel free of charge in our region.

Anything else?
We help you with all the „bureaucratic“ things which it's not much, but so you've seen it before: Registration with the Citizen's Office, optional new (prepaid) cell phone contract, registration with PME Family Service (a government agency for aupairs).