Hello!! My name is Sirena, and I am a mother of two beautiful children, ages 4 and 2.5. We live in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. We live in a large house with a garden, which can be used year-round due to the great climate in the Canary Islands. The Au Pair has her own room, equipped with two beds, a wardrobe, and a bathroom shared with the children. The house also has two living rooms equipped with a sofa and television, so the Au Pair is independent to watch a movie on her own and have her own space if needed (she is always welcome in any space). The children go to school, so from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Au Pair has free time. She can take Spanish classes at the language school, or simply visit the island and enjoy the wonderful climate. However, when the children are home, Monday through Friday from 4:30 PM until 8:00 PM when they go to sleep, we need the Au Pair to help us play, take care of them, and most importantly, to speak English :). Therefore, during the week, the schedule is 3 or 4 hours a day. On the weekend, the Au Pair will have a day off to explore, rest, etc., and the remaining day will be a work day, depending on the parents' workload.
When the children get sick, the Au Pair will have to help out when necessary to stay with the children while the parents work :). Our family is active and we love to walk, travel, and get outdoors, but we also enjoy a Sunday playing in the garden and eating together while listening to music. Our key is balance.