The check list when accepting a Host Family

Au pair Canada helps you to make a little check list according to your personality about what you want for this experience. At Au pair Canada we suggest that you take into consideration the concept that you are moving into a fully established home that has its own routine and its own little perks and quirks. You will never get one that is similar to your life and home, but you can pick out some essentials that you simply will not do without. Here is an example to give you an idea of what I mean and I’ll break down all the points so you can see why. Some of these I thought of before I became an au pair, others I really wished I had thought about first.

• Pets
• Eating habits
• Smoking or non-smoking
• Drinking or no drinking
• Religion
• Country
• Location
• Age of children
• Pass time/ entertainment
• Duration

These are all things you should think about while you choose your family in Canada. You are going to be living with these people and so you want to make it as easy for both parties as possible.

Try to bear in mind that these families have probably had au pairs before from all sorts of different places and cultures. It is sometimes difficult for them to know how to welcome you into their lives and can be very stressful. So make it easier for both of you by trying to find a family that you can really live with. This eliminates a lot of uncomfortable and awkward situations.

The responsibility for making sure you choose a family that you’ll be able to live happily with is mainly on your shoulders. So make a list of vital check points that best suit you and stick with them. You don’t have to pick the first family that marks off two out of five boxes. There are plenty of people in the world. And don’t worry about sifting through hundreds of families trying to find one that will make your list. The way you design your profile will help you to find your perfect family. But we will get to that later.

Things to consider:

Will you live with animals?

I had grown up my whole life with pets and I generally prefer people who like animals over those who don’t. I don’t know how accurate this assumption of mine is but it has seemed to work out. I find that people who have and love animals have a more relaxed approach to life. If something breaks or gets stained they won’t get as upset as someone who has never had an animal in their home. I also feel that the children will be more compassionate because the parents will teach them to love their pet. However, if you have never grown up with animals or find that you dislike them, I do NOT recommend picking a family with pets. Cats and dogs are very invasive and will get in your space a lot. You will have extra work due to the fur they leave about. So it really isn’t worth it if you don’t like them, because they will get on your nerves.