Your au pair arrives jet-lagged, in a new country, in a stranger's house, about to care for your children. The first two weeks decide more than the next eleven months.
Tammy Gold, LCSW, spent years matching families with nannies before writing Secrets of the Nanny Whisperer (Penguin). Today she works beside families, and their agencies, as a neutral expert: defining the job, interviewing candidates, checking references and setting up the first 30 days.
Curfews, use of the car, guests, phone use during working hours, and meals — these are the topics that cause friction when they're discussed after a problem instead of before one. Agreeing them in week one, while everyone is still getting to know each other, is far easier.
Schedule a weekly check-in from the start. A short, regular conversation normalizes raising small issues.
It usually peaks in the first month and again around the holidays. It's not a sign the match is failing. Encourage connection with other au pairs locally, include them in family life where they want to be included, and respect when they need space.
Childcare Expert Access gives you a monthly call with your au pair included — so expectations get worked out together before they become problems.
$189
$150 / month
Questions first? Text (818) 308-1358 or email info@caremapmethod.com