Top positions this week

Here is a selection of the Australian families currently looking for an au pair through smartaupairs, we also have families all around Europe!

Brett & Annette in SYDNEY

 

We are a vibrant, easy-going family of 4. Bridget is 5yrs old and has started school this year - she is loving it! Peter is 3 yrs old and loves action and adventure with lots of cuddles. They love swimming, the outdoors, reading and playing make-believe. I am a lawyer and Brett works for a bank. As a family we love spending time at parks and on bushwalks and in our garden.

 

We are looking for an au pair to be a fun, engaging role model for the kids. The au pair's week would look something like this:

 

Weekday mornings: Looking after the children from 7am to 9am each weekday morning. This would include, giving Bridget and Peter breakfast and taking Bridget to school 5 days and Peter to daycare 2 days a week (Monday and Tuesday). On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Peter would be looked after by a nanny from 9am - 5pm .

 

Weekday evenings: Roughly 4:30pm/5pm to 7:30pm each weekday evening. On Monday and Tuesday, the au pair would pick Bridget up from her after-school care and Peter from his day-care starting at 4:30pm. You would then need to give them dinner (we will have the nanny make some meals up which would be easily re-heatable by you) and baths. In the evenings Wednesday to Friday you would start at 5pm when the Nanny goes home for the day - we will have the Nanny prepare dinner for the children before she goes and you would feed them dinner and again baths.  Either Brett or myself would be home normally by around 6:30pm and together we get them to bed by 7:30pm with stories and relaxing times.  We would also like the au pair to do the family's laundry and kitchen tidyup after meals. 

 

We live in a four-bedroom house with a swimming pool and air-conditioning/heating. You would have your own bedroom, with own shower/toilet in a seperate part of the house. TV and internet connection available. We are approximately a 20 minute train ride into City and our suburb has its own cinema, coffee shops/restaurants. We would love for you to experience Sydney and for our kids and us to have the opportunity to learn about a different culture. Our suburb is called Roseville. Car available for use in spare time.

 

Kim & Any in ADELAIDE

 

We are a family of four with two little girls [6 and 8 years]. We are currently moving from Finland to Australia. The girls are coming in June and Anu, the mother, is coming in August. Kim, the father, is already in Adelaide. We are currently looking for a house close to the beach and will move there in mid June. The distance to the city center from the beach is around 13 kilometers.

 

We are both lawyers. We don’t have any pets and look forward to the life on the beach.

 

We are looking for an au pair who is a native English speaker. The girls will not start school immediately but will stay home with the au pair for the first 2 - 4 months. The idea is that they will pick up the English language during this period. At the moment their active English is limited. They are exposed to the English language through English speaking nannies in Finland but they need to be able to express their needs and even explain some more complex situations before going to school. They are very motivated to learn more.

 

The au pair would take care of the girls during the week-days, 5-6 hours per day. These hours could also include some light household work. Once the girls have started school we can rearrange the situation to reflect the changed circumstances. No work during the week-ends, unless we occasionally agree on that. The au pair will have her own room and will have internet access.

 

Leanne & Mitch in Sydney

 

In our home live Brodee (aka Brodz;Brodzstar) who is 7 and a half years old.  Brodee is in Year 3 at School this year and he loves to play computer games and drawing pictures and making up quirky little games of his own.  He occasionly likes to go bike riding and just recently has started learning hip hop dancing which he absolutely loves.  He does hip hop on Friday afternoons and is about to also start playing AFL football, which training will be on Thursday afternoons.  Brodee also suffers from ADHD and is on Ritalin to help control his focus and concentration levels at school and at home.

 

Dantai (aka DJ or Missy) is 5 years old and just started Kindergarten at big school this year.  Dantai loves dancing also and is doing her second year of ballet this year which is on Saturday mornings and is also about to begin another style of dance called Acro, which is on Thursday afternoon.  Dantai loves outdoors more than indoors, she loves to play around, running, riding, scooters etc.  Dantai also wants to either begin doing Soccer or Netball, Mum hasn’t decided which one would be best yet.  Dantai is also an asthmatic, so she takes preventative puffers and ventolin twice a day.

 

Both the children also love to Heeley when Mum or Dad or both take them shopping they Heeley everywhere and are very clever at it.  Heeley’s are a shoe with wheels in the bottom of them.

 

Mum is Leanne (aka Lou) and currently works for the Area Health Service within the Drug and Alcohol division, but is planning to change careers and join the NSW Police Force as a Communications Officer.  My training is in law and administration.  I love my husband and my children and I love to go out with them to the parks, the beaches, the shops and anywhere where we can be together.  I like to read, but rarely get to do it.  I love to roller skate but never get to do it.  I love to spend time with my husband at every opportunity, which very rarely happens due to the pressures of being a full-time working Mum.

 

Dad is Mitchell (aka Mitch) and he is a Paramedic with the NSW Ambulance Service.  Dad loves to go yachting on his laser yacht and loves the beach.  He is a fitness fanatic most of the time and loves all things outdoors.  He loves his wife and kids more than anything else in the world.

 

Our family also consists of 3 other children who don’t live with us.  Sam who is 19 years old, lives with Mitch’s sister in Coolah at the moment.  Charlotte who is 16 and lives in Gunnedah with her Mum (Mitch’s ex-wife) and Angus who is 14 and also lives in Gunnedah with his Mum.

 

We have 1 dog (Harold, aka Harry), 2 cockateil birds (Cheeky & Charlie) and some outside fish in a fish pond (unnamed L).  Harry lives outside, Cheeky & Charlie live in an enclosed area outside also.

 

We live in Kariong which is a suburb on the Central Coast of NSW, 5 minutes drive from Gosford and 20 minutes to the closest beaches either towards Umina/Ettalong or in the other direction to Terrigal.  It is also only 20 minutes from Erina which has a large shopping centre.  It is also only 1 hour drive to the centre of Sydney or 30 minutes to the end of the Freeway and the outskirts of Sydney.  Our house is a four bedroom small home, but we are about to begin major extensions in the form of a first floor addition, which will make our home a very large one (due to begin 1 June 2010).  We have a bus stop right out the front of our house and the buses go direct to Gosford Bus and Train station, which can take you anywhere.

 

Au Pair Hours and break down of duties:

 

The hours that will be required will be a minimum of 25 hours per week, and often maybe more hours than this.

 

Mitch is already a shift worker and Lou is about to begin shift work in her new job.  Therefore the duties will differ, depending on whether they are during the day or night and whether they are weekdays or weekends.

 

So to break them down as much as possible;

 

Weekday Days:  The children both start school at 8:50am and therefore would need to be helped to get ready for school, having breakfast, doing teeth and hair, making lunches and organizing any other notes for school or homework, library days, sports days etc….  Then school finishes at 2:55pm, so the children will need to be picked up as well.  After school requirements would be homework and play time, some afternoons involve taking the children to sports ie. Dancing and AFL training.  These occur on Thursday afternoons, Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.  These days would also involve preparing tea and showering the children and getting them ready for bed and sometimes even getting them into bed, as both parents shifts ends at 7pm and bedtime is 8pm.  Dad often works later than 7pm and Mum will have a 1hr and 10min trip home from work.  Amongst all of this is general house tidying could be done, would be very helpful, like vaccuming floors, making beds packing toys etc away, making sure lunch boxes and notes are collected from school bags and school bags and uniforms are put away at the end of the day.

 

Weekday nights:  Mum and Dad would both be leaving home by approx 5:30pm and not returning until between 7:30 – 8:30am, therefore the kids tea, showers and bed would need to be organized by the Au Pair, as well as getting reading for school as per above in the mornings.  There would also be a period of generally about half an hour before bed where the kids should have play time (relaxing play time preferably) ie. No computers or DS games during this time.  Tele is permitted and is the usual preferred option.

 

Weekend Days: Saturdays are Ballet for Dantai at 8:30am and then probably Saturday game of AFL for Brodee and school food shopping that might be required for the following week.  Other than this, this is the kids day of rest, so plenty of play time and not too many jobs.  Sundays: are generally our Church day, but obviously if Mum and Dad are both at work, we may be able to arrange someone else to take the children to Church if possible otherwise the children would spend the day with the Au Pair, much the same as Saturday.

Weekend Nights: Much the same as weekday nights, with the possibility of a movie on TV and a little bit later bed time (occasionally)

 

Au Pair Pocket Money & Accomodation:

 

Not sure about the pocket money expectation and would need some advice regarding this from your agency.  Our accommodation currently consists of a bedroom and a shared bathroom, but once our extensions are complete which is estimated to be mid August, the Au Pair would have their own brand new bedroom and a shared bathroom with the children only, as the parents would have an ensuite.  Internet access is available, use of a car would be available when both parents are home with the children possibly.  Language classes can be arranged if necessary.  An emergency mobile phone can be arranged if necessary also.

 

We are a Christian Family and are looking for someone who has Christian standards and values.  

Karina & Robert in Canberra

Karina enjoys a wide variety of interests, including gardening, running, photography, travel,

reading, yoga, eBay and her hobby of selling products from The Body Shop @ Home. She

has traveled the world extensively (with still more travel to come) and our home is filled with

souvenirs and reminders of great experiences and fond memories.

 

Karina is highly educated and has a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering which she

obtained during her 12.5 years in the Australian Air Force (she was discharged in 2006). She

is 34 years old and will soon be returning to her job as an IT Project Manager.

 

Robert enjoys golf, watching sport, gardening, travel and keeping fit. He is 49 years old and is

an IT executive who manages the Canberra office for a major Australian IT firm.

 

Gemma Grace was born on 26 April 2009, she has many toys and her favourite colour is pink.

 

Gemma likes to watch cartoons on TV, play in her jungle gym, and swinging in her outdoor

swing. She is a very happy baby and loves to laugh.

 

We live in Canberra - the capital city of Australia. Canberra is the political centre of Australia

and has many points of interest including the National Art Gallery, museums, National

Library, the National Zoo & Aquarium, recreational lakes and nature reserves.

 

www.canberraeguide.com

 

We have lived in our home for almost 2 years – it has 4 bedrooms and the back yard has a

large covered entertainment area with an enclosed garden, and the front garden is unfenced.

 

The major shopping centre with movie theatres is 10 minutes drive away and the smaller local

shops (including McDonalds) are 30 minutes walk (or a few minutes drive).

 

We have a healthy lifestyle and enjoy outdoor activities, particularly when the weather is nice.

There are cycle paths and walking tracks from our home to the city and around Canberra,

which we use to take Gemma for a walk in her pram or ride our bikes. For fitness we have an

electronic cross trainer machine and a weights station at home.

 

During the year we like to take short trips away to the South Coast, to relax at the beach and

eat fresh seafood. This coming weekend we are going to Jindabyne, near the Koziosko

National Park, which should be beautiful this time of year.

 

Both Karina and Robert have some flexibility in their work hours, and Robert can work from

home some days, but basically they leave home before 8.30 am and finish work to be home by

6 pm. In early May Karina will be starting back at work full time and will be in the office 3 to

4 days a week and the rest working from home.

 

Both like travelling and Karina has worked in Malaysia for a year.

 

We will be travelling again later this year for a holiday (with The Gemster) and hopefully the

Au Pair too.

 

Imogen & David in Sydney

Our family consists of two adults (mother and father) and four children. Our names are Imogen, David, Ella, Eva, Piper and Finn. Ella is 8 years, Eva 5 years, Piper 3 years and Finn is 14 months.

 

We are a happy, loving and fun family and we have high expectations when it comes to each other’s manners, behaviour and attitudes towards other people. We like our children to try and consider the feelings of others.

 

We are a busy active family and we spend lots of time together as well as with relatives and friends. We like to spend as much time outdoors as possible. We like going to the beach, swimming, visiting local parks and playing.

 

Ella and Eva attend a local primary school and they both participate in extra curricula activities, inside and outside of school hours. (swimming, netball, skipping, piano, ballet) Piper and Finn spend most of their week at home with Piper attending pre-school, two days/week. She does swimming, ballet and action sports. When the children are in the home, we like them to be stimulated as much as possible and so our home is filled with books, puzzles, building blocks and art materials for them to play with.  All of our children love to play!! As a result they are imaginative, creative and they have developed good skills at playing together and also independently. Also the two littlies enjoy going for walks and visiting parks throughout the day.

 

I am a stay at home mum and I devote most of my time looking after the children. I spend the rest of my time going to the gym, running and playing tennis. Also I like to spend time with family and friends.

 

David spends a lot of time overseas as our family business is there. When he is in Sydney, he enjoys taking over as much as possible and he is an absolute godsend in helping look after the children. He loves spending time with the children and he also loves to catch up with family and friends.

 

We spend most school holidays overseas (the au pair normally plans some travel of her own during these times), so the children have been very lucky to get to know another country and culture. Sometimes we holiday within Australia too and normally we like our au pair to join us when we do.

 

We have a lovely home with a swimming pool. All our past au pairs have been more than happy with their clean, bright and airy bedroom that looks out to the pool.

 

We encourage our au pairs to socialise outside of the home as much as possible. We believe it is important our au pair develops a network of friends to spend their free time with.

 

Mosman is a fantastic community to live in as it is only 6km from the city (very popular with au pairs) Mosman is close to Balmoral Beach, the zoo, cinemas, cafes and restaurants, shops and boutiques, public transport, parks, walking tracks and bushwalks and the gym.

 

For the past four years we have hosted three nannies and two au pairs. Each of them has brought something unique and fabulous to our home and we have tried to give back as much as possible to them to them. Each new girl that has entered our home has always been accepted as part of our family and is made to feel welcome, valued and accepted. We have been sad to see all our past girls leave our family and we have remained in contact with all of them.

 

Critical Qualities of Au Pair

 

-Lots of initiative

-Communicative

-Creative

-Energetic

-Happy

-Friendly

-Fun

-Honest

-Punctual

-Hardworking

-Helpful

-Clean and tidy

 

Typical Duties assigned to the AU Pair:

 

-Looking after the children and their things (bedrooms, playroom, making breakfasts and lunches, bathing, dressing and grooming)

-Playing with the children (in the house and taking them for walks to the beach and park and also taking them to the zoo etc)

-Laundry (Washing, ironing and putting clothes away)

-Driving them to and from school, activities and play dates

-Keeping the house organized and tidy

 

NB The above duties are done as part of a team, as I am a stay at home mum. We share the duties EG Whilst the au pair is organizing breakfasts and making lunches etc, I am tidying bedrooms, making beds and getting clothes/uniforms ready for the day.

 

Typical Schedule.

 

Generally we expect our au pairs to be available to work Mondays to Fridays. Mondays are normally a full day and the rest of the week is quite full too, but with more hours off throughout the day. Start time is between 6am and 7am (as I often go for a run in the morning) and finish time is around 5pm. Depending on what the day has in store will depend on the au pairs hours. There are some days when the au pair will only be required to work a few /day and then they can take the rest of the day off.  Generally speaking on most days the au pair will get a few hours off, however the au pair needs to be flexible. Weekends are generally free. Occasionally they will be asked to work, if we have things on.

 

The estimated hours are 35-40/week. The au pairs pay rate is $7/hr and an approximate pay package each week falls between $240-$340.

 

Our Home

 

Federation with modern addition

5/6 bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

Swimming pool

Garage

Garden and BBQ area.

 

The accommodation for the Au Pair is separate to the other bedrooms and is quite private. The au pair has her own bathroom occasionally shared by the children. The au pair has Internet access.

 

Transport

 

Public transport is close by and easy to use, however we are happy for our au pair to use a car now and again.