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Description
We are currently looking for a female au pair to help us from August/September 2024 onwards, ideally for 12 months or longer if that is of interest. Given the visa situation, we are looking for someone from the EU with pre-settled status or someone from Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea. We would also welcome applications from Ukrainians.
We know that being an au pair is not just about looking after a child or children! You will want to get to know a new country and culture, a new city and perhaps attend a language course or complete other further education. As our son jumps on the school bus at 07h45 and returns home at 16h30, the time in between, in the evenings and at the weekends is yours!
We are a family of three: My husband is called John, my name is Sarah and our son is called James. Our son is 14 years old.
We have had eight au pairs over ten years. We really enjoy sharing our lives with our au pair and we look forward to getting to know someone new soon!
To help you enjoy your time with us, we will provide you with your own large room to sleep and relax in. You will have a double bed, alarge sofa, a desk, a TV and DVD player, access to the house WiFi and a private, en suite bathroom. We will also provide you with a lovely city car to drive, a bicycle, membership to our local gym and spa and we will pay for your UK mobile phone.
Family life is enormously important to us and, despite John and me being working parents, we work hard to create as much time for the three of us to spend together as a family as we possibly can. And we welcome you to participate in our family life as much or as little as you would like.
However, our family time is about to change as John is embarking on a long-term role in Saudi Arabia and will return home to London once a month.
We live in the beautiful suburb of South West London called Hampton Hill, about 7 miles from the centre of London. We have good public transport links to the centre of the city.
We live in a four bedroomed, semi-detached house on a quiet, residential road opposite a golf course, gym and spa. Our house is near to Twickenham stadium, the home of rugby and many music concerts, Hampton Court Palace, the former home of Henry the Eighth, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, a beautiful and exotic garden housing 30,000 different plant species and an internationally important research and education institution, Kingston-upon-Thames, a great shopping centre and, of course, all of the wonderful attractions of Central London are just a 35 minute train ride away. In addition, we are just one hour’s drive from the South coast of England, the New Forest and from the historic city of Oxford.
We look forward to welcoming you into our home and our family life and learning about you and your culture.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will see life in an English family first hand! You will see how we live, what we eat, what we enjoy doing, how we spend our free time. And you will be welcome to participate in as much of as little of this as you would like to. Hopefully, too, you will make new friends, and deepen you understanding of British life with them. And, you will be living in one of the most multicultural and diverse cities in the world so you will be able to make the most of everything which this wonderful capital city has to offer!
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are seeking an au pair to support through the week with looking after our energetic and fun-loving boy! Our future au pair must love and have lots of energy for playing - anything! And she must be a confident driver of a manual car. These are our only musts!
A typical morning for our au pair will look something like this:
- Wake James up at 06h30
- Ensure James showers and dresses for school
- Make James' breakfast
- Empty/repack the dishwasher
- Empty the kitchen bins
- Open the curtains downstairs
- Feed the cats
- Run through any last minute revision with James - eg if he has a Spanish verb test that day
- Take James to the bus stop by 07h25
A typical afternoon for our our pair will look something like this:
- Pick James up from the bus stop at 16h40
- Bring James home and make him a snack (typically a bowl of chopped fruit)
- Whilst James is relaxing for an hour, review what homework needs to be completed and prioritise what must be completed that evening
- Encourage James to complete his homework and guide him if he needs any help (where to find the exercise, what the question means etc)
- Put James' uniform on for a wash/dry
- Have some fun play time with James after his homework is completed
- Work with James to ensure he has everything he needs for school the next day in his school bags
- If I am not home, cook a simple meal for yourself and James eg jacket potato, omelette, pasta
- Iron James' uniform for school the next day
- Empty/repack the dishwasher
- Empty the kitchen bins
- Wipe down the kitchen worktops
- Close the curtains downstairs
- Empty the cat litter
- Do a quick hoover of the downstairs floor with the handheld hoover
- Ensure James is in bed by 21h00 (though most of the time I am home and can take over with James around 20h00)
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Our son is studying Spanish so if you are able to speak Spanish, this would be a bonus!
Accommodation
We live in a four bedroomed, semi-detached house on a quiet, residential road opposite a golf course, gym and spa. You will have your own large double bedroom and en suite bathroom on the second floor. The room has a double bed, a sofa, a desk and chair and wardrobes.
All you food needs will be taken care of. We normally try and have breakfast and dinner together. For us, breakfast is usually a simple affair, porridge, cereal, toast (but you can make it as fancy as you like if you have the time!).
Normally, our au pair makes James' and their breakfast. I make the meal in the evening but if you are an avid cook, feel free to express you talents here! Food is always provided for lunch but as I often work in an office our au pair sorts themselves out.
What else ...
We have two kittens, Charlie and Davina. They are brother and sister and are 1.5 years old.
We eat a Mediterranean diet, so lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. We do eat meat, but white meat and fish only, though I do sometime cook beef for James as he loves bolognaise sauce!!!
Our current au pair, and our prior au pairs, are very willing to act as a reference for us should you wish to speak to them.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have hosted students and on-line workers at home before. I am a flexible worker, spending 3 days in the office each wee and 2 at home.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
We pay a stipend each week
