Becoming an au pair was previously associated with moving overseas to do so, but this is certainly not the case anymore. Au pair jobs in South Africa have become a fun way to earn a living while studying, but also has the potential to become a career with great earning potential. How to become an au pair If you are wondering where to begin in finding the right family, sign up with a local agency. This will ensure that you find a family that fits your personality and requirements. Before signing up, be sure to understand the basic requirements for employment and whether the position is to ..read more

Achieving a qualification in child care will not only give you the upper hand as a candidate looking for an au pair job, but will also assist you in becoming a better employee if you are already employed in an existing child care role. Being empowered with child care courses will not only give your prospective family assurance in your ability to care for their small treasures, but will also give you the confidence to care for children in the best way possible. Looking after someone’s most cherished person can be somewhat stressful, however by completing a course in child care, you will lear ..read more

Au pair jobs more commonly had the reputation of being international positions that South Africans would apply for as they graduated from High School. This was a means of earning an income but still being able to travel and have fun overseas. This association has progressed over the years, and being an au pair in South Africa has become increasingly popular. Interest in au pair jobs in South Africa is on the rise The general trend of searches for au pairs and au pairing jobs on the internet within South Africa has grown steadily over the last 3 years with an all-time high in January 2014 ..read more

Babysitting jobs tend to require a great need for ‘entertaining’ the children that you are employed to care for. It is easy to run out of ideas for babysitting games if you are spending a lot of time together. Let us enlighten you with a few games that you can play with the children, that will not only help to kill time, but also encourage bonding and skills development. Playing a variety of babysitting games encourages children’s creativity as well as their cognitive and emotional strength. In a world filled with technology, it is important to constantly encourage children to play games th ..read more

What is the difference between an Au Pair and a Nanny? The question of the difference is between an au pair and a Nanny is a popular one, as the two roles have taken on a slight blur over the years. According to the Oxford Dictionary, an au pair is “a young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework or childcare in exchange for food, a room, and some pocket money”, while a Nanny is defined as “a person, typically a woman, employed to look after a child in its own home.” Understanding the different roles in child care Understanding the different roles in child care S ..read more

Looking for an Au Pair? Tips for a Host Family Are you looking to hire an au pair? You may already have established that hiring an au pair to look after your treasured children will include many benefits such as constant supervision, help with their homework and the reassurance of a safer environment. There are a few things to keep in mind when starting the process of hiring the right au pair for your family. The relationship of an au pair to a family is not quite the same as the usual employer/employee relationship, since it is much more personal. Each family has their own unique needs ..read more

We all know that going to an interview can be a very daunting task and we are inclined to become anxious before an interview. This need not be the case! There are things we can do to better prepare ourselves for the interview and help calm our nervous jitters. If you prepare accordingly, interviews can actually be an enjoyable opportunity to get to know the family you may start working for. Nerves can make you forget to do the simple things such as listen, this can result in you being perceived as unfriendly or inattentive. A few ideas for overcoming nerves and having a successful intervi ..read more

We all know the importance of healthy eating, but do we realise just how important it is to ensure that growing children are eating a healthy and balanced diet? In many working parent households, the au pair or nanny is responsible for preparing meals for the children. That is why it is crucial that you aware of what constitutes a “healthy and balanced meal”. By teaching children the importance of eating well, you are developing lifelong benefits which will stay with them throughout their childhood and adult life. The nutritional needs of children are very important as diet affects all face ..read more

When we au pair for babies, or the very small children it often comes with added responsibility. When we au pair for babies, or the very small children it often comes with added responsibility. Babies can only eat certain things and have to stick to their sleep schedules. Babies need to be stimulated as they are constantly learning, growing and developing their brains. It is vitally important that the au pair is in tune with the little one’s needs. Some fabulous ideas on how to stimulate babies – The first year of a child’s life are vital as far as their development is concerned, they ar ..read more

Usually an au pair is required to work during school holidays, very often the hours are extended as parents work and cannot be home with the children. Holidays are a great time for children to relax, blow off some steam and have a break from the busy term time. An au pair’s duties during school holidays are to facilitate activities, play dates, outings and to allow the children some free time to just be children! The age of the child/children you au pair for will determine the type of activities that you can do during holidays. Often the au pair will be required to spend most of the day wit ..read more