Scheduling your au pair's work hours

[Anonymous]

How do you do this?

Do you give her a physical schedule each week? Do you just tell her day by day when she is or isn't working? if you give her a schedule for the week and need to change it how does that work?

[Anonymous]

How about printing or writing her weekly schedule on Sundays and giving it to her?
And ask for flexibility if something comes up.

[Anonymous]

I create a spreadsheet for every week. It shows her start and end time, time off, and the total number of hours each day - and a grand total for the week. I also have a column for the kids' activities for each day, and columns for mine and my husbands schedules. I try to make the schedule for 2 weeks at a time and give it to her on Sundays. I also have a monthly dry erase board so we can all note any changes or special activities ...

[Anonymous]

We do a written schedule every Sunday for the upcoming week. It varies slightly but is usually pretty similar week-to-week.

We are very flexible with her, as she is with us. We have changed plans numerous time to accommodate her outings and frequent trips, and in return, she has been super flexible about any last minute changes we have. We have really good communication and both are appreciative (and say it) that the other is very flexible, so this helps a lot to make the schedule a smooth and comfortable thing.

At the beginning of every season, too, we sit down together with the full calendar and "preview" what is coming up for the next few months. We talk about things like winter break for the children and what it wil look like, my own work schedule, any travel she wants to do in this period, and any special occasions or holidays that may be coming up so that she has a broad overview of what to expect.

We also try to schedule her "on" weekends well in advance - for example, she already knows she is working the first weekend in March - so that she can warn her friends in advance and not feel like she is left out of anything because it turns out she has to work.

[Anonymous]

Our AP's schedule is basically the same each week. The only variation is what time we get home from work. AP works until we get home and we can't predict in advance what time that will be. AP gets that. She knows we'll be home by 7:30 or 8:00 at the very latest (usually I'm home closer to 6:00 or 6:30 but may need her help taking a child to evening activities).

I have a weekly dry erase board where I note all of the activities and any special notes for the week.

[Anonymous]

Our family calendar is in google calendar. This is really handy because I, DH and AP can all add/edit items on the calendar (we all have smartphones) and it sends reminders via pop-up, email or text. Kids birthday evites get imported directly, and some activities (like our swim team) now have their calendars available for import in google calendar too. We also include all addresses and any details (such as AP needs car to attend cluster meeting). AP classes are also on the calendar.

That said, I also do a weekly (printed) calendar, at least in the beginning. It lists out specific reminders (like: "pack a snack before picking up kids and taking them to swimming," "sweep/dustbuster crumbs under table," etc). And since we plan our meals and do all shopping for the whole week during the weekend, I also post a list of what we are eating each day for dinner (granted, sometimes this list gets changed around when get home later, or forget to take something out of freezer, etc). I often also note something like - "we may have a date night at some point this week, I will keep you posted" (sometimes this is hard for us to plan until last minute - I think it serves as a reminder for AP to put it on the calendar when she is making plans.)

A tip re vacation: it is never too early to start talking with the AP about your plans (however tentative) and her plans (however tentative). I post all tentative plans (for the entire year) in google calendar too. I just mark them as "tentative" if it's just something we're thinking about.

[Anonymous]

We give our AP a schedule every Sunday afternoon. If we have a hint that we might need to change plans, we let her know that too. It is NOT fair to keep her guessing from day to day, as she will have plans of her own to make too! As PPs have suggested, offer flexibility and you will usually get flexibility in return.

[Anonymous]

My au pair and I keep an interactive paper calendar near the phone. As I learn about kid and work events, I jot them down so she can look ahead for planning purposes. She does the same for classes and nights out with her friends. As with the PP, we try to be mutually flexible. I can only think of two occasions in 18 months when work had to trump her social activity, and she was quite gracious about it.

[Anonymous]

I have a dry erase board in the kitchen. We outline the week every Sunday evening and even put on expected weather forecast, and upcoming events.

She also has access to my Google calendar so she can see what's coming up or pick a week for vacation, etc.

[Anonymous]

We do a paper schedule each week. If it changes, I usually ask unless it is a requirement. If it's a work thing, I'll tell her the schedule changes. If it's "we want to go to dinner Friday instead of Saturday" I ask. I know when she has class and vacation and don't schedule then. I think having a set schedule is very important for them and for us.