Considerations for the end of your au pair's year?

[Anonymous]

Our au pair is leaving for her travel month in two months, so we're beginning to think of what needs to be done to "close out" the process. Can anyone share any tips or things to remember for a successful ending?

[Anonymous]

* A party or diner
* A framed pic of the kids + drawings (if they're old enough)
* A little bonus (depending on what you want to give, it'll help her travel)

[Anonymous]

All nice ideas PP.

Also:
Encourage her to close-out her bank account (instead of just abandoning it). Both for ID security reasons, and to stop the flow of mail.
Forwarding address
Figure out last paycheck details
Take her off your car insurance

[Anonymous]

She should be involved in selecting (or at least welcoming) your next au pair. We always have our AP move out of her room in time to clean and refresh the room for the new AP. She usually helps the kids make a welcome sign, and buys a little gift such as a bath set, make sure the US hair dryer works, etc. We have a good-bye party which allows the new AP to meet old AP's friends. Close out the bank account and stop the gym membership.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. I'm the OP. What bonus amount might be appropriate? We've been paying her $200/week instead of $195, which ends up being an extra $250 or so for the year.

I don't think I want to have our new au pair overlap with our departing one and I really don't want the new au pair to meet her friends! We haven't been entirely pleased with our departing au pair and a lot of it was friend-related, so I'd prefer to make a fresh start.

Definitely closing bank account and removing her from our insurance. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

We didn't give a cash bonus (honestly, she lost her mojo around December and it was all I could do to get through to the end) but we did offer to send a box to Germany with some of her stuff in it and that ended up costing nearly 200 dollars - so pretty expensive gift in the end. Got the idea from AuPairMom

Also
Have her clear off the cell of her personal stuff (pics, texts, contacts except you and DH)
also reset the vm password to 0000
Get back library card, Y membership card, etc
make sure she returns any books/media to library, videos to red box

[Anonymous]

Some Au Pairs might not want to meet the new Au Pair that will replace them ... Leaving is hard and seeing who's replacing you is not fun ... Unless you don't have a choice, I wouldn't recommend overlaping.

[Anonymous]

Our old au pairs like helping with the new AP. They become FB friends and it helps connect them with the family and kids. It makes for a better transition for everyone, especially the children who miss the old AP whether I was ready for them to leave or not. Our new APs tend to make different friends anyway from AP school or FB, but some (like our kid's friends' APs) are nice to meet.