I'm interviewing now, and these girls Do. Not. Get. It. They're horrified at the suggestion that they can't take kids to the library, zoo, playground, wherever, while this virus is spreading. And none of them have given a thought to limiting their own social outings due to medical risk (not just for them, but for the family they live with). But, but-- that will ruin *my special superfun year* of partying in the USA! Me, me, ME!

They will start taking this seriously once an au pair or two dies from coronavirus, or if it takes root in their home countries. The agencies need to talk some sense into them, because it's a serious risk to match now. I wouldn't do it.

I agree, you can’t stop your AP from going out/ having a social life, you can, on the other hand, provide her with a car so that she doesn’t have to take public transportation.

Regarding going into rematch or leaving the program, unless you plan on staying home full-time with your kids, you would still have ZERO say (probably even less-so) on what the nanny/childcare provider/nursery do on their free time. So you probably are more aware of your APs moves than you ever would anybody else. If your nanny/nursery worker chose to go out all night after work, host family from coronavirus infected places, you would not know and would have no say on it. So can’t see how an AP is any more of an health hazard than any other form of childcare you would use.

Also, unless you would ALL be okay to accept to stop working outside of home/going outdoors at all if your AP asked you to because she feared for her own health/coronavirus (which I can’t see any family willingly doing) then it’s completely hypocritical to request their AP to do the same.

Gift her bottles of hand sanitizers she can carry with her, and remind her important hygiene Practices. If not, have your husband stay home and quarantine with the kids and have her not work/get close to them at all for a couple of weeks.

Anonymous wrote:AP is living in your home as a family member. She's not an autonomous renter. I think it's fine to remind her of DH's circumstance and ask her to be especially prudent about large gatherings, etc. Let her know that as this unfolds, the more extreme recommendations are going to apply to your family. (ie, I have no problem going on public transport right now, but you may ask her to stop sooner than the general public).

I think she would prefer using your car, rather than metro.

Anonymous wrote:AP is living in your home as a family member. She's not an autonomous renter. I think it's fine to remind her of DH's circumstance and ask her to be especially prudent about large gatherings, etc. Let her know that as this unfolds, the more extreme recommendations are going to apply to your family. (ie, I have no problem going on public transport right now, but you may ask her to stop sooner than the general public).

I think this is very good advice. Especially if you frame it in the context of your husbands health issues. I would remind her now to be extra vigilante with hand washing, etc. But as long as your kids are in school the germs are going around...

AP is living in your home as a family member. She's not an autonomous renter. I think it's fine to remind her of DH's circumstance and ask her to be especially prudent about large gatherings, etc. Let her know that as this unfolds, the more extreme recommendations are going to apply to your family. (ie, I have no problem going on public transport right now, but you may ask her to stop sooner than the general public).

Anonymous wrote:Just ask her to wash her hands as soon as she gets home and to use purell as often as she needs to.
There's not much more you can do.

This

Just ask her to wash her hands as soon as she gets home and to use purell as often as she needs to.
There's not much more you can do.

No, you really can’t. You can supply her with plenty of hand sanitizer and up the amount of cleaning you do in your home, but it is not reasonable to expect an au pair to forgo the social and cultural activities that she came to this country to Experience. Unfortunately, there aren’t any other forms of child care that would provide the level of protection it sounds like you may need. Is a leave of absence for you or your spouse possible?

If your kids are in school you are already running the risk of it coming into your home. What is her living setup? Does she have her own kitchenette/bathroom? Could you basically quarantine her in one space of the house? How much do you need her for childcare?

I don't think there is any way to make your AP comply, OP. I'm rethinking whether I want an au pair at all right now, since I'm in a similar boat with preexisting conditions and immune-compromised cancer patient in the house. Our au pair just quit, so I could rematch now, but not sure it's worth the risk (and I also don't want to be quarantined with someone who might turn out to be annoying, or noncompliant).

Anonymous wrote:Due to your medical concerns, I’d opt out.

Easy said then done. How is Op going to find different childcare with everything going on right now.

Due to your medical concerns, I’d opt out.

Our AP is planning a Disney trip in April and I don't think she intend to cancel it, I guess we still have time to see what happens. OP, talk to your AP about your husband situation and just ask her to be extra careful, she might get the hint and reduce her social life a bit.

Leave the program?

Ask her to wash her hands as soon as she enters her house?

But you can’t really ask her to be a homebody.

Are any of you thinking about ways to limit your APs’ constant comings and goings? As the spread of coronavirus is increasing nationwide and as we have our first official cases in the DMV, as a family we’ve begun to limit our public outings, social distancing, etc. For example, DH and I have started working from home 1-2 days a week. Our AP, though, routinely rides metro, goes out to bars every weekend, museums, etc etc. Is there anything we can do to try to gently discourage her from some of these activities- at least until we see how things play out over the next month or so? Or are we being totally crazy here? FWIW, DH is immunocompromised- so we are somewhat nervous about coronavirus.