Blog
Short, practical reads for families and au pairs. New articles most weeks.RSS
For au pairs
What au pairing teaches that universities and employers value, how to describe it on a CV and in bursary or residence applications, and which careers it feeds.
15 October 2026 路 2 min read
For families
Most reference calls confirm nothing. These five questions get honest answers in ten minutes, and what to do if the references don't add up.
12 October 2026 路 2 min read
For families
Au pairs on Au Pair Nation can have previous families confirm their references by email. Here is exactly what the badge means, how it works, and the two questions it cannot answer for you.
9 October 2026 路 2 min read
For au pairs
Room, gate access, guests, car, days off and what "part of the family" should mean. The questions that make a live-in placement work.
8 October 2026 路 2 min read
For families
Hours sink more au pair arrangements than anything else. Here is how schedule matching works on Au Pair Nation, and how to fill in your grid so the right au pairs appear.
6 October 2026 路 2 min read
For families
The December break is five to six weeks and most student au pairs go home. The options families use, what they cost, and why mid-October is the deadline.
5 October 2026 路 2 min read
For au pairs
Families filter and score by language. How to list yours honestly, why home-language homework help matters, and what it does to your rate.
1 October 2026 路 2 min read
For families
University exams collide with school afternoons twice a year. How to plan reduced hours, find short-term cover, and keep your au pair for next year.
28 September 2026 路 2 min read
For au pairs
Notice, pay for cancelled afternoons, how to raise it without souring things, and when repeated cancellations mean it's time to move on.
24 September 2026 路 2 min read
For families
School aftercare, a holiday club, a nanny or an au pair. What each costs per month, what each gives your child, and how families decide.
21 September 2026 路 3 min read
For au pairs
Three bios that work and why, the photo that families respond to, and the details that move you up the match list.
16 September 2026 路 3 min read
For families
What to hand over, what to write down and what to watch in the first five afternoons, so the arrangement settles quickly.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For families
Per kilometre or a fixed allowance, how to estimate it from the weekly grid, and what to do about insurance when the au pair drives.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For au pairs
Real pay, real responsibility, a reference that matters, and how to start in January when families are hiring.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For families
The school run is the riskiest part of the day. What to ask, what to check, and what to put in writing before anyone gets behind the wheel.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For everyone
Four terms, four breaks, and a long December. How to agree holiday hours and pay before the first one arrives.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For everyone
The quiet signals families and au pairs can check for after the first month, and what to do about the bad ones.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read
For au pairs
Choosing hours that survive the semester, telling families about exams early, and the habits that keep both your degree and your job on track.
16 September 2026 路 2 min read