We went through an agency to find our au pair as we wanted all the background work done for us. It seems simple but after talking to Petra I realized how much scrutiny she was put under. They interview her, ask for references, police and background check, first aid, check for qualifications and then match her to families. They support her to get her visa, international drivers licence and all immigration questions answered. For us it meant we knew everyone on the list had the right intentions and really wanted to be an au pair. They weren't going to back out or go in with blinders. Even though it took 3 months to find someone suitable it has been an amazing fit.
Personality wise Petra really fits with our family. She is 19 now (she had her birthday here) and from Finland. She has a great sense of humour and gets our sarcastic wit and joking. Within the first week we had gone shopping alone together and we chatted like we had known each for a while. The kids can be overwhelming when all together so we made sure she had time alone with each child. I gave her lots of info on how each child is and how they will act around her. Miss A I thought would be so happy she is here but overall Mr J has been the most excited. He seems to really crave 1 on 1 attention at the moment and she provides it. He chats non stop to her when in the car and will often tell her when he is upset.
Miss A has been her usual stand back and assess personality. She likes to read people first then trust them. She has enjoyed the extra time with me and Andrew and has accepted her being here so well. She loves hearing things about Petras "world" and how different it is. Miss L has been testing her boundaries and trying to run riot over her. It's been an interesting few weeks with the 2 of them working each other out. The most surprising has been how upset L was when we left. Twice when left alone with Petra she got very upset and took a long time to calm down. So that has been a hurdle we have been working to get over. In the meantime we have been easing slowly into leaving Petra alone with the kids. Last week Andrew and I went out to dinner alone. L was in bed and the 2 big kids were ready for bed when we left. It was such a great feeling to have them looked after at home, comfortable and happy. Even better Petra managed bedtime with no issues unlike when they play up for the in laws. The next day they weren't tired or grumpy and it made it even more enjoyable!
So far we have been easing into jobs and getting the house sorted and this week has started well. Petra did the dishes this morning while L played and I unpacked boxes. We are finding a great rhythm that means I can get so much more done. I am so happy with how it's all going and I will keep updating as we go.
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