The family
Mother
Name: Colleen Messing
Marital status: Married
Industry: Computer Services
Father
Name: Marcel Messing
Marital status: Married
Industry: Computer Services
Child 1
First name: Kaden
Last name: Messing
Birth date: November 27, 2006
Gender: Male
Will the au pair be caring for this child? Yes
Does this child have special needs? No
Please tell us about your child's personality and interests. Also include any specific dietary, behavioral or other challenges your au pair might need to know about: Kaden is in school - entering 3rd grade. He is sweet, energetic, and fun loving. He loves super heros. video games, swimming, and playing with friends.
Child 2
First name: Taylor
Last name: Messing
Birth date: December 24, 2013
Gender: Female
Will the au pair be caring for this child? Yes
Does this child have special needs? No
Please tell us about your child's personality and interests. Also include any specific dietary, behavioral or other challenges your au pair might need to know about: Happy and active toddler.
Additional information
Are you currently expecting or do you anticipate adding another child to your home this year (pregnancy or adoption)? No
Have you ever had live-in childcare before? Yes, We have had 5 au pairs over the past 7 years and it has been a great experience for both us, Kaden, and Taylor.
Describe your family's interests. What activities are you involved in? We enjoy traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. Marcel and I both work so our free time is limited but we try and make the most if it. Last year we bought a Lake house and spend a number of weekends over the summer there in the water.
Describe a typical weekday in your home (daily routine, schedule, chores, activities) Kaden is in school so his day starts at 7am with breakfast and getting ready for school. He is then picked up at 3:00pm and does homework, reads, goes to the park, watches TV, and 2 times week he has Ta Kwon Do and once a week swimming lessons. Au pair is responsible for this laundry and general meals breakfast and sometimes dinner (including lunch packing for school). Taylor is an active and curious toddler. She has a very happy disposition and loves people. Our au pair is responsible for her general care including; dressing, bathing, attending to, snacks and food preparation, feeding, laundry. We really want someone who likes to cook and prepare meals.
Describe a typical weekend in your home. Monday through Friday are pretty much the same. Kaden goes to school, gets picked up and does his after school routine of homework, activities, playing. Taylor is home with the au pair during the day. She takes one nap per day (2-3 hours) and has little gym activity once a week and playgroup at the Library twice a week. Generally the au pair works mornings starting between 7am-9am depending on the day and schedule and gets done from 4pm- 6:30pm again depending on the day and schedule.
Describe the frequency and duration of business travel. Marcel travels for work about 40% of the time and duration is no more than Monday-Friday. Colleen also travels, about 20%.
Describe the frequency and duration of evening activities that take you outside the home. From time to time both Marcel and Colleen have night activities with work, but it changes weekly and we generally try to make sure one of us is home.
Describe the relationship you would like to develop with your au pair as host parents. We have always encouraged independence and communication. We have found after 5 au pairs that the more time you have enjoying the US and friends the happer you are the better the year is for everyone. The time they spend with us can be as much or as little as they want and we always encourage open communication and letting us know how you are feeling and what you like and dont like. We are here to help in any way we can whether it be with making travel arrangements, opening a bank account, or needing something particular with regard to your stay here.
How would you like your au pair to integrate with your family outside of work hours? Consider which activities you would like to share versus times when you would provide your au pair with independent time. This is very much up to the au pair. We do have varied schedules with Colleen and Marcel at work so we try to spend as much time together during the week as possible but sometimes that is only an few hours a night. On the weekends, it is up to the au pair how much time they spend with us - typically what we have found is as they make friends and want to explore the DC area the weekends are usually free time to spend away from the house. Friends of our au pairs are always welcome at our house and we encourage them to get out an explore in the time you are here.
What is your communication style as a family? How do you like to resolve challenges and miscommunication? We prefer to deal with it upfront. If there is an issue on either side we want to know about it - including when Kaden is not listening or having a rough week. The more we know the better and the more we can help to fix.
Describe any limits you might have on your au pair inviting friends, visitors or overnight guests to your home. Overnight and days guests are always welcome, we just ask to know in advance. Boyfriends are not allowed to stay over and their visits are dicsussed depnding on the situation. Kaden asks a lot of questions!
Please outline any curfews or household rules you would like your au pair to follow. WE do not have a curfew - we ask that on the weeknights to be home at a reasonable hour since you will have to get up with Kaden/Taylor in the morning. During free time that is up to the au pair. If she is staying out for the night we ask to be informed so we do not worry about her safety. Marcel and I text regularly so we are always reachable. No drinking and driving is an important rule as our au pair has access to a car for both child and personal use.