Michélle Mattheus

1 Childcare Skills

• Child Development Knowledge: Understanding the stages of child development (eg, cognitive, emotional, physical) and tailoring care accordingly
• Safety Awareness: Knowing how to prevent accidents, handle emergency situations, and provide first aid if needed
• Discipline and Boundaries: Managing behavior in a positive, constructive way—setting appropriate boundaries while being patient and calm
• Bedtime Routines: Managing and organizing routines for sleeping, napping, or other daily activities, and ensuring children get enough rest
• Activity Planning: Organizing educational or fun activities (crafts, outdoor games, reading) to keep children entertained and engaged
• Nutritional Awareness: Preparing healthy meals and snacks for children, catering to any dietary restrictions or allergies

2 Communication Skills

• Effective Communication with Children: Adapting language and tone to the child’s age and comprehension level
• Interpersonal Communication: Communicating clearly with the host family about the children’s needs, schedules, and any concerns
• Conflict Resolution: Handling disputes calmly and efficiently, whether between children or with the host family
• Multilingual Abilities (Optional): Depending on where the au pair is placed, speaking more than one language can be a huge asset

3 Organizational Skills

• Time Management: Balancing the kids’ schedules (school, activities, nap times) with household duties
• Multitasking: Managing multiple tasks at once—eg, helping with homework while preparing dinner or organizing the children’s playtime
• Household Management: Keeping the children’s rooms, toys, or play areas tidy, helping with light chores such as laundry, or assisting with meal prep

4 Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptability

• Cultural Awareness: Being sensitive to and respectful of the host family’s cultural norms, traditions, and values
• Flexibility: Adapting to new routines, living environments, and family dynamics
• Learning and Sharing: Teaching the children about your own culture (eg, language, traditions) and learning from theirs

5 Emotional Intelligence

• Empathy: Understanding and responding to the emotional needs of children, especially in difficult situations (eg, when they’re upset or scared)
• Patience: Remaining calm and composed, even when dealing with tantrums or difficult behavior
• Positive Attitude: Maintaining an upbeat, encouraging demeanor, which can have a big impact on the children’s mood and behavior

6 Physical Energy and Stamina

• Active Engagement: Children need a lot of energy, so an au pair should be physically active and ready for play, walks, and outings
• Physical Support: Helping children with basic tasks (eg, dressing, tying shoes) or providing physical support for younger kids

7 Basic Household Skills

• Light Housekeeping: Helping with children’s laundry, cleaning up toys, dishes, or other light household chores as part of the role
• Meal Preparation: Cooking meals or snacks for children, ensuring food is safe, nutritious, and appropriate for their age

8 Driving Skills (Optional)

• Depending on the location and host family’s needs, the ability to drive (especially for school pickups, running errands, or taking children to activities) can be a key skill Having a valid driver’s license and knowledge of local driving laws is often preferred

9 Creative and Problem-Solving Skills

• Creativity: Organizing fun, imaginative activities to stimulate creativity and curiosity in children, like arts and crafts, storytelling, or games

• Problem-solving: Coming up with solutions for everyday challenges (eg, resolving a conflict between children or figuring out how to keep a child entertained when they’re feeling bored)

10 Personal Skills

• Self-Motivation: Being proactive about finding things to do, whether it’s helping around the house or engaging the children in activities without constant supervision
• Independence: While working closely with the family, an au pair should also be able to manage daily tasks independently
• Reliability: Being someone the family can trust to follow through with responsibilities and keep to schedules

11 People Skills

• A broad set of interpersonal skills that help individuals interact well with others This includes empathy, active listening, and understanding different perspectives People skills are important in building relationships, resolving conflicts, and engaging with others effectively

12 Leadership Skills

• The ability to guide, influence, and motivate others toward achieving goals This includes qualities such as vision, decision-making, delegating tasks, inspiring a team, and taking responsibility for outcomes Strong leadership also involves setting an example and managing group dynamics

13 Time Management Skills

• The ability to plan and control how you spend your time to accomplish tasks effectively This includes setting priorities, making schedules, avoiding procrastination, and ensuring deadlines are met while maintaining a healthy work-life balance

14 Collaboration Skills

• The ability to work well with others to achieve a common goal This involves effective communication, sharing ideas, respecting others’ viewpoints, and working cooperatively in team settings to produce a unified outcome

15 Problem-Solving Skills

• The ability to identify issues, analyze possible causes, and find effective solutions This involves critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to make decisions based on evidence or logic in order to overcome challenges

16 Critical Thinking Skills

• The ability to analyze and evaluate information or arguments to make well-reasoned decisions It involves questioning assumptions, identifying biases, and considering alternative solutions to problems Critical thinking helps in assessing situations from multiple angles

17 Flexibility Skills

• The ability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements This includes being open to new ideas, adjusting quickly to changes in the work environment, and being willing to take on new tasks or roles as needed

18 Teamwork

• The ability to work effectively and harmoniously with others in a group setting to achieve a common goal Teamwork involves sharing ideas, providing support, respecting others’ roles, and combining individual strengths to create the best possible outcome for the team

19 Creativity Skills

• The ability to think outside the box and generate innovative ideas, solutions, or products Creativity is not limited to artistic endeavors; it also involves coming up with new ways to solve problems, improve processes, or enhance experiences

20 Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

• The ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others Emotional intelligence helps with interpersonal interactions, conflict resolution, leadership, and maintaining positive relationships It involves self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills

21 Responsibility

• The ability to take ownership of your actions and tasks, and follow through on commitments Responsible individuals are reliable, dependable, and accountable for the outcomes of their actions or decisions

22 Negotiation Skills

• The ability to discuss and reach mutually beneficial agreements or compromises with others This involves persuasion, listening to others’ needs and viewpoints, and finding common ground while maintaining a balance between assertiveness and empathy

23 Perseverance and Motivation

• Perseverance is the ability to continue working toward a goal despite obstacles, setbacks, or challenges Motivation is the internal drive to achieve goals or complete tasks Together, they involve staying focused and committed even when things get tough

24 Ability to Work Under Pressure

• The ability to perform well and maintain a level of quality in your work, even in stressful or high-pressure situations This skill involves staying calm, managing stress, and continuing to meet deadlines or expectations when faced with difficult circumstances