[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":459},["ShallowReactive",2],{"navigation-en":3,"/en/blog/first-week-au-pair-checklist-en":109,"/en/blog/first-week-au-pair-checklist-surround-en":450},[4,23,102],{"title":5,"path":6,"stem":7,"children":8,"icon":22},"Getting Started","/docs/getting-started","docs/1.getting-started/1.index",[9,12,17],{"title":10,"path":6,"stem":7,"icon":11},"Introduction","i-lucide-house",{"title":13,"path":14,"stem":15,"icon":16},"Setting Up Your Household","/docs/getting-started/installation","docs/1.getting-started/2.installation","i-lucide-settings",{"title":18,"path":19,"stem":20,"icon":21},"Managing Tasks & Hours","/docs/getting-started/usage","docs/1.getting-started/3.usage","i-lucide-list-checks",false,{"title":24,"icon":25,"path":26,"stem":27,"children":28,"page":22},"Features","i-lucide-sparkles","/docs/features","docs/2.features",[29,33,38,43,48,53,57,62,67,72,77,82,87,92,97],{"title":30,"path":31,"stem":32,"icon":21},"Tasks","/docs/features/tasks","docs/2.features/1.tasks",{"title":34,"path":35,"stem":36,"icon":37},"Export & Documents","/docs/features/export","docs/2.features/10.export","i-lucide-download",{"title":39,"path":40,"stem":41,"icon":42},"Notifications","/docs/features/notifications","docs/2.features/11.notifications","i-lucide-bell",{"title":44,"path":45,"stem":46,"icon":47},"Reference Letters","/docs/features/references","docs/2.features/12.references","i-lucide-file-heart",{"title":49,"path":50,"stem":51,"icon":52},"Feedback","/docs/features/feedback","docs/2.features/13.feedback","i-lucide-message-square-heart",{"title":54,"path":55,"stem":56,"icon":16},"Settings","/docs/features/settings","docs/2.features/14.settings",{"title":58,"path":59,"stem":60,"icon":61},"Calendar Sync","/docs/features/calendar-sync","docs/2.features/15.calendar-sync","i-lucide-calendar-sync",{"title":63,"path":64,"stem":65,"icon":66},"Hour Tracking","/docs/features/hours","docs/2.features/2.hours","i-lucide-timer",{"title":68,"path":69,"stem":70,"icon":71},"Calendar & Scheduling","/docs/features/calendar","docs/2.features/3.calendar","i-lucide-calendar",{"title":73,"path":74,"stem":75,"icon":76},"House Rules","/docs/features/house-rules","docs/2.features/4.house-rules","i-lucide-scroll-text",{"title":78,"path":79,"stem":80,"icon":81},"Leave Management","/docs/features/leave","docs/2.features/5.leave","i-lucide-tree-palm",{"title":83,"path":84,"stem":85,"icon":86},"Children","/docs/features/children","docs/2.features/6.children","i-lucide-baby",{"title":88,"path":89,"stem":90,"icon":91},"Emergency Information","/docs/features/emergency","docs/2.features/7.emergency","i-lucide-shield-alert",{"title":93,"path":94,"stem":95,"icon":96},"Expenses & Receipts","/docs/features/expenses","docs/2.features/8.expenses","i-lucide-wallet",{"title":98,"path":99,"stem":100,"icon":101},"Weekly Check-ins","/docs/features/check-ins","docs/2.features/9.check-ins","i-lucide-message-circle",{"title":103,"path":104,"stem":105,"children":106,"icon":108},"FAQ","/docs/faq","docs/3.faq/1.index",[107],{"title":103,"path":104,"stem":105,"icon":108},"i-lucide-circle-help",{"id":110,"title":111,"authors":112,"badge":118,"body":119,"date":435,"description":436,"extension":437,"image":438,"meta":441,"navigation":442,"path":443,"readingTime":444,"seo":445,"stem":448,"__hash__":449},"posts_en/blog/3.first-week-au-pair-checklist.md","First Week with Your Au Pair: A Practical Checklist",[113],{"name":114,"to":115,"avatar":116},"Opairly Team","https://opairly.nl",{"src":117},"/favicon-96x96.png",{"label":5},{"type":120,"value":121,"toc":423},"minimark",[122,126,131,134,169,173,176,202,210,214,217,267,271,274,300,304,307,332,336,339,360,368,372,390,394],[123,124,125],"p",{},"The first week with a new au pair sets the tone for everything that follows. A little preparation goes a long way — both for your family and for someone who just moved to a new country. This checklist helps you cover all the essentials so everyone feels confident and comfortable from day one.",[127,128,130],"h2",{"id":129},"before-arrival","Before arrival",[123,132,133],{},"Start preparing before your au pair lands in the Netherlands. These small steps show that you care and help them feel welcome right away.",[135,136,137,145,151,157,163],"ol",{},[138,139,140,144],"li",{},[141,142,143],"strong",{},"Prepare their room"," — a clean, private space with fresh bedding, a desk or table, and enough storage. A small welcome touch like flowers or a Dutch treat makes a real difference.",[138,146,147,150],{},[141,148,149],{},"Set up essentials"," — a Dutch SIM card or phone plan, an OV-chipkaart for public transport, and a house key.",[138,152,153,156],{},[141,154,155],{},"Print key information"," — your address, Wi-Fi password, emergency contacts, and the nearest GP (huisarts). Put it all on one sheet they can keep in their room.",[138,158,159,162],{},[141,160,161],{},"Register at the municipality"," — schedule a BRP registration appointment in advance if possible. Your au pair needs this within 5 days of arrival.",[138,164,165,168],{},[141,166,167],{},"Notify your agency"," — let them know the arrival date and confirm that everything is in order.",[127,170,172],{"id":171},"day-one-the-welcome","Day one: the welcome",[123,174,175],{},"The first day should feel relaxed, not overwhelming. Your au pair just traveled a long way and is adjusting to a completely new environment.",[135,177,178,184,190,196],{},[138,179,180,183],{},[141,181,182],{},"Give a full house tour"," — show every room, explain how appliances work (Dutch washing machines have their quirks), and point out where things are stored.",[138,185,186,189],{},[141,187,188],{},"Walk through the neighbourhood"," — the nearest supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, playground, and public transport stops. If your children go to school or daycare, walk the route together.",[138,191,192,195],{},[141,193,194],{},"Share a meal together"," — sit down as a family. This is a relationship, not just an arrangement.",[138,197,198,201],{},[141,199,200],{},"Keep the evening free"," — let them unpack, call home, and settle in at their own pace.",[203,204],"prose-callout",{"description":205,"icon":206,"link":207,"linkText":208,"title":209},"Opairly helps host families with scheduling, hours, and communication.","✅","/signup","Start your free trial","Keep everything organized?",[127,211,213],{"id":212},"days-two-and-three-house-rules-and-schedule","Days two and three: house rules and schedule",[123,215,216],{},"Once your au pair has had a chance to land, it's time to get practical. Be clear but kind — this is new for them too.",[135,218,219,231,246,257],{},[138,220,221,230],{},[141,222,223,224,229],{},"Go through the ",[225,226,228],"a",{"href":227},"/en/docs/features/house-rules","house rules"," together"," — cover daily routines, meal preferences, screen time policies, bedtimes, and anything specific to your household. Write them down so there's no guessing later.",[138,232,233,240,241,245],{},[141,234,235,236],{},"Walk through the ",[225,237,239],{"href":238},"/en/docs/getting-started/usage","weekly schedule"," — explain which tasks happen on which days, how hours are structured, and when their free time is. Be specific about start and end times. Check our ",[225,242,244],{"href":243},"/en/blog/weekly-schedule-templates-au-pair","weekly schedule templates"," for ready-made examples.",[138,247,248,251,252,256],{},[141,249,250],{},"Explain the hour limits"," — ",[225,253,255],{"href":254},"/en/blog/au-pair-hour-regulations-netherlands","30 hours per week, 8 hours per day"," maximum. Make sure they understand what counts as working time and that these limits are taken seriously.",[138,258,259,251,262,266],{},[141,260,261],{},"Set up Opairly together",[225,263,265],{"href":264},"/en/signup","start your free 30-day trial"," and walk through the dashboard on day one. Add your au pair to your household, show them how to view their tasks and log hours. Starting this early builds a good habit.",[127,268,270],{"id":269},"days-four-and-five-the-first-solo-moments","Days four and five: the first solo moments",[123,272,273],{},"By mid-week, your au pair should start doing some tasks independently. Stay close by at first, then gradually step back.",[135,275,276,282,288,294],{},[138,277,278,281],{},[141,279,280],{},"Do a supervised trial run"," — let them handle the morning routine or school pickup while you're still at home. Answer questions in real time.",[138,283,284,287],{},[141,285,286],{},"Introduce them to the children's routines"," — nap schedules, snack habits, homework time, favourite activities. The more detail, the better.",[138,289,290,293],{},[141,291,292],{},"Share emergency procedures"," — what to do if a child gets hurt, who to call, where the first aid kit is, and how 112 works in the Netherlands.",[138,295,296,299],{},[141,297,298],{},"Check in at the end of each day"," — a quick 10-minute conversation about what went well and what felt unclear. Don't wait for problems to build up.",[127,301,303],{"id":302},"days-six-and-seven-free-time-and-independence","Days six and seven: free time and independence",[123,305,306],{},"Your au pair needs time to explore and build their own life in the Netherlands. This is not optional — it's part of what makes the arrangement work.",[135,308,309,315,326],{},[138,310,311,314],{},[141,312,313],{},"Encourage them to explore"," — suggest a nearby city to visit, a park to walk through, or a local event. If they don't know anyone yet, help them find au pair meetup groups or language classes.",[138,316,317,320,321,325],{},[141,318,319],{},"Respect their days off"," — free days mean free days. No \"quick favours\" or last-minute asks. Use a ",[225,322,324],{"href":323},"/en/docs/features/leave","leave management system"," to keep track.",[138,327,328,331],{},[141,329,330],{},"Reflect on the week together"," — sit down briefly and talk about how the first week went. What worked? What needs adjusting? This conversation prevents small issues from growing into big ones.",[127,333,335],{"id":334},"setting-up-for-the-weeks-ahead","Setting up for the weeks ahead",[123,337,338],{},"The first week is just the beginning. A few habits established early will save you from confusion later:",[340,341,342,348,354],"ul",{},[138,343,344,347],{},[141,345,346],{},"Log hours from day one"," — consistent tracking keeps everyone aligned and makes hour tracking effortless.",[138,349,350,353],{},[141,351,352],{},"Review the schedule weekly"," — things will change. A short Sunday evening check-in keeps the week ahead predictable.",[138,355,356,359],{},[141,357,358],{},"Keep communication open"," — your au pair might be too polite to bring up concerns. Create space for honest conversations.",[123,361,362,363,367],{},"The families who invest in a strong first week almost always have a better au pair experience overall. It's worth the effort — and Opairly is here to help you stay organized every step of the way. Curious about the total costs of having an au pair? Read our article on ",[225,364,366],{"href":365},"/en/blog/au-pair-costs-netherlands","au pair costs in the Netherlands",".",[127,369,371],{"id":370},"sources","Sources",[340,373,374,383],{},[138,375,376],{},[225,377,382],{"href":378,"rel":379,"target":381},"https://ind.nl/en/about-us/background-articles/au-pairs",[380],"nofollow","_blank","IND — Background article: au pairs",[138,384,385],{},[225,386,389],{"href":387,"rel":388,"target":381},"https://www.government.nl/topics/au-pairs",[380],"Government of the Netherlands — Au pair regulations",[127,391,393],{"id":392},"related-articles","Related articles",[340,395,396,402,407,412,417],{},[138,397,398],{},[225,399,401],{"href":400},"/en/blog/setting-up-house-rules-au-pair","Au pair house rules: template, examples, and tips",[138,403,404],{},[225,405,406],{"href":254},"How many hours can an au pair work in the Netherlands?",[138,408,409],{},[225,410,411],{"href":243},"Free weekly schedule templates for host families",[138,413,414],{},[225,415,416],{"href":365},"How much does an au pair cost in the Netherlands?",[138,418,419],{},[225,420,422],{"href":421},"/en/blog/au-pair-rules-netherlands","Au pair rules in the Netherlands: a complete overview",{"title":424,"searchDepth":425,"depth":425,"links":426},"",2,[427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434],{"id":129,"depth":425,"text":130},{"id":171,"depth":425,"text":172},{"id":212,"depth":425,"text":213},{"id":269,"depth":425,"text":270},{"id":302,"depth":425,"text":303},{"id":334,"depth":425,"text":335},{"id":370,"depth":425,"text":371},{"id":392,"depth":425,"text":393},"2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z","Everything you need to cover in the first week when your new au pair arrives. A step-by-step checklist for a smooth start.","md",{"src":439,"alt":440},"/images/blog/eerste-week-au-pair-checklist.webp","First week au pair checklist",{},true,"/blog/first-week-au-pair-checklist",6,{"title":446,"description":447},"First Week Au Pair Checklist | Opairly","Complete checklist for the first week with your new au pair. Step-by-step guide from welcome day to the first solo workday.","blog/3.first-week-au-pair-checklist","aja8nQnthfGH7VVrZ5jlHgUT45zScOQ1qDZHHKskqxE",[451,455],{"title":452,"path":400,"stem":453,"description":454,"children":-1},"Au Pair House Rules: Template, Examples, and Tips for Host Families","blog/2.setting-up-house-rules-au-pair","How to create clear house rules for your au pair in the Netherlands. Includes a template with 8 categories, practical examples, and tips for a fair agreement.",{"title":456,"path":243,"stem":457,"description":458,"children":-1},"Free Au Pair Weekly Schedule Templates for Host Families","blog/4.weekly-schedule-templates-au-pair","Free weekly schedule templates for au pair host families in the Netherlands. Includes sample schedules for school-age children and toddlers, with tips for staying within the 30-hour limit.",1780497665512]