The main responsibility of an au pair is helping to take care of the children in the host family. In addition, au pairs help with everyday household tasks such as setting the table for dinner, emptying the dishwasher or occasionally helping to take care of a family pet.
An au pair is an additional member of the family and should never be viewed simply as a housekeeper, gardener or language teacher. Au pairs are temporary family members.
In return for the help that au pairs give to families they receive pocket money as well as free room and board. The working time of the au pair should not exceed the prescribed time of the respective host country.
The main responsibility of au pairs is to help taking care of the host family's children. In addition to this, au pairs also help out with light housework. All their responsibilities form part of their daily schedule.
In addition to helping with childcare, light housework also forms part of the au pair's tasks. Light housework mainly involves housekeeping tasks connected with the children of the host family, for example helping with keeping the children's rooms orderly and tidy.
Obviously, the au pair is responsible for keeping their room and, if available, their own bathroom tidy. They must also clean up after themselves in other rooms that they use for example if they cook in the kitchen for their friends. If an au pair has to look after a baby or small child, they should not have too many other tasks. It is important that the au pair's working hours are not exceeded, once all of these tasks are taken into consideration.
The extent of housework tasks included will depend on the family and the age of the children. However, in all cases, an au pair is not a housemaid. They are, rather, a member of the family and help out in the home like any family member does.