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One of the biggest advantages of hosting an au pair is the flexibility it offers—giving families the ability to design a childcare schedule that works for their unique routine. At the same time, there are important program guidelines in place to ensure au pairs have time to rest, take classes, and experience life in the U.S. That's where our au pair schedule templates come in.
Keep reading to learn how to create an au pair schedule that stays within program regulations while also keeping things clear, balanced, and supportive of a positive au pair experience.
What is an au pair schedule template and why you need one
Creating an au pair schedule template in advance is one of the best ways to set your au pair, and your family, up for success. A well-designed weekly childcare planner for au pairs provides structure, clarity, and mutual understanding—transforming what could be a source of daily confusion into a tool that benefits everyone.
An au pair schedule template is simply a framework that outlines when your au pair is on duty, what their responsibilities are during those hours, and when they have time off. Think of it as a roadmap for your week that both you and your au pair can reference and rely on.
Helps avoid miscommunication and burnout
When you clearly outline your au pair's responsibilities, including when they're expected to work and what tasks they'll be focused on, you minimize confusion and help to prevent burnout. Without a clear schedule, au pairs may feel uncertain about when they can make personal plans, leading to frustration and stress.
A solid au pair weekly schedule also protects your au pair from inadvertently working too many hours or feeling like they're always "on call." This structure fosters clarity, mutual respect, and work-life balance—essential ingredients for a successful placement.
Keeps everyone on the same page
Using a weekly childcare planner for au pairs also helps create structure, promotes consistency, and encourages open communication. It empowers your au pair to plan their time outside of work—whether that's for socializing, attending classes, or exploring the local area—and shows respect for their time, making it easier for them to recharge during off-duty hours and fully engage when they're on.
Many families find success by posting the schedule in a visible location—like on the kitchen fridge—or sharing it via Google Calendar or a family organization app. This visibility ensures everyone knows what to expect each day.
Key rules to keep in mind when creating your weekly schedule
As a host family, it's essential to follow both U.S. Department of State regulations and Cultural Care guidelines regarding your au pair's on-duty hours. These limits are taken seriously, and exceeding them can lead to removal from the program.
Know the legal limits: maximum hours and rest time
Au pairs can provide up to 45 hours of childcare per week, with a limit of 10 hours a day. They're also entitled to at least 1.5 consecutive days off each week and two full weeks (or 14 calendar days) of paid vacation during their program year.
It's worth noting that U.S. regulations differ significantly from some European au pair programs, where weekly limits may be as low as 25-30 hours. Understanding these legal boundaries is crucial when learning how to create an au pair schedule.
Because au pairs live with their host families, the line between on- and off-duty time can sometimes be tricky to distinguish. For this reason, it's important to thoughtfully consider what counts as on-duty au pair duties by day and by night.
For example, if your children are napping and the au pair is the only adult in the home, that's considered on-duty time. The same applies if the parents are working late and the au pair is home while the kids are asleep. Driving the children to and from activities should also be included as on-duty hours.
If ever you're unsure about what constitutes on-duty versus off-duty time, check in with your Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) or a Cultural Care staff member for guidance.
Plan for breaks, study time, and time off
Giving your au pair time off isn't just a program requirement—it's essential to their well-being. Free time allows them to rest, attend their required classes, build friendships, and make the most of their experience in the U.S. While many au pairs enjoy spending some of their off-duty time with their host family, they'll also want space to explore their own interests and create lasting memories outside the home.
Non-childcare hours must be protected. This includes time for your au pair to attend educational courses (a program requirement), pursue personal interests, and simply rest. Building these elements into your au pair work schedule example from the start sets realistic expectations.
Download your free au pair schedule template
To make it easier for families to build a compliant and balanced routine, we've created a downloadable au pair schedule template. This printable au pair calendar is simple to customize—just add your au pair's on-duty hours to ensure you're staying within U.S. Department of State regulations and Cultural Care program rules.
Weekly calendar – Google Sheets
A Google Sheets template allows you to digitally create and share your custom au pair schedule template with your au pair in real-time. You can update it as needed, color-code different types of activities, and ensure everyone has access to the most current version.
This format is ideal for families who prefer digital organization and want the flexibility to make quick adjustments and customize a calendar for your household's specific needs.
Printable PDF – simple and visual
For families who prefer a physical reference, our printable PDF template provides a clean, visual layout you can fill in by hand or type into before printing. Many families post this on the refrigerator or bulletin board where both au pair and family members can easily reference it.
The PDF format uses blocks that allow you to distinguish between childcare hours, mealtimes, free time, and family activities—making it easy to see at a glance what each day holds.
How to customize this template for your household
Start by filling in your au pair's on-duty hours for each day of the week. Be specific about responsibilities: note school drop-offs and pick-ups, meal preparation times, activities with children, and any child-related household tasks like laundry or tidying play areas.
Remember to account for multiple children with different schedules, transportation time between locations, and realistic preparation and cleanup periods. If you have school-age children, your schedule will likely look different during summer months versus the academic year—consider creating seasonal variations of your template.
Watch: Amy reveals her best tips for building a great relationship with au pairs!
Sample au pair schedules for real families
Seeing real-world examples can help you visualize how to create an au pair schedule that works for your specific situation. Here are three common scenarios that demonstrate the best way to share schedules with au pairs.
Full-time working parents with school-age kids
For families where both parents work traditional hours, au pairs typically provide before-school and after-school care. A sample au pair schedule might include:
Monday-Friday:
7:00-9:00 AM: Morning routine, breakfast, school drop-off
Off-duty: 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
3:00-6:30 PM: School pick-up, homework help, prepare/serve dinner, light tidying
Total weekly hours: 37.5 hours
This schedule allows the au pair free time during school hours to attend classes, run errands, or socialize with other au pairs.
Families with toddlers and stay-at-home parent
Some families use au pairs for targeted support during the most demanding parts of the day rather than full-time coverage. A daily routine for host families and au pairs might look like:
Monday-Friday:
7:30-11:30 AM: Breakfast, morning activities, light cleaning
2:00-6:00 PM: Post-nap care, snacks, dinner prep, children's laundry
Total weekly hours: 40 hours
This split-shift arrangement gives the stay-at-home parent midday breaks while ensuring the au pair has meaningful rest periods between duties.
Weekend help and flexible schedules
For families needing evening or weekend coverage—perhaps due to shift work or irregular schedules—an au pair weekly schedule might include:
Tuesday-Saturday:
Variable hours including some evenings and weekend days
Ensuring at least 1.5 consecutive days off (typically Sunday-Monday morning)
Total weekly hours: Up to 45 hours, with no single day exceeding 10 hours
This arrangement requires clear communication and advance planning but provides the flexibility many modern families need.
How to build your own custom schedule from scratch
While templates provide a helpful starting point, creating a truly effective schedule requires understanding your family's unique needs and involving your au pair in the process.
Start by mapping out your family's typical week
Begin by listing all recurring commitments: work schedules, school times, extracurricular activities, mealtimes, and household appointments. Identify when you need coverage and what specific tasks need attention during those periods.
Consider the flow of your day. When do your children need the most hands-on attention? When could your au pair handle meal prep or laundry while supervising kids? This mapping exercise helps you create a realistic, functional schedule rather than an idealistic one that doesn't match daily reality.
Involve your au pair in the planning
The best schedules emerge from collaboration. Once your au pair arrives and has settled in for a week or two, sit down together to review the schedule. Ask about their preferences: Do they prefer working consecutive hours or split shifts? Are there particular times of day when they have more energy?
While you'll need to prioritize your family's childcare needs, showing flexibility where possible—like accommodating your au pair's class schedule or preferred day off—builds goodwill and demonstrates respect. This collaborative approach is central to how to create an au pair schedule that actually works long-term.
Mistakes to avoid when creating an au pair schedule
Creating a daily routine for host families and au pairs takes time and thoughtful planning, and it's easy to make a few common mistakes along the way. These slip-ups aren't usually intentional, but they can lead to misunderstandings or burnout. Here are key pitfalls to watch out for (and how to avoid them).
Not discussing your schedule during the matching process
It's essential to talk through your family's routine with au pair candidates during the matching process—especially if you need coverage during evenings or weekends. Be sure to add your sample au pair schedule to your host family profile in the Cultural Care app and explain the details of that sample au pair schedule during interviews. Setting clear expectations early helps ensure you find someone who's excited and amenable to the care your family needs.
Not giving enough advance notice
Au pairs love to be social and providing their on-duty schedule with as much advance notice as possible shows respect for their time. If your childcare needs are prone to last-minute changes because of work or other commitments, be upfront about that during the interview process. Some au pairs are flexible with this, and others may find it challenging to manage.
Making last-minute changes too often
Unexpected changes happen, but when schedule changes become a habit, they can cause stress and disrupt your au pair's plans. Try to avoid shifting their schedule at the last minute unless absolutely necessary and communicate any changes as early as possible.
Forgetting to schedule meaningful breaks
One reason the au pair program is so attractive to busy families is that the hours are flexible. Split shifts, for example, can work well for families—like during school days—but they are only successful if your au pair has a real break between on-duty blocks. When it comes to split shifts, the idea is to avoid short breaks (like just one hour), which don't leave time for rest or errands. Also, stick to one split shift per day.
Forgetting to build in time for meals during long duty periods is another common oversight. Your au pair needs proper breaks to eat, especially during extended childcare shifts.
Being too rigid or too vague
Finding the right balance is key. Overly rigid schedules that don't allow for any flexibility can create unnecessary stress when inevitable changes occur. Conversely, vague schedules that lack specific times and responsibilities leave too much room for confusion and mismatched expectations.
Aim for structure with flexibility—clear enough that everyone knows the general plan, but with understood flexibility for reasonable adjustments.
Not updating the schedule weekly
Family life changes constantly. School schedules shift, activities start and end, and seasonal needs vary. Failing to update your au pair schedule template regularly means working from outdated information, which leads to confusion and mistakes.
Set a weekly time—perhaps Sunday evening—to review the upcoming week's schedule with your au pair and make any necessary adjustments.
Not planning ahead for vacations
If you're bringing your au pair on a family trip and they'll be working, be sure to provide a schedule ahead of time, just like you would at home. Vacations are a break from routine, and having clear expectations will help your au pair feel prepared, supported, and included.
Not honoring off-duty time
One of the biggest challenges for au pairs is living where they work. When their shift ends, it's important to respect that boundary—even if the house is chaotic, dinner needs to be made, or someone needs a ride. Let your au pair know it's okay to head upstairs or leave to meet friends. Protecting that personal time will help them reset and recharge, which benefits everyone in the long run.
How to handle unexpected changes in the schedule
It's true that schedule changes are sometimes unavoidable—that's just life. Ideally, these adjustments are occasional, and you're able to work with your au pair to find solutions that work for everyone.
What to do when plans shift
The best way to share schedules with au pairs is by doing it well in advance, but even with the most carefully crafted custom au pair schedule template, unexpected things come up—whether it's a last-minute meeting at work, a sick child, or a change in school pickup time. When plans shift, the key is clear, respectful communication.
If you need to make a last-minute change to your au pair's schedule, try to give as much notice as possible and acknowledge the impact it may have on their plans. A heartfelt "thank you" and an offer to adjust future hours or provide extra time off can go a long way in maintaining trust and goodwill.
When schedule changes become the norm, some au pairs may feel frustrated by the lack of consistency. In that case, it's important to have an open conversation. Together, you may be able to find a compromise—or, if needed, consider a rematch.
Moving forward, you'll want to prioritize matching with an au pair who's comfortable with a more unpredictable schedule or reassess whether au pair childcare is the best fit for your family's needs.
Tech tools that help keep you organized
Modern technology offers numerous solutions for managing family schedules. Consider these tools for sharing and updating your au pair schedule:
Google Calendar: Free, shareable, and accessible from any device. Create a dedicated calendar for au pair duties that both you and your au pair can view and receive notifications about.
Cozi Family Organizer: A popular app designed specifically for family scheduling, with color-coding options and shared to-do lists.
Trello: Visual boards that can track weekly schedules, upcoming activities, and important reminders. Particularly useful for families who want to organize more than just time—like meal planning or activity ideas.
Shared Note Apps: Simple apps like Google Keep or Apple Notes allow you to maintain an evolving schedule that both parties can update in real-time.
Tips for making the schedule work long-term
Creating the perfect au pair work schedule example is just the beginning. Making it work sustainably requires ongoing communication and small adjustments.
Weekly check-ins with your au pair
Schedule a brief weekly meeting—even just 15 minutes over coffee—to review the upcoming week's schedule, address any concerns, and make necessary adjustments. This regular touchpoint prevents small issues from becoming major problems.
Use these check-ins to ask how your au pair is feeling about their workload, whether the schedule is giving them enough downtime, and if there are any activities or responsibilities they'd like adjusted.
Use color coding for clarity
Visual organization makes schedules easier to understand at a glance. Consider using different colors for:
Childcare duties (primary responsibility time)
Free time/Off-duty (protected personal time)
Family activities (optional au pair participation)
Meals and breaks (required rest periods)
Educational time (classes and study)
This approach, adapted from successful European au pair programs, helps everyone quickly understand the day's structure without reading every detail.
FAQs about au pair schedules
How many hours can an au pair work per week?
Au pairs can provide up to 45 hours of childcare per week, with a maximum of 10 hours per day. Their schedule is set by the host family and should remain within these limits to comply with U.S. Department of State regulations.
Can I change the schedule week to week?
Yes—but it's important to discuss this during the interview process. Some participants enjoy having a varied au pair weekly schedule, while others prefer more consistency. Setting expectations and building a comprehensive au pair schedule template early on helps ensure a smoother experience for everyone.
Be mindful that frequent changes can be stressful for au pairs trying to build their own social lives and attend required classes. If your schedule is highly variable, provide as much advance notice as possible.
What happens if my au pair is sick?
If your au pair is sick and can't care for the children, you'll need to make other childcare arrangements—just as you would if a nanny or babysitter called out. It's always a good idea to have a backup plan in place if your au pair weekly schedule gets interrupted.
Keep in mind: Au pairs are entitled to receive their stipend even when they're sick. Being unwell far from home can be especially tough, so offering compassion and support goes a long way. If the illness is serious or ongoing, reach out to your Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) or a Cultural Care staff member for guidance.
What if my au pair needs more time off?
Sometimes au pairs request additional time off beyond their two weeks of paid vacation, often for important personal reasons such as a family emergency or special event. If you're able to accommodate the request without too much disruption, offering extra time off can show understanding and strengthen your relationship.
If the request poses a challenge or you're unsure how to respond, your LCC or Cultural Care staff can help you talk through the options and find a solution that works for everyone.
What's the best format for sharing the schedule?
The best format depends on your family's preferences and tech habits. Digital formats like Google Calendar or shared apps work well for families who are always on their phones and want real-time updates. Printable PDFs posted in a central location (like the kitchen) work better for families who prefer visual, physical reminders.
Many successful host families use a hybrid approach: a digital calendar for planning and updates, plus a printed weekly overview in a visible location for quick daily reference. Experiment with different methods during your first few weeks together to discover what works best for your household.
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