By on May 19th, 2017

Keeping Your Routine as a Homestay Parent

Everyone has their own unique routine. If you’re about to become a homestay parent, it’s important that you understand how to keep yours once this exciting new experience begins. Fortunately, as you’re about to see, it’s actually really easy to keep your routine as a homestay parent.

Reach Familiarity Quickly

The quicker your family and your international student are comfortable around each other, the sooner you won’t feel the need to be around them at all times making sure they’re happy and comfortable.

You don’t want to rush this process, necessarily, but, again, it’s ideal that you get comfortable ASAP.

While every student is different, this will generally be possible with anyone if you modify your routine at first so you can spend more time with them. Family dinner will help with this a lot, but so too will bringing them along when you run errands or do other mundane things. Any time you have an opportunity to talk with your international student, take it.

Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

Speaking of which, once you’re comfortable around each other, you want to take advantage of your open lines of communication and use them often. You can still be a great homestay parent to your student and keep your routine at the same time, you just have to make sure the kid is aware of your plans beforehand.

For example, you might have a busy day where you’ll need to pick them up from school, drop them off at home and then head to a meeting before you come back.

Communication will ensure they understand where they must meet you and at what time so this flows smoothly. Also, because they know you have to quickly drop them off because of a business obligation, you don’t have to worry that they might feel as though you’re brushing them off.

Speak to Your Own Children Beforehand

If you have children of your own, you’ll want to speak with them beforehand about life is going to be like as a homestay family. Their routine is going to change to some degree, too, so it’s best to prepare them well beforehand. As with yours, their routines don’t have to change  dramatically.

The type of situation you want to avoid is one in which they see their routine being modified as a sign that you take them for granted or love this new child more.

At the same time, they do have to understand that this wonderful experience is only going to be possible if everyone treats it as a group effort. It will definitely be worth it.

Learn to Go with the Flow

As much as it’s possible to keep your routine as a homestay parent, you also need to expect that things aren’t always going to go your way. You’re adding a student to your everyday life. How could you possibly expect nothing to change whatsoever?

That kind of unrealistic expectation is best to avoid altogether. This will make it a lot easier to enjoy this experience with your student.

Don’t Try to Be Perfect

Along the same lines, don’t try to be perfect. Your routine might change a bit. Sometimes, plans will fall through and you’ll come up short on your goals. No one – including your international student – expects you to be perfect. If you end up having to order pizza for dinner every now and then, that’s not the end of the world.

Keeping to your routine as a homestay parent is important and possible. While you may need to make some concessions here and there, the above advice should help a lot.