We are asked this question all the time by potential host families: "What exactly are my responsibilities as a host parent?"
This is a great question, and based on years of experience in this field, our staff has compiled a list of general answers regarding what host families "do" for their exchange students.
1. Host Families Provide Meals. Yes! If you have a full time student who attends school, you are expected to provide 2 or 3 meals per day. This can mean that you provide the means for the meal and teach the student how to prepare it, or that you prepare it for them. It's different for every family and student. Use common sense-- if your student is 14 or 15, and comes from a country that typically doesn't expect young students to prepare their own food, then you should help them, (at least in the beginning). If you don't know how much experience your student has preparing food, this would be something you would ask them on Day 1, when you are filling out your "student workbook" together. Some host families host part-time students over weekends and holidays, so the meal preparation won't be as frequent. Be sure to ask this student if they need to shop for any snacks to take back to school with them. Though they should purchase their own snacks, you should still provide meals for them while they are in your care. Lastly, some students might have special dietary needs based on physical conditions or religious requirements. You will have knowledge of this prior to your student's arrival, but be aware that it might take some extra preparation on your part.
2. Families provide SOME transportation. This again, depends on the student and family. Boarding school students will most always be dropped off one way with the expectation that you can give them a ride back to school, or at least to the ride share location. If you do opt to drive them back to school, you will be given a mileage stipend to cover the cost of your gas in addition to your daily rate. If you are hosting a full-time student, you are expected to provide transportation to school or the bus stop, daily. You are allowed to work this out as you would with your own child- ride share with other parents, buses, etc. Parents who provide daily transportation will be given an increased daily rate. You are not, however, expected to drive the students any where they ask. Just as you would with your own child, assess how their requests fit into your routine, and then go from there.
3. Families provide a private bed with personal space. You are expected to give your exchange student personal space. This translates into their own sleeping space, (a private bed), closet space, a desk, and some room in the kitchen for any special food items. There are some cases where exchange students share a bedroom with another child of the same gender not separated in age more than 5 years. The idea behind this is to give them a sense of belonging and consistency. It is not acceptable for students to share a bed with anyone. Further, not all students will need kitchen space, but some have dietary restrictions based on religion or culture, so just be aware that this might be a possibility.
4. Families don't have to "entertain" students. To a certain extent, it is expected for you to show your student around the area you live in. However, most students will be glad just to have a private space to call "home". In the beginning especially, students will spend a lot of alone time, adjusting to the new situation. This is to be expected. Finding the balance of alone time and family time might be a challenge for you to figure out in the beginning, but use your parental judgment. You certainly don't have to have an entire itinerary planned out for your student, but doing something active might help build a bond between the student and your family. However, there is a bold line between being active and driving your student around for the sake of his/her entertainment. You are not hosting a guest in your home, but another student who needs parenting. Be firm and use the same structure you would with your own kids. You don't have to take him/her to a shopping mall unless you want to go too.
5. Sometimes students will need to shop for "stuff". This one seems to contradict the above statement, but there is a difference between acquiring the necessary and shopping for the sake of it. Students only come with a limited set of clothing, appliances, and everyday hygiene care. They will need your help replacing the essentials, so your willingness to help them when it fits into your schedule is very much appreciated and expected. For example, some students don't realize it can drop into the single digits in Georgia, so they will need winter clothing. Other students might need your help re-purchasing contacts, familiar snacks, or other hygiene supplies. Most of the time, their schools don't offer much assistance in this area, so they will depend on you. If you have any questions about medical appointments, never hesitate to contact your regional coordinator before helping your student. You are never expected to pay for these extra supplies. Further, often times these students do not understand our medical process, and they think they can just walk into a store and buy contacts. Your help explaining the way the process works here is essential, as is your patience in these situations.
6. Students need some study time. It is more than OK to set study time for your exchange student, just as you would with your own child. In many cases, students won't have a lot of homework, but you should encourage them to be productive in other ways, like spending an hour writing in a journal. At home, students from Asia especially, are accustomed to spending hours upon hours a day studying. In fact, many children are in school from 7 am until 10 pm.
7. Communicating with their natural parents. Students, especially the younger ones, will need to be reminded to reach out to their parents. Often times, our regional office will get an email from parents asking us to help set up a phone call. We will contact you and ask for your help to get your exchange student to call their parents. Sometimes they communicate over SKYPE, other times they call on their cell phones, or they will use a calling card from your home to make a phone call. You can suggest any of the above if they are unsure. It is acceptable for them to communicate with their parents, though some agencies recommend limiting their call frequency. We encourage contact with parents, but never want this to occur on your dime. Further, most families will not contact you directly, as they do not communicate well in English. You can use your judgment regarding talking to your exchange student's parents. Every situation is unique! There are some special circumstances where parents might arrange to visit their child. This would be a great opportunity to meet your student's natural family. However, in this case, please contact your regional coordinator, so that we can recommend some hotels for the parents to stay in.
8. Cell phones, bank accounts, medical insurance? These are common areas of concern. Bottom line, you are never expected to use your social security number to help a student set up an account, anywhere or for anything. Minors are not allowed to enroll in a cell phone plan or set-up a checking account. However, there are other options. Students are encouraged to set up an international calling plan before they arrive in the US. If they don't, there are a number of pre-paid options for them to choose from that do not require a contract. You can extend your help with that, but again, do not use your personal financial or social security for this purpose. The same goes for setting up a bank account. Many local/national banks WILL allow minors to set up savings accounts, only, which do not require the use of your social security number, (we recommend Chase Bank). However, students are not allowed to set up checking accounts until they turn 18. We always suggest that students access their money by setting up a school savings account or a personal savings account, and having their parents wire transfer money to them. Students will need your assistance accessing the bank. If you find it awkward to tell your student "no", just attribute your action to following Everyday Interaction policy, (just blame us!)
9. Borrowing money. We always encourage students to be sure to bring spending money with them when they are visiting their host family. In some occasions, students forget to do so, or are unable to do so. In the rare event that you feel it necessary to loan them money, please promptly email your regional coordinator with a scanned copy of any receipts available, or a detailed account of the purpose. We will contact the students' parents to let them know that money is owed. Please limit doing this as much as possible.
10. Emergencies or bad behavior. With life comes the unexpected. The child entrusted to your care has signed a medical waiver, allowing you to act on their behalf. By all means, do whatever is necessary to help the child as if he/she were your own. But also, make every attempt to contact your regional coordinator so they can alert the parents. Most students have medical insurance, and those who don't, understand the consequences of medical bills. They are responsible for all bills.Bad behavior should be judged on a case by case basis. If the student breaks a serious house rule, and this cannot be resolved by parenting, contact your regional coordinator. We have a no tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, or family rule violations. If you suspect something is not right with your student's behavior, contact us right away so we can attempt to mediate the situation before terminating the student's agreement. We don't ever want it to come to this, but your safety is also a top priority.
If you have been certified and approved as an Everyday Interaction host family, then we believe that you have good character and judgment to make the decisions necessary for your exchange student. You are the first line, and should attempt to remedy any questionable situation as you would with your own child. However, you can also reach out to your regional coordinator for more direction, and to report any medical incidents, or rule-breaking behavior. We are proud of our host families, so thank you for your participation!
If you have any other QUESTIONS about how to become a host family, please feel free to email or call us: homestay@everydayinteraction.com 678-208-9588
visit our website: www.everydayinteraction.com
