Get the easy email newsletter! Just add your address to the yellow box, below right.

Au Pair Appreciation

Do you celebrate your Au Pair on Mother’s Day? (poll)

by cv harquail May 11, 2012

Searching through the racks of Mother’s Day cards looking for something just right for my step-mom and mother-in-law, I noticed just how many Mother’s Day cards there are these days for people who aren’t mothers: “You’re like a Mother to Me” “To a special person on Mother’s Day” “Celebrating you for all you do” It [...]

35 comments Read the full article →

How has being an au pair Host Parent changed you?

by cv harquail December 15, 2011

Last week I met a woman who’s editing two books on parenting. She was intrigued by the AuPairMom community and the kinds of conversations we have here, and she peppered me with questions. One of the questions she asked was a tough one– I could answer it for myself, certainly, but I was unable to [...]

8 comments Read the full article →

Holiday Gift Idea: The Gratitude Jar

by cv harquail December 14, 2011

Another favorite, handmade memory gift is a Gratitude Jar. A Gratitude Jar is just a decorated jar, with slips of paper and a pen attached. Parents, au pairs and kids can use the jar to remind them to write down funny or sweet things that happen, and then put the slip in the jar, to [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Christmas Gift Ideas: From Au Pair to Host Family

by cv harquail December 1, 2011

It’s time for little elves to get busy, making things to capture memories. Writes an LCC – I’m a counselor for a small group of au pairs and at our last meeting the question about Christmas gifts for host parents came up. They all want to give something meaningful, they understand that in most cases [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

All the little things … that add up to a BIG help

by cv harquail March 5, 2011

Annonamomma has suggested that we take some time to talk about “all the little things” that keep a house, a home, and a host parent happy. She writes: Could we do a post on the little things?? you know the little things that keep a house happy, i.e. send the no milk text, empty the [...]

112 comments Read the full article →

Thanksgiving Thoughts about Gratitude

by cv harquail November 24, 2010

[Two years ago we enjoyed this post on gratitude, and au pairs. Since there are so many new and different readers of the blog now, that I thought I'd post it again. Following up this post is a chance to reflect what you're thankful and grateful for in your host family- au pair relationship. cv] [...]

11 comments Read the full article →

Announcing… 2nd Annual Au Pair Appreciation Week!

by cv harquail May 3, 2010

The 2nd Annual International Au Pair Appreciation Week May 17 – 21, 2010!

12 comments Read the full article →

How Does Your Au Pair Grow?

by cv harquail January 17, 2010

Truly one of the joys of being a host parent is watching your au pair blossom as a citizen of the world and as as a person. I look back in hindsight now and wish that for each of our au pairs, I had written them a note at the start of their year to [...]

7 comments Read the full article →