From the category archives:

Creating memories

On celebrating each other’s religious holidays

by cv harquail November 9, 2009

Only 4.5 weeks till Hanukkah, 8 weeks until Christmas, 9 until New Years… Time to think about weaving your Au Pair into your family’s celebrations.
You should think ahead, and talk with your au pair, because holidays can be important times to feel in or out of a family, acknowledged or overlooked, celebrated or taken for [...]

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9 Ways to Celebrate Halloween with your Au Pair

by cv harquail October 30, 2009

Special Halloween Edition
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to share with Au Pairs. Unlike some holidays, Halloween doesn’t seem to trigger a whole lot of nostalgia and homesickness. For au pairs who ‘do’ Halloween in their home countries, it’s a chance for her to share traditions from her culture. And, if [...]

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Saying Goodbye to an Au Pair you Parents really love

by cv harquail July 8, 2009

Last year I wrote a post about "Her Next Adventure": Telling your kids that your Au Pair is leaving which elicited a lot of good advice for helping the children say goodbye to their au pair.
We just got a request from a mom with a different version of the problem– a version which, [...]

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What skills has your Au Pair learned… from You?

by cv harquail June 20, 2009

I was downstairs early this morning, in quiet reverie folding laundry. When I dragged the fitted sheets out of the dryer and started the elaborate and effective semaphore choreography that gets them folded into tidy piles, I was reminded of all of the crazy little things that I have taught my au pairs over [...]

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Traveling with Kids: Book to investigate

by cv harquail June 20, 2009

Strolling across the interweb this morning, I came across this review of a book about traveling with kids … and it looks like the kind of information Au Pair host parents might be interested in.

Many of us choose to have Au Pairs over US college student live-ins, or other caregivers, because we’d like to expose [...]

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Au Pair Appreciation: Hooray for all of you!

by cv harquail May 8, 2009

Well, we’ve come to the end of the very first annual
International Au Pair Appreciation Week!
Thank you to  the host moms and dads who sent in the stories for the Au Pair Appreciation posts this week.
Thank you to all of you who commented on the stories, offered snippets of your [...]

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Au Pair Appreciation: Popsicle sticks and masking tape

by cv harquail May 8, 2009

International Au Pair Appreciation Week
As shared by a Host Mom for her family
Why do we appreciate our au pair so much?   Our AP is beloved by both my kids. They are five years apart and so have very different world views and needs, yet she is able to [...]

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Au Pair Appreciation: A collage of love

by cv harquail May 4, 2009

International Au Pair Appreciation Week

As shared by a Host Mom

After being with us for only 2 months, our AP made us a beautiful collage for Christmas of photos that she had taken of the children and our dogs. It was so thoughtful and we were absolutely thrilled! It now [...]

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Au Pair Appreciation: St. Lucia

by cv harquail May 3, 2009

International Au Pair Appreciation Week

As shared by a Host Mom

Our last AP was from Stockholm, Sweden. Her mother sent her 3 Swedish white ‘nightgown’ style dresses, electric "crowns" and bulbs so that she could celebrate St. Lucia Day for our benefit in December 2008.
She baked sweet rolls flavored with [...]

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Au Pair Appreciation: Showing our sons the way

by cv harquail May 2, 2009

International Au Pair Appreciation Week

As shared by a Host Family
Our Swedish, male, au pair is a wonderful addition to our family. We wanted a young man from the start. Our very active 9-year-old twins need to have a high-energy au pair who can manage and channel their energy [...]

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