Foundations & Basics

How Should Host Families Respond to the Au Pair Lawsuit?

by cv harquail April 4, 2018

Most Host Families know about the ongoing lawsuit wherein the US Au Pair Agencies are being targeted in a class action lawsuit brought by a law firm “on behalf of” au pairs. This lawsuit has been wending its way through the system with occasional flareups of media attention. Most of us have been assuming that […]

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Counting Au Pair Hours at the Gym, with Kids in Gym Childcare

by cv harquail March 28, 2018

I’ve always thought it was a wonderful perk for an au pair, to have a gym membership and to be able to go during the day when she was normally on duty but was able to leave the kids at the gym’s childcare. Several of my own Au Pairs had this option — I was […]

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What Do Au Pair Host Moms Want for Christmas?

by cv harquail December 10, 2017

For Au Pairs in Host Families who celebrate Christmas… “What do you want for Christmas?” I’m never able to answer that question. Some years I remember to keep a running list of things I want (e.g., sports headbands, a black-ish pair of outdoor running shoes, a pair of Uggs to replace the ones with holes in them, […]

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When A Host Parent Crosses the Line, Au Pairs MUST rematch

by cv harquail December 4, 2017

There are very few problematic situations in Au Pair-Host Family relationships that are completely black or white, where it’s clear that the next step is rematch. For Host Families, black and white situations include when an Au Pair endangers a child in any way, and when an Au Pair has lied or stolen. For Au Pairs, black […]

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Inexpensive Ways for Au Pairs to Ship Boxes Back Home

by cv harquail October 11, 2017

I knew we’d had a few posts about sending Au Pairs’ stuff back home when they leave — but I didn’t realize it had been seven years ago! Let’s update our info on best rates and options: What does your family do? Our au pair is leaving in April after spending two years with our […]

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Support Gun Safety Legislation

by cv harquail October 4, 2017

Dear Readers — A girlfriend reminded me this morning that, as a person who runs a website that reaches 16,000 people a month, I have a responsibility to use this platform wisely. To promote community, to promote growth, to promote learning, to promote cross cultural understanding, and to promote safety. One of the most horrifying […]

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My Au Pair Is Selling Products on Facebook: Should I care?

by cv harquail September 29, 2017

Au Pairs who want to make extra money, beyond their stipend and in violation of the State Department rules, usually stick to a few basic strategies — working a few extra hours for their family, walking a dog or two, or taking the rare emergency babysitting job down the street. None of these jobs are legal […]

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Digital Tools for Scheduling Au Pairs: Share your faves

by cv harquail September 12, 2017

It’s rather pitiful, but I’m still (and perhaps always) a fan of the paper calendar. While I *do* use the Tiny Calendar app on my iPhone, I always was printing out — and adding up by hand — on duty hours. Surely, someone else has a better way? Because Calendaring Host Mom has asked for […]

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Religious Au Pair Doesn’t Celebrate Holidays. Would you still consider her?

by cv harquail July 22, 2017

Celebrating American holidays with your au pair or host family is one of the biggest (and most fun) elements of cultural exchange. Holidays are a unique window into culture. The traditions, the food, the festive spirit all invite us to talk about the values behind the celebration. On the more personal, less ‘cultural’ level, holidays […]

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