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Random Advice

What are the best lessons you’ ve learned this year about being a good Host Parent?

by cv harquail December 27, 2010

Kids seem to like the time between Christmas and New Year’s because they have days off to play, Grandparents visiting, parents off work, and if they’re very lucky, 22 inches of freshly fallen snow. Grown-ups seem to appreciate the time to eat a little more, work a little less, reflect on the year gone by [...]

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How Can You Help Your Au Pair Feel at Home over the Holidays?

by cv harquail December 20, 2010

Last night I was ironing a pretty Christmas tablecover given to us by the cousin of one of our au pairs, when he was visiting a few years ago. Smoothing out the God Jul! embroidery, I looked up to see the Swedish straw reindeer, the sleigh candle holder, the Dala horse ornaments,  and one of [...]

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Check out challenge: Our au pair is leaving, and …

by cv harquail November 30, 2010

AuPairMoms–  I’m curious if anyone has been in this situation or how you would recommend handling this. We are leaving the AP program and our LCC is now MIA. Our AP’s year is up Dec 27th but she asked to leave the program early to go home to her country. Her last day with us [...]

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My Future Host Mom’s Sister is Creeping Me Out

by cv harquail November 28, 2010

Okay, “creeping me out” is clearly an American idiom that I have supplied as a headline, but that phrase seems to capture the dynamic going on for this cautious au pair. She’s matched with a family, and getting to know them through emails, etc. before she joins the family in a few months. The family [...]

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Thanksgiving Buffet

by cv harquail November 24, 2010

Wondering what we’ve talked about in previous years? Here’s a list of Thanksgiving posts from the olden days… More Thanksgiving Day ideas…for you and your Au Pair Leftover Thanksgiving Tips for your Au Pair Relationship 3 Reasons Having an Au Pair Has Been Great for My Family Thanksgiving Day Tip: Involve your Au Pair in [...]

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How do you get a refund from an Au Pair Agency after a flameout Au Pair?

by cv harquail November 18, 2010

A “flameout” au pair is one who obviously never intended to do the job of an au pair. Few things are more infuriating to a host parent than going through ll the work (and cost) of screening, interviewing and matching with an au pair– not to mentioned preparing kids and home — to have that [...]

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The Two Weeks are up– what do I do with the rematching Au Pair now?

by cv harquail October 20, 2010

Sometimes we host parents make all the right moves, and still get stuck. This host dad did his best to make a good match, got an au pair who couldn’t drive, did his best to get her to learn, got clarity that learning wouldn’t happen, did his best to initiate rematch, and now is stuck [...]

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Integrating an Au Pair when your household has an Older Teen

by cv harquail September 27, 2010

If you have both little kids and an older Teen, what are the things you need to consider as you plan for your Au Pair? Carrie asks,  because she and her husband are expecting a new baby, for whom she’d like an au pair caregiver. The challenge is that Carrie also has a son from a [...]

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Should you get involved in another Host Parent’s Au Pair issue?

by cv harquail September 24, 2010

I promised you that there was a part 2 to the story of the au pair and host parents who were struggling with responsibility for damage to a car. That issue was shared with us by a host mom with a personal connection to the au pair. In addition to hoping for some ideas on [...]

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Can a single parent be an Au Pair?

by cv harquail September 21, 2010

This question is from the UK, where au pair programs and expectations are a bit different– but maybe some of you parents and au pairs have information that might be helpful. Niki writes: I’m interested in becoming an au pair, however I do have a child of my own. I have read a few websites [...]

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