Creating memories

Life Lessons in Cultural Exchange – Soft Benefits by TexasHM

by Texas HM August 25, 2018
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There are often discussions of the additional soft costs of hosting – some of which are “harder” and can be quantified like car insurance, little higher water/food bills or an additional Disney ticket but some of which can’t like the emotional investment/bonds made or time spent investing in your APs experience by providing a shoulder to […]

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Untangling and Saying Goodbye to Long-Term Au Pair

by cv harquail February 2, 2016
jereme wong

Here’s a situation that’s a real outlier — this Host Family has had their same Au Pair for 8 years. First, as an Au Pair, then as a visiting (live in) student. Even though it’s an uncommon situation, I thought you readers might enjoy the whole story and have ideas to share. Now it’s time […]

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How Best To Celebrate Our Au Pair’s Extension? (Poll)

by cv harquail January 14, 2016
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Dear AuPairMom — We’d love the community’s advice about how to recognize and celebrate our Au Pair’s agreement to extend with us.   I’d like to know what is expected, common, meaningful, etc. Our family with save about $1500 (not to mention loads of time and hassle) because she’s extending for another year. I’d like […]

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Help Your Au Pair Develop Rituals For Bonding With Host Kids

by cv harquail January 12, 2016
au pair, host child, childcare

As I was snuggling my tweenager on the couch after a hard day at school, my mind wandered back to all those times when I’d come home from the University to find this same daughter — infant sized — snuggled up in the rocking chair napping with our Au Pair Margit. All the books I’d […]

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Making New Year’s Resolutions WITH Your Au Pair

by cv harquail January 4, 2016
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Number 5 on the short list of stupid, true things about life that I try not to let annoy me is this: It’s hard to change things* when people around you resist having you change. *”things” being: yourself, your situation, how you do things, what gets done, what is prioritized, etc. We forget that our lives are so […]

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Thanksgiving Thoughts about Gratitude

by cv harquail November 24, 2015
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[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] […]

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Gentle Ways to Let Go of Your Departed Au Pair

by cv harquail October 24, 2015
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Letting go of an Au Pair you’ve loved having as part of your family can be really, really hard. Really hard. Of course, it’s a nice problem to have … but it’s still a challenge. After all, you’ve had a wonderful year with your Au Pair — s/he’s been happy, the kids have been happy, you’ve been […]

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What Kind of Role Model Are You For Your Au Pair?

by cv harquail July 31, 2015
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The most wonderful thing a host mom or dad can hear from a former au pair is “You taught me how to be a good parent.” I will confess that I’ve heard this myself, from the two au pairs we’ve had that we’ve stayed in touch with and that have become parents themselves. It was […]

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Help Your Au Pair Take Snow Days In Stride

by cv harquail January 19, 2015
Au Pairs enjoy their first snowfall au pair advice low cost childcare

Few events clarify the gap between how working parents and their school age kids respond to changes than the announcement of a snow day. When I was little, I thought snow days were magical. An overwhelming amount of snow combined with a day off from school seemed like a gift from the heavens — to […]

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Traditions with a Twist: A Holiday Game with your Au Pair, guest post by Cristina Sierra

by cv harquail December 12, 2014
jack lail

Long time contributor-under-a-nom-de-mom, Cristina Sierra shares this holiday idea: A “Mad” Twist on ‘T’was The Night Before Christmas’ Here’s a creative way to introduce your Au Pair to a US holiday tradition, namely the poem  “T’was the night before Christmas” – by making it his / her own. How? Easy – just add Mad Libs. By […]

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