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Scheduling

Read My Diary, please! : Guest Post

by Sherina June 23, 2010

A Host Mom was prompted by an earlier conversation on coordinating family schedules to offer her thoughts on keeping it all together. What I call a family notebook or family log she calls a diary– but regardless of the name, it is the same thing: One, single, solitary, concrete place where every appointment goes. Here’s [...]

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Can you say “exploited” in French? Au Pair asks what to do

by cv harquail June 8, 2010

Dear Au Pair Moms & Readers, I need serious advice and thought you would give me great advice as I love your blog! I’m 21 and am working in France as an Au Pair. I arrived last Wednesday (a week ago tomorrow) and have enjoyed it so far as I love the family and feel [...]

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Scheduling Your Au Pair: Naptime, Mealtime and Meaningful Breaks

by cv harquail May 27, 2010

Lots of us host parents schedule our pairs not for an 8 or 10 hour stretch, but for one or two (or sometimes three) portions across a day. Often this is to accommodate ‘before school’ childcare needs as well as afternoon needs, or to have our au pairs come back on duty so that we [...]

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Help Your Au Pair Evaluate Potential Playdates

by cv harquail April 8, 2010

I firmly believe that working on your au pair relationship makes you a better parent, directly and indirectly. Any time you have to stop and reflect on your parenting principles and your priorities for your kid(s), you have the opportunity to become more mindful about what you’re up to with your family. Here’s one of [...]

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Working out isn’t working, is it?

by cv harquail June 11, 2009

What really counts as "work" and when are we willing to bend the rules? This mom’s getting a workout– and not the kind that makes your heart healthy. … "We are family members at our local gym, which provides childcare while parents are working out. We added our au pair to our membership (didn’t change [...]

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Vacation – All she ever wanted?

by cv harquail June 10, 2009

Another wrinkle on vacations! Our second au pair has arrived, and I need some au pair mom support and suggestions This second au pair has been much more difficult than the first. She’s in the midst of her third week here, and we’ve already had a 3-point meeting with the LCC and there have already [...]

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Scheduling your Au Pair to be on duty when you are at home…

by cv harquail April 16, 2009

I got a bit of a chuckle when I saw this topic suggestion on the Skribit form: “Should you make your au pair work on weekends if both parents are at home doing nothing?” The topic suggestion was anonymous, but if I had to guess I’d say it was from an au pair. Why? Because [...]

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