Comments on: What are Host Dads afraid of? The Top 3 “Fears of the Host Dad” & How to manage them

By: cvh

cvh — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:31:43 +0000

OMG, I would LOVE to have used a photo of Tim Riggins/ Taylor Kitsch in his underwear— but then I would have had to mark the post NSFW–”Not Safe For Work”.

True, too, that most Host Dads are (1) more handsome and (2)more cool than either man pictured. Probably I should use a photo of Coach Taylor/Kyle Chandler … as a character Coach Taylor is about as good a man/dad as you can get and still be realistic. And as for Host Mom eye candy, that Kyle Chandler, well ………

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By: Bob E

Bob E — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:14:49 +0000

“Host Dad underwear” is what I meant. Oops.

By the way, I won’t object too strenuously if you want to use Minka Kelly (Lyla Garrity from “Friday Night Lights”) in any “au pair Mom in underwear” photos.

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By: Bob E

Bob E — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:48:22 +0000

One other quick thought. Most of the au pair Host Dads I know don’t really resemble the first two “Dad” photos in the post. I mean tube socks? We’re talking tube socks? Is this 1977? Let’s put some Leif Garrett on the stereo and go roller skating!

I know they are there for dramatic effect, but maybe next time you could use Taylor Kitsch for the “Host Dade underwear” picture instead of the “au pair’s boyfriend” picture?

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By: cvh

cvh — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Not to suggest that some fears are more ‘rational’ and valid than others, but .. Bob is right. The most important ‘fear’ to address of the three mentioned above is the fear of car accidents. With our 10 Au Pairs, we’ve had three accidents, and have done what we could re: guidelines, lessons and *screening* to make accidents less likely. The part that really worries me, though, is when you discover that your AP is breaking the rules that you have set up to safeguard her and your kids in the car. So we’ll make Car Safety the focus of an upcoming post.

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By: Bob E

Bob E — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:43:30 +0000

Having been an au pair Host Dad for almost a decade, I will note that Fear #3 (having boyfriends of the au pair at the house) never even crossed my mind a single time. What’s more, the issue basically never came up in real life either. Most of our au pairs would see their boyfriends out of our house.

Fear #2 (wrecking the car) is a completely valid concern in my view. We have had three car accidents involving au pairs, one of which was fairly serious. We did ALL the things you suggest. It’s a MUCH bigger problem than I think you suggest it is because the au pairs may be driving while your most precious “cargo” is in the car — your kids. We eventually fired an otherwise great au pair for poor driving because we could not manage the risk that she might injure (or kill) our kids with her bad driving. Do NOT underestimate Fear #2.

Fear #1 is one that resonates with me, but our house is set up in such a way that I can be “casual” in my attire in many places.

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