Can this relationship be saved?

When Your Au Pair Lies About Mileage on the Car

by cv harquail November 14, 2016

Sorry for the long lapse in posting…I’m still recovering. To nudge me (and you?) back into the challenges of Host Parenting, here’s an email about a problem that we faced with our Au Pair too. It was especially disappointing — and surprising — since this happened with perhaps our most mature, measured, and […]

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First Time Host Mom Wonders: Are her Au Pair expectations realistic?

by cv harquail November 7, 2016

A new Host Mom writes to share her frustration – and concern- about an Au Pair who doesn’t quite seem to fit. Are the mom’s expectations too high, she wonders? Or, Does she just have an Au Pair who needs (even) more direction and motivation? I’d like to think that I asked all the right […]

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Ways to Take the Fury Out Of Infuriating When an Au Pair Does You Wrong

by cv harquail September 16, 2016

There are some Host Parent – Au Pair situations where, once they happen, you can’t really do anything. Except get steamed. Even when it’s more than just the Au Pair’s behavior, getting steamed at that other Host Family or even at the Au Pair Agency that let it all happen doesn’t actually help you. So, […]

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Post by Email– not working? Test…

by cv harquail September 16, 2016

Hi Folks- A mom reported that she did not get the most recent post via email. Mailchimp recently upgraded, so I’m wondering if this has created a problem for everyone or if it’s just this one subscriber… so this is a test post. Soon, back to our regular programming. cvh

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Should An Au Pair’s Unpredictable Moods Send Us To Rematch?

by cv harquail August 31, 2016

Having an Au Pair join your family is always emotionally challenging. Even with the best and most lovely au pairs, it takes effort to get in sync with each other. We not only have to mesh with each other’s ways of doing things, sharing work, managing cars, and caring for kids, but also Host […]

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Brand New Au Pair’s Extreme Homesickness — Can we turn it around?

by cv harquail August 16, 2016

It seems like this brand new host mom did everything right (or, rather, took all of our recommendations) for getting started with an Au Pair. Careful consideration, lots of advance learning, deep interviewing, a handbook (!), and lots of positive energy. Even after their new Au Pair arrived and presented the challenge of extreme homesick, […]

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Choosing an Au Pair: The Serious One or The Fun One?

by cv harquail July 25, 2016

“There’s a lid for every pot”, we often say here on Au Pair Mom. No matter how weird your situation, or how picky you are, there is an au pair out there for you. Sometimes you’re lucky and you discover TWO au pairs who seem to fit your needs. So, how do you choose? The […]

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