Can this relationship be saved?

Something’s Missing: Not the GPS, but her sense of Responsibility

by cv harquail January 20, 2011

From HostMom Needing Guidance: Dear Au Pair Mom readers — We’re 7 months into our year with our current AP. It’s been a good year so far and she is a great AP. She’s good with the kids and fairly easy to live with, and we’re starting to think about whether to extend. However, I […]

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I Know a Great Au Pair going into rematch… how can I help her find a good family?

by cv harquail January 17, 2011

We try not to meddle, but sometimes the temptation is too high… like, when you know a ReallyGreatAuPair® who’s going into rematch. Host Mom Jemima would love your advice, maybe even if it means trying to do a re-match through the comments… ! From Host Mom Jemima — When I was choosing my current (and […]

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Au Pair Asks: My Host Mom wants to get rid of me. … Am I alone in this feeling?

by cv harquail January 16, 2011

Readers, here’s another one of those emails that I just don’t have a good answer for… Can any of you au pairs or host parents offer her some comfort? Hi Au Pair Mom, I am an au pair and always read this blog, to know if I am doing right, to have kind of a […]

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How can we prepare our Au Pair for significant disruption?

by cv harquail January 4, 2011

Life brings us wave after wave of change. To move forward, we have to adapt to changes that happen to us and to changes that we make ourselves. And, as parents, we have to help our families anticipate and adapt to the changes we see coming, and to all the surprises we’re not quite able […]

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New Year’s Eve Thanks

by cv harquail December 31, 2010

Some New Year’s Eve thank you thoughts: Thank you to all of you host parents who are staying in tonight, so that your au pairs can go out on the town. Thank you to all of you au pairs who are staying in tonight, so that your host parents can go out on the town. […]

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Classic Case: Your childcare needs are not your Au Pair’s priority

by cv harquail December 29, 2010

There are several situations that host parents and au pairs seem to see over and over. Each time, the situation has its own particular details, and it is happening to a host parent or au pair who feels the problems acutely and specifically. And yet, the situation has an underlying issue that we see time […]

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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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At Best, Two Weeks of Resentment?: How to handle that rematch period

by cv harquail December 22, 2010

How many among us who have lived through a rematch can describe the two weeks between agreeing to a rematch and having the au pair depart as anything close to a pleasant, respectful experience? I’m not even going to put up a poll for that question. I bet, too, that one reason we don’t initiate […]

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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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