Can this relationship be saved?

Helping Your Au Pair Extend, with Student Status: Advice Wanted

by cv harquail January 10, 2010

Hi Au Pair Mom Readers! Love the site and am totally addicted. The advice is so helpful! I need advice on the subject of college education for my au pair. Our au pair has indicated an interest in attending university here in the U.S. instead of in her home country (Germany). It’s unclear whether she […]

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When your departing au pair sours your new au pair

by cv harquail January 5, 2010

For many of us, a new au pair’s arrival is a chance to start fresh, with revised guidelines, new resolutions, and a new attitude. The easiest way to have a fresh start is to have a clean break between outgoing and incoming au pairs. So, even though there are many positive reasons for having your […]

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This Time Last Year: January 2009

by cv harquail December 31, 2009

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No one is more surprised than me to see how much we’ve covered here on AuPairMom! I can’t believe the number of topics, posts, comments, concerns and wisdom that have appeared here so far– and we’re still going strong! Sometimes it’s hard to remember what we’ve discussed, so here’s a new feature: This Time Last […]

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Share One Bit of Advice for a New Host Parent

by cv harquail December 30, 2009

By popular demand, here’s a challenge to all you host parents: Your challenge: Offer ONE, just one, thing you wish you knew when you became a host parent. If someone else has already offered your #1 bit of advice, go on to share your #2 bit of advice. Let’s rack ’em up, parents. (Au pairs, […]

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A Holiday Wish

by cv harquail December 20, 2009

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Moms, Dads, LCCs and Au Pairs, As things here at home get wild for the holiday, they sometimes get quiet online. I know that I have a lot of things I should be doing (and want to be doing) away from the computer. Yet, at the same time, I know I’ll be stealing back to […]

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Host Parents: Be my päkapikud this holiday?

by cv harquail December 18, 2009

Would you make one of my own Christmas wishes come true? Would you be my päkapikud? A päkapikud is a little Estonian elf. Our very first Au Pair, Margit, used päkapikud as a nickname for my daughter. I would love to get a few more päkapikud involved in AuPairMom. How can you be a päkapikud? […]

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Mixing Grandparents and Au Pairs at the Holidays

by cv harquail December 12, 2009

Who’d have thought this would be a topic? As I neatened up the spare room to welcome my mother-in-law, I was remembering some of the well-intentioned tensions we had our first Christmas with our au pair and Grandparents together, and how we tried to manage them. My parents-in-law, like most grandparents, were over the moon […]

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Advice Wanted: Damage Control for Possible Escape Artist

by cv harquail December 10, 2009

Au Pair Host Mom “Not Smiling in Seattle” writes: I am hoping you readers have some honest input for us. My Au Pair last night announced her mother was ill and needs an operation. My first impression was “oh my gosh, is your mom ok?” When I asked for more information, our au pair could […]

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Holiday Gifts for Au Pairs

by cv harquail December 10, 2009

It’s time to start thinking of gift ideas for your au pair, if you haven’t already! In previous posts we’ve talked about gifts that we like to give our au pairs, either for holidays or birthdays. These ideas have included scrapbooks, photo albums, scented bath treats, and of course, the ever-popular gift set from Sephora […]

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AuPairMom: Proudly Independent

by cv harquail December 7, 2009

We interrupt our conversation to discuss the status of AuPairMom. In case you were wondering, AuPairMom is not affiliated with any au pair agency. I, CV (aka mom@aupairmom), am not a host mom affiliated with or currently using any au pair agency. I feel compelled to remind you of the independence of the blog, because […]

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