Can this relationship be saved?

“No Room at the Inn” because AP changed her plans. Now what? (Poll)

by cv harquail August 22, 2009

My au pair’s vacation is coming up. To cover for her, we’re having both sets of grandparents come stay over. They’ll be here for a month, but will overlap for a little over a week. The overlap will occur while the AP is on vacation. We have a smallish house – 3 bedrooms. Our “guest […]

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Can this relationship be saved? “Uncomfortable” or something else?

by cv harquail August 19, 2009

“Our Au Pair tells us that she is ‘uncomfortable’.” … but what does this really mean? Host parents, can you help with this request for advice? This is our first aupair…(well our very first decided she couldnt handle it and went home after 1 month). She is 22 years old from Colombia and has been […]

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Advice for this au pair? Lost form, lost faith, and altogether lost…

by cv harquail August 18, 2009

Stop all the clocks.... Photo 3 of 3 "SOOC" edition on Flickr - Photo Sharing!_1240241782069.jpeg

It’s the kind of situation that gives host families a bad reputation…I got an email tonight from an au pair trying to help out another au pair…. can you offer her your advice? Dear Au Pair Mom Helper, My friend has a problem and I am trying to help her out as much as I […]

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Technical Difficulties

by cv harquail August 15, 2009

Hi All- Tracy twittered me to tell me that there are some problems with “functionality”, particularly with trying to get to posts from the ‘recent comments’ section on the sidebar. I wanted to let you all know that I know and that I’ll be working on a solution. Please let me know (via email) if […]

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What a little bird said about Au Pairs

by cv harquail July 26, 2009

Anyone with room in her room at #Blogher09? I Found a roomie, but am still getting requests from folks off waitlist. How can we help? # #blogHer09 Anyone going who writes about business, strategy, management? Love my ‘domestic’ blog but my scholarly blog needs community too # @ShiploadofWilco sign me up # @modite Super cute […]

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Unhappy Complainer who won’t make friends: Can this relationship be saved?

by cv harquail July 21, 2009

It’s funny how sometimes, when it’s your situation, the whole thing seems complex. Then when someone else reads it, the answer is clear. Or not. Do we ever really know whether a new au pair (or host family) is just struggling to get adjusted, or instead if it’s a lost cause? Check out the description […]

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What a little bird said about Au Pairs

by cv harquail July 19, 2009

RT @CravingBalance: Women to Jack Welch: We don’t separate work and life, and we don’t want what you think we want. New paradigm. # RT @TheMamaBee: via @TimeforMom & @momadvice 9 ideas for date nights for broke parents with no babysitter http://tr.im/sgXx Really sweet . # Size Matters! RT @lesmckeown: < 50 emps? Business success=your […]

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What a little bird said about Au Pairs

by cv harquail July 12, 2009

@dawnpopp Dawn, how is it that your AP wants to cook for you, but (seems like) everyone elses just want to eat? Spill the secrets! # @CaliYost rt @CravingBalance Wally Bock: work life balance comes down to choices, choices connected to what you value. http://ow.ly/gzqQ # @AuPairAnswerMom To me, some of these reasons 4 APs […]

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Can she wake up to her responsibilities?

by cv harquail July 11, 2009

Here’s a request for advice from a Host Mom in VA Our au pair (our 4th) has been with us 2 weeks. She’s 20, fluent in English, is a rematch from other family (no fault of her own) after several months, and has 3 months left. We have 2 kids 2 and 4. I work […]

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Food secrets from the West Coast: Calif Mom shares all!

by cv harquail July 7, 2009

Calif Mom gets her own post this time! Just TOO MUCH good info to tuck in there as the 27th comment on the Groceries post. Calif Mom writes: For the broader discussion I can vaguely imagine for myself, in some sort of idealized parallel universe, a life in which I would have the entire week’s […]

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