Cars, Phones & Computers

Saying No, and Staying Confident, When Your Au Pair Wants Your Car For A Roadtrip

by cv harquail December 4, 2014
puppy car

Why do we find it so hard to stick to our guns when an au pair asks us to bend our rules? None of us wants to seem petty, or stingy, or selfish.  On the contrary– we want to be generous where we can, we want to reward au pairs who do a great job […]

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Smartphones That Outlast Your Au Pair, guest post by QuirkyMom

by cv harquail October 26, 2014
ganesha balunsat

It’s a lot of work to set up your au pair’s smart phone so that it has all the apps, all the contacts, and all the info you think s/he’ll need.   This is great work to do on behalf of keeping everyone organized and connected.  How can you keep this information year to year, […]

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Improve Your AuPair’s Driving With an Online Driving Class

by cv harquail September 5, 2014
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An online driving course is an easy, inexpensive way to get both you and your AuPair feeling confident about her/his driving– before your au pair even arrives in the USA! Here’s a tip from TexasHostMom—  Our first AP was 26 when she arrived and had been driving for some time, so I never thought we’d have […]

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Open Thread: July 12

by cv harquail July 11, 2014
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We’re baaaaack! I know that you’ve missed the Open Thread — I can tell from all the re-directions in the comments on the posts! Use this open thread to toss out any question or concern you have — except for one:   If you are an au pair outside the USA whose host parents are somehow […]

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How To Establish Family Norms Around Texting

by cv harquail June 17, 2014
au pair cell phone rules

One of the most annoying things about adopting new technology is the way that we quickly and unconsciously sink to the lowest common denominator of interpersonal norms.   Said another way, new technologies seem to bring out self-centeredness, thoughtlessness and rudeness in people (cell phone conversations in toilet stalls, anyone?), often without anyone really noticing, and almost always without […]

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Photographing Host Children: What’s appropriate to shoot, and what’s appropriate to share?

by cv harquail April 7, 2014
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All children are beautiful. When we, our au pairs, our families, and our friends see our beautiful child, it’s oh-so-tempting to try to hold that image of beauty still, to want to preserve it as a memory forever. When we adore these children, when we are proud of them, when we love them, we want […]

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Classic Case: Should we keep trying with a Mediocre Au Pair?

by cv harquail March 4, 2014
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Here’s a situation we see time and time again on AuPairMom: The family has an au pair (often, their first one) and the au pair is only okay. The au pair’s relationship with the kids is “fine”, but the au pair doesn’t follow through on her other responsibilities. The host parents have tried a few […]

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Dead End: When you need an Au Pair to drive, but your Au Pair can’t

by cv harquail August 31, 2013
dead end

When you read the email, below, you’ll think the challenge is about the au pair not being able to drive. And not being able to learn. And really needing an au pair who can drive. And deciding to drive her back and forth to her evening class. And more. Really? If the problem really were […]

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When Your Au Pair Loses Your Smart Phone

by cv harquail May 7, 2013
droid meets pavement

Yeah, it happens.  The phone falls out of a pocket into a puddle. Or a purse gets stolen. Whatever the reason … If your au pair loses or breaks the smart phone that you provided for her/him, it is up to her/him to replace it, or to pay to replace it. One of our au […]

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Apps for Au Pairs — Suggestions from Lara Coffee

by cv harquail May 6, 2013
top 10 smart phone apps for au pairs

Host Mom, Marketer and Blogger Lara Coffee (@laracoffee)  has gathered together her recommended “Top 10 App for Au Pairs” and sends the link our way.  Lara writes:  I know most families might not provide a smart phone, but from my experience, the Au Pairs have their own devices any ways. We hope our Au Pairs are not […]

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