Common Challenges

Au Pair Appreciation: Help some host families strengthen their au pair relationships

by cv harquail May 5, 2009
hello friend cathynichols etsy.jpg

As International APAW continues, you might be looking for another quick, easy and helpful way to show not only that you appreciate your au pair, but also that you appreciate the challenges and the responsibility of being a great host family. So here’s another suggestion for appreciating au pairs and host families that is easy […]

Read the full article →

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Considering Rematch

by cv harquail May 5, 2009
girl doorstep.jpg

How soon can you know that it just won’t work? Dory asked a question (which I post below) about whether she’s reasonable to think that she should rematch with another au pair. She’s only had this one for 3 months, but it isn’t promising. My quick response to her prompted this advice … 5 Questions […]

29 comments Read the full article →

11 Tips for Considering an Au Pair in Rematch

by cv harquail May 4, 2009
anamda ruth.jpg

Oh dear. You’re in rematch. Maybe you were horrible. Maybe your au pair was horrible. Maybe you should have decided sooner, then again maybe you both could have tried harder. Whatever, it’s been a bad experience. The decision to rematch has been made, and now… you need childcare, and you don’t have much time to […]

24 comments Read the full article →

Extra Umbrellas and Hidden House Keys: The beauty of redundancy

by cv harquail April 30, 2009
200904291950.jpg

In my household, there are 7 sets of house keys. My husband knows about 4 sets, my au pair knows about 6 sets, and only I know about the 7th set. Similarly, we have: at least one umbrella in each of 3 cars, two or three umbrellas in the hall closet, one umbrella in my […]

5 comments Read the full article →

Would you ever use a “nanny cam”?

by cv harquail April 26, 2009
nannycam.jpg

A reader suggested that we talk about nanny cams. (She suggested the topic using the Skribit widget on the sidebar… hint hint). Personally, I think nanny cams are kindof creepy, in general. And, if I were ever tempted to use one myself, it would be a sign to me that my relationship with my au […]

43 comments Read the full article →

Setting Guidelines when your Au Pair has guests

by cv harquail April 23, 2009
bro.jpg

When an au pair has guests come to visit, it is tempting for the Host Parents to give the au pair lots of ‘extras’– extra time off, extra flexibility, extra food and space, and basically to try to accommodate their au pair’s expected desire to spend time with the visiting friend or family member. This […]

11 comments Read the full article →

Announcing…. International Au Pair Appreciation Week!

by cv harquail April 18, 2009
cute girl by blackboard.jpg

International Au Pair Appreciation Week May 1 – 9, 2009! Au Pair Appreciation Week is our chance as host moms and dads to celebrate what we enjoy the most about having au pairs in our family lives. Although moms and dads who ask for advice here on AuPairMom are occasionally accused of being grumpy, demanding, […]

6 comments Read the full article →

Scheduling your Au Pair to be on duty when you are at home…

by cv harquail April 16, 2009
james dean w feet up 1.jpg

I got a bit of a chuckle when I saw this topic suggestion on the Skribit form: “Should you make your au pair work on weekends if both parents are at home doing nothing?” The topic suggestion was anonymous, but if I had to guess I’d say it was from an au pair. Why? Because […]

33 comments Read the full article →

3 Ways to be a Great Host Parent

by cv harquail April 14, 2009
Free Pink Flower pick sherbert.jpeg

Here’s the first in an occasional series about Ways to be a Great Host Parent . Sorry Tolstoy. Whether happy or not so happy, not every host family is the same.  We host families like to revel in our uniqueness and we like to think that, for the lucky au pair, our family is just […]

11 comments Read the full article →

Poll: Does your Au Pair join you for dinner?.

by cv harquail April 8, 2009
freeformkatya.jpg

Our family tradition Sitting down together at the table for supper is one of my favorite moments of the day. During the week, when it’s just us girls, we all hold hands and sing grace before we eat. In that brief moment, everything is peaceful and undeniably happy. Then we let of each other’s hands, […]

43 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →