First time Host Parent

Family Handbook Ideas for Au Pairs Caring For Infants

by cv harquail June 25, 2014
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Caring for an infant, especially when the parents are brand-new to parenting, can pose special challenges for an Au Pair. Au Pairs in these situations will already be ‘infant-qualified’  — meaning that they’ve had direct experience with infants and will know how to do all the basics.  But because parents are still feeling their way […]

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Forget Overlap: Help Me Get My Departing Au Pair Out The Door!

by cv harquail February 20, 2014
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I need help handling the transition between our departing au pair and our arriving au pair. I’m nearing the end of our year with our very AP, who is 26, from China, with excellent English.  Our AP#1 is kind and patient with our 13-month baby girl.  She is also immature. AP#1’s term ends in less […]

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First Time Host Mom Overwhelmed by Regret: Can She Fix Her Mistake?

by cv harquail March 29, 2013

  Dear Au Pair Moms — I am a first time Au Pair Host Mom and I am having serious second thoughts about my choice of au pair. I  need some sage advice. Our Au Pair has only been with us a few days but now that she’s here I’m having SO. MANY. REGRETS. It […]

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5 Secrets of Good Au Pair Host Parents

by cv harquail June 10, 2012
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I was tidying up my desk this morning, preparing to get back in the saddle with AuPairMom posts, and I found this post-it note to myself:   Did I ever write this post? I can’t tell, so here it is!   What makes for a Good Au Pair Host Parent? In my experience talking with […]

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First Time Host Mom Asks: Extension Au Pair or Brand New One? (Poll)

by cv harquail March 4, 2012
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Can you remember back to when you were a first time host parent, still trying to figure out how you could make this au pair thing work for you? We have a family friend, MD, who’s wading into this for the first time, and she asked me to ask you: If you were a First […]

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Should You Wake Your Au Pair When You Leave For Work REALLY Early?

by cv harquail February 19, 2012
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Hi AuPairMom, We are welcoming our first au pair in about 3 weeks, and we are very excited. Your blog really helped us decide that this was the right type of child care for our family. We need someone with scheduling flexibility, because we have an always-changing, somewhat odd work week. I have to leave […]

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F.A.Q.: Must we use an Au Pair Agency to engage an Au Pair?

by cv harquail January 14, 2012
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Must we use an Au Pair Agency to engage an Au Pair? Yes. Sure, you can go it alone, but then you would not be operating within US Law. We emphatically recommend that you use an approved agency to find and retain your au pair. Following the laws and regulations protects both your family and […]

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Be a Wiser Host Parent in 2012: A Dozen Questions for Reflection

by cv harquail December 30, 2011
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What has happened in the last year that’s helped you learn to be a better host parent? Or if not “better”,  just a wee bit wiser? if you’re like most of us, you’ve felt delighted, relieved, frustrated, annoyed, grateful, and more — all because of your relationship(s) with your au pair(s). As part of our […]

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Where to Begin: New Host Mom, New Au Pair

by cv harquail February 28, 2011
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Maybe I’m more obsessive than the average bear, but I recall thinking I was as ready as I could be when our very first au pair arrived. And, that was back in the days when Handbooks were merely a suggestion, and life was much more simple. I also remember feeling pretty alone. Although there were […]

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