For Au Pairs

Should She Ask Her Host Mom To Read AuPairMom?

by cv harquail September 8, 2014
6847244791_bf2fd1ae57_z

Dear AuPairMom – I have been reading AuPairMom while I was deciding to become an au pair and I was expecting that what you have on this blog explains what an au pair should expect. My host mom seems to be having some struggles with having an au pair. I’m my family’s first au pair. My family is […]

15 comments Read the full article →

Don’t Make Your Au Pair Do Your Kids’ Homework

by cv harquail March 8, 2014
il_570xN.392205173_8eh2

Haven’t we all wished for someone else to do our Algebra homework? That’s normal. What’s not so normal, though, is to ask your au pair to do your 17 year old’s homework. This situation is a little outside our usual boundaries, because the au pair is in Europe (US rules don’t apply), because she has […]

16 comments Read the full article →

Interviewing: When An Au Pair Has Special Experience To Offer

by cv harquail March 6, 2014
cat bird susie ghahremani

Every au pair has his or her ‘thing’ — a hobby, a life experience, a skill or two, a great sense of humor  — that sets them apart as an individual.   In most matches, this stuff is the icing on a cake. For some families though, these skill could help make that au pair […]

48 comments Read the full article →

My Host Mom is Snooping In My Bedroom. How can get some privacy?

by cv harquail February 18, 2014
il_570xN.365417522_5bpy

Dear AuPair Moms –– I’d like your thoughts about managing privacy, especially with a host mom who’s a bit, shall we say, inquisitive.    As an au pair, I have my own room in my host family’s house. Both my HM and HF are very private people, which I appreciate, since I am the same. […]

34 comments Read the full article →

My Host Family Thinks I’m Unreliable. Can I change their minds?

by cv harquail February 9, 2014
5820672_8cec711496

Dear AuPairMom-  I have made a few mistakes with my host family, and I am wondering if I can fix things.  I arrived in the US a little over 5 months ago. After three months I broke my wrist, needed surgery, could not do my job correctly but I got an incredible support from my […]

42 comments Read the full article →

Au Pair Confessions: All the stuff we don’t want to believe Au Pairs actually think

by cv harquail June 11, 2013
au pair confessions

Last month a regular reader/commenter brought to my attention the Facebook page called “AuPair Confessions” . It’s almost as bad as looking at Pinterest. It took me a long time to get up the energy to go check it out, because I just didn’t want to see what disgruntled au pairs might ‘confess’ about — […]

41 comments Read the full article →

What do Host Parents think about Nanny Cams?: Au Pair Asks

by cv harquail May 8, 2013
kid spy

It’s been a long time since we had our last conversation about Nanny Cams. We’ve had a couple of suggestions for a post about them, but I have always resisted.   Only about 15% of host parent readers who took our poll back then reported that they even considered using a nanny cam. Personally, I […]

59 comments Read the full article →

Au Pair Asks: Can I make a quick trip home if there is a family emergency?

by cv harquail August 13, 2012
talk to me.jpg

Rm2028 writes: So I just found out that my only grandfather is very, very ill. He is almost 100 and has had declining health for a while, but apparently the past 5 days it has gotten much much worse. I am my mother’s only child, and she and her sister do not talk. Would it […]

3 comments Read the full article →

Au Pair Asks: What welcome gifts do Host Parents enjoy?

by cv harquail August 3, 2012

Dear AuPair Mom, I’m European and will soon be flying to the US to meet my Host Family. I’m truly excited. Here’s my question: Nearly all Au Pairs bring gifts from their home city for the new families. For the host kids it’s easy to find something fun, but I’m not sure about what to get my […]

35 comments Read the full article →

Au Pairs: Beware of Scams

by cv harquail March 26, 2012
21854879_1b3f141b85_o.jpg

Dear Prospective Au Pairs — always always always check out an offer you receive that does not come through an approved, well-known au pair agency. There are too many scammers out there who seem to be offering great positions, but who in fact just want to lure you into sending them money. Last week we […]

15 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →