Foundations & Basics

Time for a Reset Conversation – with the Whole Family

by cv harquail July 7, 2015

Things were going to hell in a hand basket. Dishes clean but still in the dishwasher. Laundry folded and never put away. Children announcing that they needed to be driven here and picked up there, at the last minute. Spouse “having dinner with a client. I told you about it yesterday” but nothing written on […]

16 comments Read the full article →

How to Fix It When Your Au Pair Starts Out On The Wrong Foot

by cv harquail June 29, 2015

Four weeks in, and your Au Pair still isn’t doing what you’d expected. Worse, s/he’s not doing what you need. You’ve finished up her formal orientation and in-home training, but your Au Pair hasn’t stepped up to fill the role. Is there anything you can do? There are two kinds of early performance problems. The first […]

24 comments Read the full article →

What are a Host Family’s Responsibilities for Au Pair Medical Claims?

by cv harquail June 13, 2015

Seems like it’s the season for medical and health concerns. Here’s another recent wrinkle of the question– what are a Host Family’s responsibilities for an Au Pair’s medical expenses? I am writing because I find myself in a tough spot and our former au pair in an even tougher spot. Our Au Pair ended her […]

22 comments Read the full article →

Texas Host Mom’s 12 Step Au Pair Matching Process (guest post)

by Texas HM June 6, 2015

Here’s TexasHM’s step-by-step matching process: 1. Send email template #1 (open ended AP questions) Review email #1 answers and decide go/no go Send email template #2 and area links/info email (our explanations and area) Review email #2 answers and decide go/no go Skype session #1, review AP application and ask Skype questions list, mutually decide […]

64 comments Read the full article →

What’s Fair Pay for Au Pairs Outside the USA?

by cv harquail June 5, 2015

Host Mom 4thTimeLucky?! shared a really interesting and comprehensive recommendation for assessing Fair Pay for Au Pairs in unregulated countries (aka countries without fully-regulated Au Pair programs). The document was originally written and shared by Anja Kapelski. Anja runs Au Pair-Assist, an Australian Au Pair placement agency. As 4thTimeLucky?! writes: The document tries to convey a realistic picture of […]

4 comments Read the full article →

Welcome Your Au Pair With a Fully-Stocked Bathroom

by cv harquail May 24, 2015

When your au pair arrives in your home, the way that you’ve prepared for their arrival can say a lot about how excited you are to get to know them. We’re all away of the basic things we should have ready — a clean, happy bedroom, a freshly printed handbook, a personalized map, a training schedule, […]

30 comments Read the full article →

Au Pair Handbook: Describing “Give and Take” Philosophy

by cv harquail May 23, 2015

One in an ongoing series of posts on very specific information to include in your AuPair Handbook… HostMom MeanwhileInCanada writes: I am currently in the process of revising the section of my handbook on give-and-take & related attitude (it’s in the section on “being part of the family”). I know there have been multiple discussions on […]

103 comments Read the full article →

How Have Au Pair Host Parents -As A Group- Changed Over Time?

by cv harquail May 21, 2015

Once you’ve had your first Au Pair, you become wiser and more effective as a host parent. We think. We’ve seen the cycle of the au pair year ebb and flow. We know, individually, that we’ve gotten more savvy and more organized year after year. We’ve gotten less patient — or maybe more patient?– with […]

20 comments Read the full article →

Night Owl Au Pairs: Should You Give Them a Bedtime?

by cv harquail May 19, 2015

Dear AuPair Mom, I am always delighted and relieved when my AP makes friends and starts spending time with them. I have never set a curfew since it seems to me that if I expect them to be responsible for my 4 children, I ought to reasonably expect them to be responsible for themselves; they […]

71 comments Read the full article →

Au Pair Handbooks: Instructions about Child’s Allergies

by cv harquail May 16, 2015

As part of a series of posts on very specific information to include in your AuPair Handbook… One HostMom writes: I need to update our handbook to for our incoming au pair with details on our child’s allergy. I’m not sure what level of detail would be helpful, or how to make the issue serious […]

16 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →