Phases of AuPair’s Year

What Are The Most Important Milestones For You and Your Au Pair?

by cv harquail February 17, 2014

Every au pair arrives in the US about two steps into her or his adventure — with a million more steps to go. As they make their way on their adventure, au pairs will hit a predictable set of milestones. Some of these have to do with becoming really competent with US culture— your […]

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When Your Au Pair Wants to Extend– But Not With You

by cv harquail December 10, 2013

Her au pair sat down in the kitchen, sipped her Diet Coke, and said: “Of course, don’t take it personally. I’ve really loved being an au pair, but your kids are bratty, your house is a mess, your rules are insane, and you make me work Saturday nights. So I’m thinking, maybe I’ll look for […]

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Departure Gift Ideas– For Not-So-Great Au Pair

by cv harquail October 15, 2013

“We only have to endure our au pair for 6 more weeks!”, writes a Host mom.” Yes, endure. Very long story, but we have had a mediocre au pair for the past 10 + months. She only wants to party, lies consistently, does not respect curfew, treats our children like potato sacks, and I have […]

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Send an Excerpt from your Family Handbook to Prospective Au Pairs

by cv harquail March 19, 2013

In my house we have a saying: “Fewer, better things.” This advice is to keep me from buying those $2.00 sequined rabbit statues at Target when I already have ceramic bunnies that will make perfectly fine easter decorations thank you very much. This advice also works for the family handbook selections we send to prospective […]

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Sample Family Handbook, from HM Amy Tea

by cv harquail March 14, 2013

When you’re planning to welcome a new au pair, nothing is a better use of your time than updating– or creating — your Family Handbook. Whether your Handbook is filled with instructions for how to use the washer, or whether it’s more like a Manual that has all your car-related rules, getting that stuff written […]

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Taking Brand New Au Pairs on Vacation: Best Practices?

by cv harquail March 3, 2013

Host parents generally agree that taking an au pair on vacation right at the start of his/her au pair year is inviting trouble. Starting your au pair year in a vacation location, with host parents who are not rushing off to work and with host kids who are not heading off to school makes the […]

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Switching Your Au Pair to a Different Visa is Difficult and Costly

by cv harquail February 24, 2013

Many a host parent has wished to keep a great au pair forever and ever– or at least longer than the legal year plus year extension. And many an au pair (including a few of my own, and their friends) have gone to great lengths to find a legal or vaguely legal way to […]

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Despite bad Au Pair performance: “My heart can’t handle the thought of destroying her life by sending her home”

by cv harquail February 3, 2013

AFHost Mom posted this in the comments of a different post, and I’ve moved it here so that it can have its own conversation. Au Pair Moms, I need a reality check. We’ve just extended with our South American AP. She is very loving, very sweet, and loves the kids a lot. Her care has […]

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When You Give Your Extension Au Pair a Raise, And She Wants More

by cv harquail January 29, 2013

What a conversation we’ve been having about whether (or not) to offer an outstanding extension au pair a raise above the mandated weekly stipend! This all was prompted by an email from the aptly self-named “Host Mom Who Wants To Be Fair”. HM2bFair writes: Dear Au Pair Mom, I’m hoping to get some good advice […]

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Should Your Prospective Au Pair Talk with Your Current Au Pair?

by cv harquail October 12, 2012

When you are trying to make sure that your potential new au pair has a realistic understanding of what to expect of your family, it seems like it might be a great idea to have the potental au pair talk with the current au pair. Of all people, your current au pair knows your family, your routine, […]

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