Cultural Exchange: Let’s ramp up our learning

by cv harquail August 20, 2010
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The world of au pairing makes some pretty big promises. Au Pairs are promised a year of hard work and adventure, the chance to live in the USofA, and the opportunity to learn first hand about American culture. Families are promised an energetic adventurous young adult who will partly assimilate into their families and partly […]

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Is it Cultural, Generational, or just Me?

by cv harquail August 19, 2010
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When I notice au pairs doing things differently from the way(s) that I’d do them, it’s often unclear to me here the difference comes from. Where the difference comes from matters to me, because it guides the way that I respond to the difference. If I think it’s a question of knowledge or experience, I’ll […]

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Can an Au Pair Manage Distance-Education and Au Pairing? If yes, then how?

by cv harquail August 19, 2010
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Here’s a request for advice from Sophia, a soon-to-be-au pair: Hi everyone!! I’ve been writing and reading this blog for a while, and I’m more than happy to say that I have finally taken the step and I’m formally applying with AuPairCare. I’m now filling my application, and I’ve found trouble with some point, the […]

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Au Pairs and Dinnertime: Preparing in advance for a smooth routine

by cv harquail August 18, 2010
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Mealtimes are important family times. Most of us hope that our Au Pairs will join us for dinner so that s/he can be part of this family time. But as we know, food and mealtimes can easily become places where individual differences, cultural differences, and just plain organization can get in the way of a […]

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Interviewing: What questions should Au Pairs ask Families?

by cv harquail August 18, 2010
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Potential Au Pair Laura writes with a question about how to interview host families…. any ideas for her? Hi, I’m from England and I am in the process of applying to be an au pair in the USA. I have not yet spoken to any host families, but will be soon. Any tips on what […]

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Seasons of the Au Pair Year: What happens with extensions?

by cv harquail August 15, 2010
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Gianna popped in with a question about seasons of the au pair year, and how these change when you decide to extend with the same au pair… I added a bit to Gianna’s initial question, to flesh out the whole picture: It seems that the first year, for many people, the au pair relationship follows […]

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After the Honeymoon: Seasons of the Au Pair Year

by cv harquail August 13, 2010
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A host mom who prefers to remain anonymous  shares her reflections, and helpful questions, about that delicate stage in your Au Pair- Host Family relationships…. those days when it only begins to dawn on you that, with this terrific au pair as well as any other, there will always be challenges… After the Honeymoon… The […]

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Share with your Au Pair your system for ‘disciplining’ your kids

by cv harquail August 10, 2010

Usually I shy away from offering or requesting parenting advice on this blog… I know what has worked for my family and I also know that every family’s systems have to fit within its own values, norms and culture. So, when it comes to questions of “how should my Au Pair discipline my kids” I […]

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How has your own international experience influenced your Host Parent Approach?

by cv harquail August 10, 2010
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Aupairgal asked a few weeks about how many host parents have lived abroad or were raised outside the USA. She’s wondering how our own international experiences have influenced how we approach being host parents. So let’s take some polls: How has living abroad affected how you interact with or understand your Au Pair?

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Is it demeaning to ask your au pair to iron kids’ clothes?

by cv harquail August 8, 2010
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When my girls were littler, they had lots of adorable cotton dresses. All of these dresses were wash’n wear, which meant that they were okay to wear if clean but wrinkly. To look fabulous, these dresses didn’t need lots of ironing– just 2 minutes with an iron on the collars, hems, and sashes turned them […]

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