Updates and Open Thread – by TexasHM

by Texas HM August 13, 2018
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Happy Monday everyone! In case you missed the PBS special last night on the au pair program (and weigh in by our fearless leader CV who I thought did a fantastic job!) here is the link to watch that and as always, happy to hear your thoughts on the special. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/have-au-pairs-been-exploited-as-a-cheap-source-of-labor Secondly, I wanted to […]

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Back to School – How to Ease the Transition by TexasHM

by Texas HM August 8, 2018

Can you believe it’s that time of year again?!  If you are anything like me, in spite of how awesome my kids are about this time every year I am counting the days back to school (and the routine it brings back into our household)!  So how can host parents and au pairs work together to […]

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Seeking Northeastern-Area Host Parents to Interview

by cv harquail July 3, 2018
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Hi All– Engulfed by the crazy processes of prom/graduation / house-selling /house buying /moving and /writing-a-book, I have been profoundly unable to post here in Au Pair Mom. But, I do need to share this request from Ivette Feliciano of PBS NewsHour Weekend, who is seeking parents to interview for an on-air segment. I was […]

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Cultural Exchange: Little things you’ve learned about the US from your Au Pair

by cv harquail May 22, 2018
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I was flipping back through some old posts and found one asking what our Host Kids have learned about other cultures from their Au Pairs.  Northern NJ Mom’s list (reposted below) made me smile, and wonder: What kinds of small things have you learned about the US or your Au Pair’s home culture? Let ’em rip, […]

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Effective Ways to Socialize with Your Au Pair?

by cv harquail May 21, 2018

When parents welcome an au pair into their home, it’s important for everyone to get to know each other. A few conversations around the dinner table and an occasional one-on-one trip to Starbucks were the ways that my DH and I made time to get to know our au pairs. I don’t know if we […]

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Au Pair Vacation Requests: Too Much, Too Soon

by cv harquail April 17, 2018
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Hey, I get it. A big part of the appeal of an Au Pair year in the USA is the chance to travel around and see the place. It’s part of the cultural exchange, and a big part of the adventure. But, vacationing shouldn’t be the #1 priority of the Au Pair. When it seems […]

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How Should Host Families Respond to the Au Pair Lawsuit?

by cv harquail April 4, 2018
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Most Host Families know about the ongoing lawsuit wherein the US Au Pair Agencies are being targeted in a class action lawsuit brought by a law firm “on behalf of” au pairs.  This lawsuit has been wending its way through the system with occasional flareups of media attention. Most of us have been assuming that […]

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Counting Au Pair Hours at the Gym, with Kids in Gym Childcare

by cv harquail March 28, 2018
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I’ve always thought it was a wonderful perk for an au pair, to have a gym membership and to be able to go during the day when she was normally on duty but was able to leave the kids at the gym’s childcare. Several of my own Au Pairs had this option — I was […]

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When a Host Mom Starts Dating Again …

by cv harquail March 19, 2018
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Hi Everyone —  SO MUCH going on, all good, but it took this email, below, to get me back on the blog. It’s from a long-time reader and commenter who will remain nameless.  When I first read it, all I could say was I am SO PROUD of her for going to the gym! Moving […]

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What Do Au Pair Host Moms Want for Christmas?

by cv harquail December 10, 2017
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For Au Pairs in Host Families who celebrate Christmas… “What do you want for Christmas?” I’m never able to answer that question. Some years I remember to keep a running list of things I want (e.g.,  sports headbands, a black-ish pair of outdoor running shoes, a pair of Uggs to replace the ones with holes in them, […]

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