6 Ways to Limit the Au Pair Car to Protect Your Au Pair

by cv harquail August 14, 2012
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Next to having safety rules for our children, the au pair’s personal driving is usually the activity that is most “regulated” by host parents. Whether this car is for the sole use of the au pair or whether it is shared with the host parents, most host parents put some kind of limitations on the […]

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

by cv harquail August 13, 2012
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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 […]

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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 […]

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What do you look for in an Au Pair applicant’s video?

by cv harquail August 1, 2012
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Technology changes everything. Or not. When au pair applicants started doing their own YouTube application videos, and when au pair agencies started to host au pair applicants’ videos as part of their portfolios, it looked like host families would get a great additional tool for evaluating whether or not an applicant fit what they were looking for. […]

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Sustaining Your Au Pair’s Privacy When You Enter Her Room Without Notice

by cv harquail July 15, 2012

Au Pairs (and Host Parents) need their privacy — that’s why there are rules about the au pair’s room having an actual door (not a curtain or a screen). Pretty much the only time it’s okay to go into an au pair’s room without permission is when there is an “emergency”. Emergencies include: A/C left […]

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When your Au Pair schedules her vacation…when you need her to be working

by cv harquail July 14, 2012
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The recommended approach to scheduling an au pair’s vacation time is rational and fair… at least in our eyes. We choose one week that we need her/him to take vacation (usually when we are traveling with kids and don’t need her, or when Grandma is visiting) and the we have her pick a week that […]

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Family Fun: The Lyrics to Cookie Monster’s “Share It, Maybe”

by cv harquail July 11, 2012
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I love to annoy my family and friends with purposely wrong lyrics to (what I see as insanely dumb) hit songs. For the last few months I’ve gotten some good mileage out of calling OneDirection “OneDimension”, but now I have something that will truly drive my kids crazy. Yes, I have gotten my hands on […]

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Choosing the Right Au Pair, Expert Advice from CalifMom

by cv harquail June 23, 2012
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CalifMom has been a key part of the AuPairMom community since Fall of 2008. She was one of the first au pair host moms to contribute wise advice, regularly and generously, on many of the toughest situations. Every now and then CalifMom leaves a treat in my inbox — a guest post. Here’s her latest… […]

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Help Your Au Pair Plan for a Fun Summer

by cv harquail June 17, 2012
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As per usual, the summer has snuck up on me. Even though Target is already setting up the ‘back to school’ supplies display, I still haven’t gotten all the swimsuits and suncreen out of storage. And this week marks the last day of school! Thank goodness we have only one week of unstructured vacation days […]

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5 Secrets of Good Au Pair Host Parents

by cv harquail June 10, 2012
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I was tidying up my desk this morning, preparing to get back in the saddle with AuPairMom posts, and I found this post-it note to myself:   Did I ever write this post? I can’t tell, so here it is!   What makes for a Good Au Pair Host Parent? In my experience talking with […]

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