Exploited in Italy: What’s the best way to leave my host family?

by cv harquail October 5, 2010
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Dear Moms, I’ve found your website infinitely helpful to get a look at “the other side” of the au pair experience, and now I’m hoping that you can help me. The Situation I am an American girl who moved to Europe to be an au pair last month. My host family consists of a single […]

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Who Should Pay When an Au Pair Downloads Movies, Illegally, by Mistake?

by cv harquail October 4, 2010
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We all have a sense of what kinds of issues regularly present host parents & au pairs with relationships challenges — food, cars, late nights being chief among these. I’m becoming aware of a new category of challenges, centering on ‘Who pays for a mistake?’ We’ve had mistakes related to car damage, lost cell phones, […]

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5 Tips to Help Your Au Pair Prepare Healthy Meals for Kids

by cv harquail September 29, 2010
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Sometimes, I get really envious of host families whose au pairs know how to cook. I mean really know how to cook– au pairs who will suggest meals, create something new out of a chicken breast, and clip a recipe from People Magazine. We have never had an au pair who is an accomplished cook, […]

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Integrating an Au Pair when your household has an Older Teen

by cv harquail September 27, 2010
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If you have both little kids and an older Teen, what are the things you need to consider as you plan for your Au Pair? Carrie asks,  because she and her husband are expecting a new baby, for whom she’d like an au pair caregiver. The challenge is that Carrie also has a son from a […]

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Should you get involved in another Host Parent’s Au Pair issue?

by cv harquail September 24, 2010
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I promised you that there was a part 2 to the story of the au pair and host parents who were struggling with responsibility for damage to a car. That issue was shared with us by a host mom with a personal connection to the au pair. In addition to hoping for some ideas on […]

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We’re moving, and must rematch. How soon do we tell our au pair?

by cv harquail September 23, 2010
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We have a wonderful au pair who has been living with us for 2 months. Unfortunately, due to a family medical emergency, we need to relocate to the other coast within the next 6 weeks. We will not be able to take our au pair with us so she will need to rematch. We want […]

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“Mama Needs Her Space”

by cv harquail September 22, 2010
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BLJHostMom needs to vent– “Space” has been a pretty hot topic with us (here on AuPairMom) these last few weeks, and I’d love some advice. With our first AP, our biggest worry was that she would be around and it would be awkward when we just wanted to relax and watch TV in the evenings. […]

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When fault is contested, who pays for damage to the car?

by cv harquail September 21, 2010
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Host Mom Ginger sent us a request for advice, that I’ll share with you in two pieces. The first piece has to do with a disagreement over how to pay for damage to the car the au pair uses: A host family has accused their au pair of having an accident with the car. She […]

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Can a single parent be an Au Pair?

by cv harquail September 21, 2010

This question is from the UK, where au pair programs and expectations are a bit different– but maybe some of you parents and au pairs have information that might be helpful. Niki writes: I’m interested in becoming an au pair, however I do have a child of my own. I have read a few websites […]

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Is our Au Pair committed?: Verify, but trust.

by cv harquail September 17, 2010
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Dear AuPairMom, I’m hoping to get some input from your readers on a problem I have about trust and commitment to our family: Our AP (our second) has been with us for a few weeks. Last weekend, she traveled outside the country to see a male friend. (He’s in a country nearer to the US […]

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