au pair advice

Create and Share Your Au Pair Holiday Gift Ideas

by cv harquail November 26, 2012
il_570xN.391026452_43em.jpg

There’s nothing like a well-chosen holiday gift to tell a person “I see you. I understand you. I care about you.” Each year, the Winter holidays give us a chance to let our au pairs know that we appreciate them as a family member, as a valued childcare giver, and as a young adult “on […]

1 comment Read the full article →

Celebrate Democracy: Take Your Au Pair to a Polling Place

by cv harquail November 6, 2012
il_570xN.334146426.jpeg

(I realize I’m a little late with this one, but maybe there’s still time.) We Americans often take democracy for granted. Too many of us just never make it to the polls to vote, even in a close presidential race like this one. In my family, voting has always been a big deal. My dad […]

6 comments Read the full article →

Should Au Pair Agency Contracts Have a “Flame Out — Opt Out” Clause?

by cv harquail November 5, 2012
hang in there unicorn.jpeg

Host Families can easily get screwed when the au pair that they match with is so bad s/he can’t or won’t make it through the initial two weeks. When an au pair/ host family relationship breaks, there is an emotional and financial cost to everyone involved. Au Pair Agency procedures are designed to push au […]

43 comments Read the full article →

Don’t Let BedBugs Take a Bite out of Your Au Pair Relationship

by cv harquail January 13, 2012
2617344565_fe185584fa_b.jpg

As a host parent, you’ve worried about car accidents, flu shots and even head lice. But did you ever think you’d need to worry about bedbugs? HMJ didn’t think so. But now, bedbug-related fears — all very reasonable — are challenging her relationship to her terrific Au Pair. Dear AuPairMom – We are 18 months […]

19 comments Read the full article →

Damage to the Au Pair Room: Should we have a security deposit?

by cv harquail November 2, 2011
4398199414_8fe58fdbe2.jpg

We’ve had some funny and not so funny stories about damage to our homes by au pairs who were clueless (at best), careless (most often) and intentionally destructive (nightmare). Everything from soaked ceilings under the au pair bathroom, to hair dye on the bathroom walls, to nail polish on the fancy sheets. We have a decent handle on what to expect […]

16 comments Read the full article →

The Au Pair Guide Tumblr: Advice for Au Pairs

by cv harquail June 24, 2011
201106231540.jpg

A soon-to-be au pair emailed me last month to let me know she’s started a Tumblr (a simplified blog) to offer advice to au pairs. The blog, The Au Pair Guide, will cover questions and answers, au pair to au pair. She’ll also be sharing from her own experience as she leaves the USA to […]

4 comments Read the full article →

What if Au Pairs came with their own “Handbook”?

by cv harquail April 16, 2011
201104161505.jpg

For every new host family, our #1 recommendation is to write a family handbook. Most of us here at Au Pair Mom firmly believe that getting our household rules and family-related expectations down on paper helps us be clearer about what is important to us as host parents, family members, and heads of household. Plus, […]

50 comments Read the full article →

When should we send our Family Handbook to our incoming au pair?

by cv harquail January 6, 2011
201101061031.jpg

As every reader of this blog knows, we are big fans of the concept of the Family Handbook. And by “we” I don’t mean the royal  moi, but all of us host parents (and even au pairs). It really helps to create a handbook to get your expectations and needs out into clear language, and […]

41 comments Read the full article →

My Au Pair is Stealing Little Items: Should I rematch?

by cv harquail December 16, 2010
Flower FairyFolk etsy.jpeg

This query was tucked away in a previous post: Tough Topic: When your au pair steals from you. I thought it deserved its own, up-to-the-minute conversation. From Host Mom Pippa: I just last week caught our au pair stealing little items from us, confronted her, and then caught her the next day stealing more. AP […]

54 comments Read the full article →

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

by cv harquail September 29, 2010
201009291806.jpg

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, […]

37 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →