Polish au pair Sylwia arrived in the U.S. ready for a challenge! With two active toddlers already eagerly awaiting her and her host mother’s baby due within days of Sylwia’s arrival, this brave young woman jumped right in from the moment she joined her host family. Since then, all of their lives have changed for the better.
Sylwia’s host mom recently shared with us the monumental impact that this dedicated, talented au pair has had on her host family, particularly the children. By sharing her rich culture with her young charges, Sylwia has opened their eyes to the world beyond their small corner of it and the adventures that lie ahead if and when they dare to explore it.
Read what Polish au pair Sylwia’s host mother had to say in her touching letter, excerpted below:
“Sylwia joined us from Poland when I was 38 weeks pregnant. We already had a 20-month-old boy and a nearly 4-year-old girl, so really her first act of bravery was just showing up! Within a few weeks she had to acclimate to being in the US, establish a rapport with our two headstrong little ones, and manage the craziness of me being in the hospital for several days with a C-Section, then bringing home a brand new baby. She was thrown into the deep end, and despite being totally overwhelmed she fought to keep her head above water and helped us all make the transition to a family of five….
Sylwia truly loves my kids. She is patient with them, takes them places, has little jokes with them, and is a friend and a mentor to them in a way that makes their eyes light up. They ask for her when she is not around, and when they draw pictures of our family, Sylwia is always included. She takes them to the Senior Center for story hour because she thinks it’s important for them to interact with older people, and she likes seeing how much the seniors love playing with the kids. She runs around with them and chases them and plays monsters with them. When the baby had an ear infection and was so sad, she snuggled her to sleep and sang to her every day for several days until she was better.
My kids know their Sylwia loves them. And because of their Sylwia, they know that people come from different places, like Poland, and in those different places people speak different languages and sometimes do things differently than we do here. They know that it can be hard to leave the places you’re comfortable with and go on an adventure, but that it will get easier and it’s worth it to have the experience. They know that the word for ‘shoe’ in Polish is pronounced ‘boot,’ and that is funny. Plus, they know some sweet hip-hop moves.
Sylwia knows my kids love her. She knows she is important and that her presence has changed a family for the better. She knows she can overcome any fears she has and do things that are bigger and better than she ever could have imagined. My husband and I know we made the best possible choice in having Sylwia come join our family.”
Is your family interested in intercultural child care with an excellent au pair like Sylwia? Get started with Au Pair in America today!
