This is the time of year when many families have special celebrations. It’s a great time to take advantage of the cultural exchange part of the program – au pairs usually have their own holiday traditions to share, and they are usually interested in learning about their host family’s traditions.

Ask her if she has any special rituals, recipes, or other activities that she would like to share with you. For example, a Swedish au pair may prepare St. Lucia rolls for her family on December 13th. A Mexican au pair may make a special pinata. An Israeli au pair may have a special Menorah to share.

Holidays are also a big trigger for homesickness, so try to be aware of any mood changes. Try to remember that your au pair is someone’s daughter, far from home at a special time of year. If she needs additional support please reach out to me. I’m happy to help!

Take a few minutes to talk about work expectations with your au pair. School will be out for about 2 weeks, so her schedule will change. Be sure you are still following program rules! Also, holidays are working days for au pairs, but it’s possible she may want to spend Thanksgiving with a friend, so try to work that stuff out before plans are finalized.

Every culture has some kind of festival they celebrate, and they can be a fun way to learn new things about each other. My family puts out cheese for Santa Mouse every year…. what about you?

Winter is almost upon us! We’ve had a lovely fall, one of the nicest I remember, but it can’t last until April. Take a few minutes soon to talk to your au pair about winter safety.

Be sure there is a kit with blankets, mittens, water, etc. in the car – there are lots of examples online of what to include. Mine has reflective blanket thingies for everyone, a container to melt snow, and chocolate bars, but I do a lot more driving around the state than most au pairs.

Go over your expectations for dressing the kids, and don’t assume anything. For example, do they wear snowsuits every day or only when they will be playing in the snow? Do they wear hats under hoods all the time, or only when the temperature is below zero? Don’t forget to talk about layers – you don’t want kids to get too warm and take off their only jacket when they’re playing outside.

Driving in the snow is a huge concern. And if you’ve ever had the misfortune to drive during the first big snowstorm, you know it’s not just au pairs who need a refresher. Talk to them in advance about accelerating slower, braking longer, and what to do in case she spins out of control (steer where you want to go.) When there is a little snow on the ground, take her out somewhere safe and have her practice before she needs to drive the kids around.

Outdoor sports can make our long cold winter a lot more bearable – but please, please make sure your au pair has coverage for sports-related injuries before she hits the slopes (or the ice rink, or even the sledding hill.) I can help if she isn’t sure what her coverage is.

There are lots of places to go for au pairs desperate for fresh greenery. The Como Park Conservatory, for example, has flowers year round. So does the Cowles Conservatory at the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden. Edinborough has an indoor park with a playground for the kids, and even Nickelodeon Universe has live landscaping that brightens the spirit and oxygenates the air year round. So get out there!