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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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!<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"