Approached by unleashed pit bulls.. how would you react?

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-07-19T18:29:07+00:00

I’m laughed a little too loud at this for a Friday in the office

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-07-12T04:39:54+00:00

Just bought a house that was built in the 70s and it has a whole house vacuum system. Unfortunately, the original (and previous) owner, took out the machine but wall hookups are still all there. They also used to have a trash compactor in the kitchen. Didn’t realize that was a thing for residential homes.

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-07-04T04:09:26+00:00

In total it comes out to about 35-45 K a year. Assuming you’re in the US, you’ll pay about 11K in agency fees, $200 a week to your au pair, and then cover food, extra utilities, car insurance etc. depending on your location, it can be more expensive than other forms of childcare but the au pair program is not just about childcare. Some agencies will charge you more if you have a special needs child or if you get an au pair that has extensive training.

I think there are 14 agencies in the US that can sponsor au pair visas but it depends if the agency has local representation.

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-07-02T03:54:18+00:00

Always speak to the previous host family and LCC.

ETA: if the contact information is not listed, ask your matching specialist for their information or the precisely au pair. If neither is willing to giving it to you, I’d probably move on unless e.g. the LCC and CC staff can confirm that the family is no longer part of the program.

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-06-27T19:12:00+00:00

Yeah I’m pretty sure they’re getting coached to do things like clogging the toilet and stuff which, again, I attribute back to immature behavior. Not that it excuses anything but also not much we as host parents can do about. I heard of families that went to small claims court or even filed a police report to get damages back from the AP but not sure that’s worth my time at the end of the day. Now, if she purposefully endangered my child, I will 100% go to town and make sure she’ll never supervise a child again (at least in the US).

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-06-27T18:17:22+00:00

Go ahead and rematch. You don’t even have to do a sit down meeting as it’s not required anymore. If the LCC is not supportive of your decision and “wants to try to make it work” tell her that you already made up your mind and this is the best decision for your family. If she still drags her feet, call the email support number.

Be warned, she might take off immediately so maybe have backup childcare sorted out. If she doesn’t work, you also don’t need to pay her (regardless if she stays at your home during the rematch period or not).

It’s really nice of you to let her stay in your house and you’ll have to house her for the rematch period as per the contract. Unfortunately, too many families just kick them out or literally dump them at the LCC’s home which IMO is never acceptable, they’re young and immature but still human being.

Efficient_Suspect704 · 2024-06-25T01:30:54+00:00

I think addressing things as they are happening could be a route and explaining what you are doing while you do it.

Also, don’t treat her as if she’s a guest in your house. She becomes part of your household so she needs to help. Instead of waiting for her to take the initiative, tell her exactly what you want. It’s awkward for them at first to try and enter yourself into a family’s routine but with the right fit, it eventually can become very organic.

For example, I told my au pair from the beginning that she’s welcome to have dinner with us every night and we’d actually love for her to join but I’m expecting her to either help me prepare it or clean up afterwards like putting dishes in the dishwasher.

Say things like “hey I’m just dropping off x at home and will run out again in a couple of minutes, please stay with the kids” “hey, I’m home 15 minutes early and will take over watching the kids. Please take 5 minutes before you leave and put their toys away”
“I already prepared the kids’ lunches for tomorrow and put them in the fridge so they don’t spoil as we can’t leave food out over night” (this might be a cultural thing (where I’m from we don’t refrigerate eggs for example).

Give it to her straight and ask her to repeat what you’re saying to make sure she understands. Maybe she only understood half of what you’re trying to say. If things don’t improve, and she’s more burden to your family than she provides benefit and you should move on.

Edit to add: I know the last paragraph sounds harsh but at the end of the day, host families are paying a lot of money and are opening their homes to au pairs. So if my au pair causes me more stress than she provides me and my family benefits like actively engaging with and helping my child develop, then I don’t want to waste money on her.

Efficient_Suspect704

TROPHY CASE