Au Pair: Corinne Gasser from Switzerland
Host Family: Schmitzer Family in Florida
We are a busy household with two working parents and three children, ages 8, 4 and 2. Our family climate is generally more fun than strict, but our children are very young and need structure and discipline in addition to a great deal of nurturing.
Corinne is very in tune with all three of our children and their developmental needs. When Corinne first arrived at the house, Greta, our oldest and only daughter, challenged her authority and was clearly “testing” her. Corinne took the initiative to suggest they spend fun time together, just the two of them, to promote bonding and move past that phase. She used her own personal time to take Greta miniature golfing. They had a great time, and it clearly escalated the bonding between them.
When they are not in school, Corinne continually focuses on balancing the children between free play and targeted developmental activities. During times when she has only Owen, our 2 year old, she will get him focused on completion of a floor puzzle, and they will do it over and over again. He will then tell me all about he and “Rin” doing the puzzle together. Ryan, our 4 year old, recently developed a love of video games, and wants to do nothing else. Corinne sets boundaries for him and ensures that he also engages in other activities of physical, mental and social development.
Corinne uses her own creativity to create arts & craft projects that excite all the children. We do not direct these activities; rather, Corinne uses her knowledge of our children and her creativity to identify fun yet developmental activities. My favorite example was in early November. One morning, I mentioned that I would welcome some Thanksgiving crafts to be my table centerpiece and décor for the holiday meal. That day, I came home to find turkeys created out of basic art supplies around the house. By the end of the week, all family members had their own place card for Thanksgiving dinner in the shape of…a turkey, of course.
Most parents can agree that school mornings are hectic. Corinne and I are a team, working together to get the kids ready and out of the door. As soon as she enters the kitchen, she quickly assesses what needs to be done, whether it’s finish breakfast or pack lunches, and jumps in with no direction or requests from me.
Most parents would also likely agree that getting kids to eat nutritionally is not easy. Corinne takes this as seriously as we do. She prepares their dinners most week nights, and in doing so, makes a concerted effort to get a balanced meal into them.
In terms of discipline, Corinne demonstrates great patience. This is highly important with the ages of our children, as they test boundaries routinely. At times, Corinne has suggested new rules or discipline if the current approach is not working. Just as important is that she always discusses it with me first and ensures that she is in step with our parenting style and approach.
Corinne is proactive and takes initiative for the well being of our children. She will call things to my attention that would otherwise go unnoticed until the weekend. This includes changes in behavior as well as eating patterns.
After having a couple AuPairs and other caregivers, we came to embrace that others parents will provide reliable sources of feedback. Numerous parents in our neighborhood and at the schools have given us unsolicited comments about Corinne. Routinely, we are told that “she doesn’t just watch them—she is engaged and active with them.”
Corinne is a mature, responsible adult who demonstrates flexibility as a member of a busy household. She brings her own creative personality and a positive outlook to her role as caregiver for our children. We feel very fortunate to have her influencing and impacting our lives and those of our children.
Corinne is very in tune with all three of our children and their developmental needs. When Corinne first arrived at the house, Greta, our oldest and only daughter, challenged her authority and was clearly “testing” her. Corinne took the initiative to suggest they spend fun time together, just the two of them, to promote bonding and move past that phase. She used her own personal time to take Greta miniature golfing. They had a great time, and it clearly escalated the bonding between them.
When they are not in school, Corinne continually focuses on balancing the children between free play and targeted developmental activities. During times when she has only Owen, our 2 year old, she will get him focused on completion of a floor puzzle, and they will do it over and over again. He will then tell me all about he and “Rin” doing the puzzle together. Ryan, our 4 year old, recently developed a love of video games, and wants to do nothing else. Corinne sets boundaries for him and ensures that he also engages in other activities of physical, mental and social development.
Corinne uses her own creativity to create arts & craft projects that excite all the children. We do not direct these activities; rather, Corinne uses her knowledge of our children and her creativity to identify fun yet developmental activities. My favorite example was in early November. One morning, I mentioned that I would welcome some Thanksgiving crafts to be my table centerpiece and décor for the holiday meal. That day, I came home to find turkeys created out of basic art supplies around the house. By the end of the week, all family members had their own place card for Thanksgiving dinner in the shape of…a turkey, of course.
Most parents can agree that school mornings are hectic. Corinne and I are a team, working together to get the kids ready and out of the door. As soon as she enters the kitchen, she quickly assesses what needs to be done, whether it’s finish breakfast or pack lunches, and jumps in with no direction or requests from me.
Most parents would also likely agree that getting kids to eat nutritionally is not easy. Corinne takes this as seriously as we do. She prepares their dinners most week nights, and in doing so, makes a concerted effort to get a balanced meal into them.
In terms of discipline, Corinne demonstrates great patience. This is highly important with the ages of our children, as they test boundaries routinely. At times, Corinne has suggested new rules or discipline if the current approach is not working. Just as important is that she always discusses it with me first and ensures that she is in step with our parenting style and approach.
Corinne is proactive and takes initiative for the well being of our children. She will call things to my attention that would otherwise go unnoticed until the weekend. This includes changes in behavior as well as eating patterns.
After having a couple AuPairs and other caregivers, we came to embrace that others parents will provide reliable sources of feedback. Numerous parents in our neighborhood and at the schools have given us unsolicited comments about Corinne. Routinely, we are told that “she doesn’t just watch them—she is engaged and active with them.”
Corinne is a mature, responsible adult who demonstrates flexibility as a member of a busy household. She brings her own creative personality and a positive outlook to her role as caregiver for our children. We feel very fortunate to have her influencing and impacting our lives and those of our children.