Au Pair: Yudy Tatiana Contreras Palomino from Colombia
Host Family: Virden family in Illinois
I would like to nominate our au pair, Tatiana Contreras for the "Au Pair of the Year" award. My name is Diane. I work full-time as an optometrist and I am mom to four kids ranging in age from 8, the oldest, down to 16 months. Needless to say, my life is demanding. All the time, people ask me, "how do you do it!?" And usually they are not even aware that my wonderful husband is also legally blind. He's a loving husband and devoted father, but he has limits. He cannot drive, or read without help. Most simple tasks to you and me are complex to him. It's a struggle for him to help with the kids homework, take them to a birthday party, or find their lost shoe. Which means these tasks are left to me. Most errands, groceries, etc., taking kids to the doctor are left to me. He also works full-time outside the home. So how do we do it? Our secret is our outstanding au pair! Tatiana makes our home run smoothly while giving her full love and attention to our four kids. Tatiana deserves to be named au pair of the year!
Tatiana is in her second year with our family. She arrived in our home while I was still pregnant with our fourth child. A week after she arrived, she was awakened late at night by us with the message we were heading to the hospital, so she would be in charge alone when the kids woke up. She was still learning the kids' routine, adjusting to the culture differences and the language at the time, but we had no choice but to dump all the responsibility of the kids and the house on her that night. That was her initiation and she handled it wonderfully!
Since that first week, Tatiana has exceeded our expectations of an au pair in every way! Of course she cares for the kids, overseeing their homework, keeping them safe, feeding them and cleaning up after them. These duties alone for four small kids would be praise-worthy in my book. But more than that, she works at shaping them in their behaviors and their character. She takes initiative with thoughtfulness to do more than her contractual duties, consistently going above and beyond. And she does her job very well, happily and without looking for any special recognition. You can't assign a person to go the extra mile like she does, because it has to come from a giving heart and with sincerity. She wants what's best for each of our children and she has a giving and selfless heart, creative ideas and initiative to make them feel loved and cared for. Our family is so blessed because of it!
Let me share some specific examples of Tatiana's initiative and thoughtfulness. Tatiana is frequently making motivational charts to improve the kids' behaviors. At first it was to fold pajamas, later, a homework completion chart. (Currently there's a chart to motivate the older ones to control their out-loud burping.) The ideas for these charts comes from her alone. When her efforts yield results, she's sincerely pleased, as are we! For the baby, she's interested in broadening her intake of nutrients. She requests that I collect the veggies she has in mind, which I gladly do: spinach, carrots, celery, beets, etc. And during her busy day she whips up a batch of vegetable puree to feed the baby! Again, all her initiative! She is creative. For every birthday, anniversary, or other celebration, she involves the kids in making handmade cards and gifts. This is the type of thing a working mom regrets not having the time to do with her kids. Tatiana makes sure they are exposed to plenty of creative outlets. They have a growing portfolio of orgami animals to show for it!
Tatiana's service to our family goes beyond her normal working hours. Recently we had house guests stay with us for a few nights. Knowing my busy schedule leading up to the visit, Tatiana spent her free time cleaning and readying the house for our guests without being asked! Our visitors were a family with their own au pair who mostly spent time with Tatiana. Get this: our guests reported to me that since returning home from visiting us, their au pair seemed to be "new and improved." I have to credit Tatiana for their improved au pair!
More evidence of Tatiana's high character and sincerity of heart comes from how she spends her free time. She attends church weekly. Through her church she became involved in a not-for-profit foundation that organizes events to serve different populations and communities. At one event she and her group performed manicures, pedicures and other salon services on residents of a nursing home. She has also spent time organizing and volunteering at a kid's event, a health fair (which she recruited me to also help out with), and numerous other community events. Her generosity is limitless! Hopefully all who read this appreciate how outstanding Tatiana is as an au pair and as a person. She should win Au Pair of the Year!
Tatiana is in her second year with our family. She arrived in our home while I was still pregnant with our fourth child. A week after she arrived, she was awakened late at night by us with the message we were heading to the hospital, so she would be in charge alone when the kids woke up. She was still learning the kids' routine, adjusting to the culture differences and the language at the time, but we had no choice but to dump all the responsibility of the kids and the house on her that night. That was her initiation and she handled it wonderfully!
Since that first week, Tatiana has exceeded our expectations of an au pair in every way! Of course she cares for the kids, overseeing their homework, keeping them safe, feeding them and cleaning up after them. These duties alone for four small kids would be praise-worthy in my book. But more than that, she works at shaping them in their behaviors and their character. She takes initiative with thoughtfulness to do more than her contractual duties, consistently going above and beyond. And she does her job very well, happily and without looking for any special recognition. You can't assign a person to go the extra mile like she does, because it has to come from a giving heart and with sincerity. She wants what's best for each of our children and she has a giving and selfless heart, creative ideas and initiative to make them feel loved and cared for. Our family is so blessed because of it!
Let me share some specific examples of Tatiana's initiative and thoughtfulness. Tatiana is frequently making motivational charts to improve the kids' behaviors. At first it was to fold pajamas, later, a homework completion chart. (Currently there's a chart to motivate the older ones to control their out-loud burping.) The ideas for these charts comes from her alone. When her efforts yield results, she's sincerely pleased, as are we! For the baby, she's interested in broadening her intake of nutrients. She requests that I collect the veggies she has in mind, which I gladly do: spinach, carrots, celery, beets, etc. And during her busy day she whips up a batch of vegetable puree to feed the baby! Again, all her initiative! She is creative. For every birthday, anniversary, or other celebration, she involves the kids in making handmade cards and gifts. This is the type of thing a working mom regrets not having the time to do with her kids. Tatiana makes sure they are exposed to plenty of creative outlets. They have a growing portfolio of orgami animals to show for it!
Tatiana's service to our family goes beyond her normal working hours. Recently we had house guests stay with us for a few nights. Knowing my busy schedule leading up to the visit, Tatiana spent her free time cleaning and readying the house for our guests without being asked! Our visitors were a family with their own au pair who mostly spent time with Tatiana. Get this: our guests reported to me that since returning home from visiting us, their au pair seemed to be "new and improved." I have to credit Tatiana for their improved au pair!
More evidence of Tatiana's high character and sincerity of heart comes from how she spends her free time. She attends church weekly. Through her church she became involved in a not-for-profit foundation that organizes events to serve different populations and communities. At one event she and her group performed manicures, pedicures and other salon services on residents of a nursing home. She has also spent time organizing and volunteering at a kid's event, a health fair (which she recruited me to also help out with), and numerous other community events. Her generosity is limitless! Hopefully all who read this appreciate how outstanding Tatiana is as an au pair and as a person. She should win Au Pair of the Year!
