Au Pair: Lisa Thiecke from Germany
Host Family: Kertz Family in Minnesota
It is our sincere delight to nominate our au pair, Lisa Thiecke, as au pair of the year. Lisa has been a wonderful addition to our family since her arrival in August 2010 and we are grateful for the many ways she has enriched our lives.
We are familiar with the au pair program and have been a host family for four years. We have three happy, energetic and busy boys. With just 31 months separating them, Andrew, age 5, Thomas, age 4 and William, age 2 1/2 are charming, creative, and fun loving. But they can also present a challenge from time to time as most children of this age of capable of doing!
From the moment Lisa arrived, she has been gracious, thoughtful and kind. Lisa provides absolute love and support to the boys and cares for them as if they were her own. She is calm and composed, even in the most chaotic of situations. When she arrived, Lisa worked hard to develop a trusting relationship with each of the boys individually, paying specific attention to the nuances of their personality and preferences. She has nurtured those relationships through special connections, games and activities unique to each of the boys. Lisa is playful and fun, yet structured, disciplined and fair in her approach. She is cognizant of supporting each boy in their own development and meets them where they are to help guide them in their decision making.
Lisa is incredibly creative, encouraging the kids to use their imaginations in wonderful ways. They sail mattress boats across the sea, hunt for dinosaurs in far away lands, and have wonderful worlds of make believe. There are many times that we, as parents, watch with such joy as Lisa and our children live, learn and laugh together.
Lisa truly enjoys life and wants to make the most of her au pair experience. She has embraced the cold weather climate and learned to ice skate along with Andrew and Thomas. She is taking skiing and snowboarding lessons and genuinely loves to play in the snow.
Lisa has embraced the American culture, history and language. She asks insightful questions about our history and is interested in American perspectives on politics in the United States and around the world. She is also aware that this au pair experience is a growing one for her and is open to advice, ideas and the sharing of life experiences. She is non judgmental and fair and is the first to ask forgiveness for a mistake, a characteristic we greatly admire. Lisa has shown the maturity of someone beyond her years in facing the inevitable challenges that life presents. As her host parents, it has been a joy to watch her grow and gain awareness of herself in the short time she has been with us.
Lisa embodies the characteristics of the au pair program that are so important to our family. She is an outstanding caregiver and a active member of our family. She is curious about American culture and generous is sharing her own culture and traditions. She is committed to her education and seeks every opportunity to learn and grow. And, she believes that her experience will enrich not only her life, but the lives of others in the future as we all live and learn together in one world.
Lisa has become part of our family – and will always be. Thank you for the opportunity to share our appreciation for her contributions and the important role she has in our family. Having an au pair like Lisa is the reason we chose to become a host family – and why we will continue to do so in the future. I can say with confidence that our growing friendship will be a lifelong one.
We are familiar with the au pair program and have been a host family for four years. We have three happy, energetic and busy boys. With just 31 months separating them, Andrew, age 5, Thomas, age 4 and William, age 2 1/2 are charming, creative, and fun loving. But they can also present a challenge from time to time as most children of this age of capable of doing!
From the moment Lisa arrived, she has been gracious, thoughtful and kind. Lisa provides absolute love and support to the boys and cares for them as if they were her own. She is calm and composed, even in the most chaotic of situations. When she arrived, Lisa worked hard to develop a trusting relationship with each of the boys individually, paying specific attention to the nuances of their personality and preferences. She has nurtured those relationships through special connections, games and activities unique to each of the boys. Lisa is playful and fun, yet structured, disciplined and fair in her approach. She is cognizant of supporting each boy in their own development and meets them where they are to help guide them in their decision making.
Lisa is incredibly creative, encouraging the kids to use their imaginations in wonderful ways. They sail mattress boats across the sea, hunt for dinosaurs in far away lands, and have wonderful worlds of make believe. There are many times that we, as parents, watch with such joy as Lisa and our children live, learn and laugh together.
Lisa truly enjoys life and wants to make the most of her au pair experience. She has embraced the cold weather climate and learned to ice skate along with Andrew and Thomas. She is taking skiing and snowboarding lessons and genuinely loves to play in the snow.
Lisa has embraced the American culture, history and language. She asks insightful questions about our history and is interested in American perspectives on politics in the United States and around the world. She is also aware that this au pair experience is a growing one for her and is open to advice, ideas and the sharing of life experiences. She is non judgmental and fair and is the first to ask forgiveness for a mistake, a characteristic we greatly admire. Lisa has shown the maturity of someone beyond her years in facing the inevitable challenges that life presents. As her host parents, it has been a joy to watch her grow and gain awareness of herself in the short time she has been with us.
Lisa embodies the characteristics of the au pair program that are so important to our family. She is an outstanding caregiver and a active member of our family. She is curious about American culture and generous is sharing her own culture and traditions. She is committed to her education and seeks every opportunity to learn and grow. And, she believes that her experience will enrich not only her life, but the lives of others in the future as we all live and learn together in one world.
Lisa has become part of our family – and will always be. Thank you for the opportunity to share our appreciation for her contributions and the important role she has in our family. Having an au pair like Lisa is the reason we chose to become a host family – and why we will continue to do so in the future. I can say with confidence that our growing friendship will be a lifelong one.