Interview with Nancy Felix, Author and Expert Host Mom
by Edina Stone, July 2010
We are very excited about our exclusive interview with Cornell graduate, Nancy Felix, and author of a new guide to hosting an au pair, Oh My, Au Pair, A Complete Guide to Hiring and Hosting an Au Pair. Ms. Felix, a working host mom with fourteen au pairs under her belt, is a true expert on hosting a young woman from abroad, talks about why she hired her first au pair over 10 years ago and what she has learned after 14 au pairs!
Here are a few excerpts from our interview:
Felix: Over nine years, I had thirteen au pairs. In the community I lived in, I was the go-to person for anyone thinking about the au pair program. I was always happy to share my stories – some good, some bad, and some just plain crazy! So, I decided to write the book.
The agencies are big businesses…it is their job to make matches and sell the program. They definitely highlight the positive aspects of having an au pair but there is so much more a host parent needs to know…
Another challenge is that first time host parents can only handle so much information…. It’s hard to think through all the situations that you might need to be prepared for. This book walks someone through all aspects of having an au pair…from hiring through hosting.
Edina: I agree with you that the au pair agencies seem to be very business oriented in their quest to capture the au pair market and there is a lot of money to be made in this business if you provide quality au pairs and quality customer service. Nancy, can you give one example of what aspect of au pairing that agencies tend to skip over but parents really have to take into consideration when finding an au pair for their family?
Felix: Yes, for example, the agencies do not help you to evaluate an au pair’s English skills and many applicants use translating programs and scripts to make themselves appear more fluent than they really are. In the interview process, you have to be creative to accurately assess their English skills. The easiest way to do this is to have a few off-beat questions – ask about the weather…who is her favorite sports team…what did she have for dinner the night before. If she struggles with these questions, you might guess that she is reading from a script.
Edina: As an author of an au pair guide and seasoned host mom, what blogs, Internet resources or books would you recommend to our readers?
Felix: I would recommend my book, Oh My, Au Pair! As far as I know, it is the only impartial how-to written guide for host parenting out there.
Like my book, www.aupairclearinghouse.com is a great resource for impartial, unbiased advice and I would send prospective host families there first!
