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2004 IAPA Au Pair of the Year Runner-Up

Nomination Essay Written by Paola’s Host Family

We are pleased to nominate Paola Medina Torres as au pair of the year. This has been our first experience with an au pair and in fact, our first experience with having another person live on our home. We of course had some concerns. But our experience has been wonderful because of type of person Paola is. Many au pairs may have performed their duties well, but Paola deserves the most recognition because she has been willing to go the extra mile and care for a family with additional needs.

We have five lovely children that Paola has cared for the past year. They range in ages from 12 to twin 3 year olds. As the mother of these children, I can tell you that twins are harder than children of different ages. Most au pairs care for two to three children, but Paola has cared for five children. In addition, during her stay with us one of the children was diagnosed with ADHD. She has been supportive and creative, as we have learned how to instruct and encourage him. She has been helpful, as we have tried to monitor and adjust his medications. Paola has been patient, understanding and has never lost her temper during with our son’s tantrums, destruction of property and running away. She has built a good relationship with him and all of our children.

Our children are active in school and church activities, music lessons, sports, etc. not to mention all the doctors and dentists’ appointments. Paola has been invaluable in getting them to all their activities. It can get pretty hectic getting them everywhere and still having family dinners together every night, especially when some need to be one place while others need to be another place at the same time. Paola has handled the stress and chaos of a large family superbly.

Paola as been great in assisting in the running of the household. She has taken care of things as she has seen that they needed to be done. The house has been kept tidy and clean. It is always easier to just do the work than teaching a child to do the chore; she has taken the time to instruct the children in their chores so they can learn to be responsible children. She has been excellent in seeing that toys, clothing and personal items of five active children are organized and clean.

Paola is a very intelligent and well-educated individual. She already has her college degree in Peru. She has not only taken the required six units of college credit here in the United States but has gone on to take a total of 12 units. She was top in all of her classes. The university was so impressed with her that they waived requirements to allow her to take higher-level classes. In these classes, she competed with native speaking credentialed teachers. She still came out top in her class. The university offered her a scholarship if she would continue her studies here. Her knowledge of computers has been very useful to me as well as the children.

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Paola has a wonderful peaceful personality. She gracefully goes about her work without disrupting what else is going on. She is respectful and courteous while being open and energetic. Paola is confident and assertive when called for. She knows how to get things done. She has a fun sense of humor and is a good conversationalist. She has become an integral part of our family. She has attended extended family reunions with us. Everyone who meets her pulls me aside to tell me what a wonderful and special person she is.  

Paola’s greatest asset is her attitude. She has such a positive and flexible attitude. Nothing seems to get her down. In the year that she has been with us, I have never seen her with bouts of depression or unhappiness. I have seen her concerned and sad as she received news of her grandmother’s serious illness and when she received word that her favorite aunt that lived with her family had unexpectedly died. This is a lot to take when you are far from home. She has never disagreed with me or told me that things should be done differently than I have set out. However, she has also been a good counselor when asked how she thought things should be done or how to help a child through a certain stage. Paola has always put the needs of the family first, ahead of her personal or social agenda.

She has been an invaluable friend and provided moral support as I have gone through several health problems during her stay with us. As a cancer survivor herself, she was very understanding as I had biopsies and ultimately a lumpectomy. She provides encouragement and support. She is a very kind, understanding and mature person. She is very willing to go the extra mile. If I were writing this letter next month, I could provide instances of tremendous help while I undergo and recuperate from brain surgery. I have such a peace going into the surgery next week knowing that Paola will be running the household and being “mother” to our children while I will not be able to. What greater recommendation can a mother give than that she can trust that all will go well in her absence because her au pair is in charge.

The IAPA would be missing a great opportunity if they did not select Paola Medina Torres as their first “IAPA Au Pair of the Year.” She represents the best in au pairs. She is someone IAPA can be proud of and will represent them well. If others knew of her, they would look to an au pair first in helping them care for their children.

Written by: Van Slooten Family, GA

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