Love My Au Pair Contest Winner (2019)

/Love My Au Pair Contest Winner (2019)

Winning 2019 Love My Au Pair nomination:

We’ve had our au pair, Jolin, for over one year now and we honestly cannot imagine life without her. Her impact on our daughters Chloe (3 years) and Catie (21 months) has been immeasurable. Jolin’s kindness, compassion, and unwavering patience have been evident from day one in our household. It’s hard to put a finger on a single “Aha” moment. Instead, I’d say it’s a series of “Aha” moments that have helped us realize just how special Jolin is and how much Go Au Pair has helped change our lives for the better.

Jolin - 2019 Love My Au Pair Winner

I think one of Jolin’s qualities that stands out to us is her flexibility. There’s been several times we’ve had last-minute changes due to work arrangements or illness. Jolin has always stepped up and offered to accept schedule changes without hesitation, even if that meant changing her days off or working later than expected. These situations could easily have resulted in my wife or I having to take unscheduled leave from work, but thankfully, Jolin was always able to help when we needed her. She’s been a real lifesaver.

But Jolin’s impact on our family goes way beyond her ability to accommodate change.

It’s her incredible dedication to our kids’ welfare that has really amazed us.

Not long ago, I brought both kids in for a doctor appointment. Jolin was off that day but wanted to come with me since I had both kids by myself. That was a true “Aha” moment for sure as it showed me the genuine concern she had for our children’s welfare. She kept the kids calm in the car and helped me keep them occupied in the waiting room.  The kids became anxious when they called us back to see the doctor, but Jolin was right there providing comfort along with a few snacks and toys to calm them down. I think even the doctor was impressed! Needless to say, that appointment could have been a disaster had I not had Jolin’s help. It kept everyone calm, including me!

“Cool-as-a-Cucumber”

Her calm and collected demeanor leads me to recall another “Aha” moment which occurred on a recent family vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia. After an arduous day of walking and sightseeing, we decided to have dinner at a popular restaurant. Weary from the long day, as well as the pouring rain and the hour-plus wait for a table, our nerves were frayed. The kids were cranky and crying, and my wife and I became increasingly irritated with each other and the kids, which didn’t help things.

Un-phased by the family drama that ensued, Jolin stayed composed and tried her best to occupy the kids with the crayons and coloring books provided by the waitress. Seeing her keep her cool gave me pause to reflect on my own agitation and realize how my reaction was only making things worse. Certainly not my proudest moment, but I was inspired by Jolin to take a deep breath and try to make the best of the situation by being more calm. We finished our meal and made our way home much happier than when we arrived. We had Jolin to thank for that. In fact, over the last year, her cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor has tempered several anxious moments and has inspired mom and dad to keep their cool.

“To say that Jolin has changed our lives for the better is a complete understatement.”

With Jolin, we also see someone who is genuinely excited and eager to help celebrate important milestones like birthdays, first steps, first words, etc. You can definitely tell the sense of pride she takes in seeing our kids grow, learn and expand their horizons.

That segues to another “Aha” moment which took place last Halloween. While on vacation to China to see her family last winter, Jolin bought back special Chinese outfits for both the girls. They were absolutely beautiful with rich silk embroidery and intricate gold and red designs. Chloe and Catie were super excited to wear the outfits while trick-or-treating and received numerous compliments. It’s awesome to see our kids enjoy and immerse themselves in the Chinese culture lessons Jolin provides, including language, art, food, and music. Thanks to Jolin, they can sing happy birthday in Chinese and know several words and phrases in Mandarin. Jolin also plays the guzheng, a stringed zither harp played in many traditional Chinese songs. The kids (and the whole family) love listening to her make beautiful music as well as teaching us to play a few songs too.

To say that Jolin has changed our lives for the better is a complete understatement. She has gone above and beyond since her first day. We are truly blessed to have someone as unique, warm, and wonderful as Jolin in our home. She has enriched our lives in countless ways, and for that, we are thankful.

 

– Host Dad Tom, #LoveMyAuPair Nomination

By |2019-12-13T17:19:23+00:00February 13th, 2019|Archive|

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