Gloria Steinem forgive me for saying this, but I think that all young women should become au pairs, and not just because it allows a young woman to see another part of the world, but because it teaches the young woman about being a mother. Chances are, if one is working as an au pair, it is generally in a 2-income household. These women are working either a part or a full-time job and are looking for a bit of extra help at home. Such is the case with the family I am living with (and working for in Freiburg). The mother is a professor at a teacher's college. In addition to working she is expected to be an engaged mother when at home. I've always thought that was a difficult task, but now I'm experiencing how difficult it truly is.

As a child I always thought, "Darn it! I have to go to school, and mom gets to stay home and watch Oprah all day! Where is the justice in this world?" Now I know that my mom likely had little time to watch Oprah. In between the cleaning, the ironing, the organization of driving this child here and that child there, I doubt my mother was watching much television or "sitting around."

Of course, since moving out of the house nearly 4 years ago I discovered that there was a lot more to running a household than I thought, but it's a completely different ball game when one is a mother, or in this case, an au pair. There are lots of dirty dishes, messy rooms, etc. As a child one thinks very little about throwing things on the floor. They don't realize that all of the little messes add up. Children are seemingly unaware of the fact that adults tend to like to keep their houses clean. For one, it gives the owner a sense of ease and comfort, and another, who knows when an unexpected guest could stop by! It's embarrassing if the house looks like a pigsty.

My job is very tiring, but I enjoy it very much. I'm living in a new country with a family I met through an au pair website, taking care of their kids and becoming a member of the family. Not to mention the fact that I'm improving my cooking skills (which were nearly non-existent before my arrival) immensely.

There is so much more to running a household than I ever knew....

Bye for now, Molly