Au Pair Extraordinaire, Geneva.

So here I am living in Switzerland! So far it is good; the tap water taste the same as back home and there is good Internet connection.  The house I am living in is very big and flash; Peter O'tool said it was like something out of MTV cribs when I showed him around the other day on Skype.

I am looking after two little boys aged 2 and 4, which you can understand to be hard work from time to time. Last week was really hard; the boys did not want to do anything with me and language barrier was really frustrating for all sides. I tried to over come this by making a game out of lunch one day. I made them a kids version of fried rice with peas, sweetcorn and tomatoes. I got there mum to tell them it was traffic light rice and they had to say what the colours meant in English. Red='stop', yellow='get ready' and green='GO'! The boys found this fun and teamed with the fraes 'BATH TIME' we muddled on together.


This week my aim is to play fun games with them so they don't see me as the enemy all the time. Today we played marching to a French version of 'The Jungle Book' CD. The boys thought this was hilarious and they where ready for some dinner by the end of it. Tomorrow the youngest and I shall be do some more baking and we also have plans to make bread at some point. I need to find some more active games for them to play, as I find if they have had a good run round, they are less likely to paddy.

This week I am also hoping we can start a star chart. The star chart is meant to encourage good behaviour as well provide a visual aid. It will be hung on the wall so the boys know that there parents will find out if they are naughty for me. I'm going to start of with simple things like eating dressed in the morning and getting all of there dinner nicely.

Here are some photos.... left to right..... knitting project for small face, my dresser.

 
 small puppies that where at 'grandma's house' and a ver big doggie!!

 

 

 

lunch! 

 

 

Some dear that where also at 'grandma's' and finally my finished 'Cho. I shall post more soon!!





I must admit, the first few day of being here I really could not see my self staying. Hanging out with kids who don't really like you all that much, is not my idea of fun. But now I am felling a lot more positive. The kids and I are starting to have fun; especially the older one, as his understanding of English is rapidly improving each day. I have made some friends a the local stitch and bitch and I've been able to talk to lots of friendly faces on Skype. I am going to stick up some goals on my bedroom wall to remind my self of why I am here and this should keep me going. By the time I come home I should be a lot better off!!

Any suggestions for activities to do with little boys are most welcome!!