So where are you looking for a governess for the fall?

[Anonymous]

We have an AP who has a background in education. Next year she will be getting 2.5 DD ready for her immersion PK3 program in 2021-2022. DD speaks target language exclusively. She knows colors, shapes, food items, clothing items, numbers, animal names, and is working on the alphabet. AP also supervises her target language zoom play dates/story times. We have zero ideas on how to get her socialized for PK3 considering she hasn't had any social interaction with kids her age since February 2020. What kind of social-emotional activities can AP help her work on to get her ready?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not up to DCUM posters to decide what the experience of supervising DL would be worth to a 20-something who's OK with working PT in return for room and board in a hip DC neighborhood. It's up to the young people themselves. I bet posters will find capable live-in DL supervisors without breaking the bank.

When the State Department sponsored au pair program was operational, this was perfectly legal FOR PEOPLE WHO WENT INTO THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE SANCTIONED ROUTE. You can argue for or against the idea that the companies who vetted families and au pairs did a good job. However, they were there to protect the au pairs and families. Au pairs couldn't be asked to work more than 45 hours a week, they had to have health insurance, there had to be an educational component, they had to be paid a certain stipend,etc. The host families had to live in certain designated areas of the US where the supervising companies had employees who could check out both au pairs and families. A special visa was required to do this.

That program has now been suspended. The required visa is no longer being issued. So, no it is NOT up to young Canadians whether or not to take such a position. To take such a position, they have to have a WORK VISA. If they don't, they are committing immigration fraud. So is the employer who will instruct them to LIE at the point of entry. Because if they explain to the immigration official what they are going to do, they will not be admitted.

If the "tourist" staying in your home quits, you have no recourse. If the "tourist" staying in your home is injured, (s)he can sue because (s)he isn't covered by workman's comp. If the person is careful and records all hours work, (s)he can sue you and recover minimum wage. The employer will not only have to pay the money, (s)he is looking at criminal charges.

Look, there are always people who employee illegal aliens off the books, but they are breaking both immigration and minimum wage laws. I guess it is up to young people if they want to do this, but making a false statement to immigration officials is a felony--and they need to understand this.

Such melodrama. Canadians coming into the US are often asked no questions by immigration officials. When they are asked questions, the questions are really basic, e.g. "Are you visiting the US for sightseeing and leisure?" The Canadian says "yes" and that's it. How do I know this? I've worked for the US DHS since 9/11. The government doesn't get involved in private homestay arrangements as long as travelers don't overstay the 180 days Canadians are given to visit without visas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not up to DCUM posters to decide what the experience of supervising DL would be worth to a 20-something who's OK with working PT in return for room and board in a hip DC neighborhood. It's up to the young people themselves. I bet posters will find capable live-in DL supervisors without breaking the bank.

When the State Department sponsored au pair program was operational, this was perfectly legal FOR PEOPLE WHO WENT INTO THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE SANCTIONED ROUTE. You can argue for or against the idea that the companies who vetted families and au pairs did a good job. However, they were there to protect the au pairs and families. Au pairs couldn't be asked to work more than 45 hours a week, they had to have health insurance, there had to be an educational component, they had to be paid a certain stipend,etc. The host families had to live in certain designated areas of the US where the supervising companies had employees who could check out both au pairs and families. A special visa was required to do this.

That program has now been suspended. The required visa is no longer being issued. So, no it is NOT up to young Canadians whether or not to take such a position. To take such a position, they have to have a WORK VISA. If they don't, they are committing immigration fraud. So is the employer who will instruct them to LIE at the point of entry. Because if they explain to the immigration official what they are going to do, they will not be admitted.

If the "tourist" staying in your home quits, you have no recourse. If the "tourist" staying in your home is injured, (s)he can sue because (s)he isn't covered by workman's comp. If the person is careful and records all hours work, (s)he can sue you and recover minimum wage. The employer will not only have to pay the money, (s)he is looking at criminal charges.

Look, there are always people who employee illegal aliens off the books, but they are breaking both immigration and minimum wage laws. I guess it is up to young people if they want to do this, but making a false statement to immigration officials is a felony--and they need to understand this.

Thank you!

Good god I can’t believe now the thread has degenerated from governess to illegal au pair from Canada, who will most definitely have a blast over here knowing no one with no pay and no place to go out and have fun and basically be your indentured servant. But! A 20 year old is an adult and can make their own decisions! You, on the other hand, get a steal, cheap governess!

Sounds super ethical and win win to me.

[Anonymous]

NP, what a miserable thread attracting judgmental jerks. Get a life, guys. Find your own DL solutions. Slamming others' will get you nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have an AP who has a background in education. Next year she will be getting 2.5 DD ready for her immersion PK3 program in 2021-2022. DD speaks target language exclusively. She knows colors, shapes, food items, clothing items, numbers, animal names, and is working on the alphabet. AP also supervises her target language zoom play dates/story times. We have zero ideas on how to get her socialized for PK3 considering she hasn't had any social interaction with kids her age since February 2020. What kind of social-emotional activities can AP help her work on to get her ready?

Troll score: 10.

Impeccable trolling. Well done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have an AP who has a background in education. Next year she will be getting 2.5 DD ready for her immersion PK3 program in 2021-2022. DD speaks target language exclusively. She knows colors, shapes, food items, clothing items, numbers, animal names, and is working on the alphabet. AP also supervises her target language zoom play dates/story times. We have zero ideas on how to get her socialized for PK3 considering she hasn't had any social interaction with kids her age since February 2020. What kind of social-emotional activities can AP help her work on to get her ready?

Troll score: 10.

Impeccable trolling. Well done.

In the words of the great American poet Taylor Swift:

So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down, you're being too loud
And I'm just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (oh)
You need to just stop

[Anonymous]

This thread was better when it was more literary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not up to DCUM posters to decide what the experience of supervising DL would be worth to a 20-something who's OK with working PT in return for room and board in a hip DC neighborhood. It's up to the young people themselves. I bet posters will find capable live-in DL supervisors without breaking the bank.

When the State Department sponsored au pair program was operational, this was perfectly legal FOR PEOPLE WHO WENT INTO THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE SANCTIONED ROUTE. You can argue for or against the idea that the companies who vetted families and au pairs did a good job. However, they were there to protect the au pairs and families. Au pairs couldn't be asked to work more than 45 hours a week, they had to have health insurance, there had to be an educational component, they had to be paid a certain stipend,etc. The host families had to live in certain designated areas of the US where the supervising companies had employees who could check out both au pairs and families. A special visa was required to do this.

That program has now been suspended. The required visa is no longer being issued. So, no it is NOT up to young Canadians whether or not to take such a position. To take such a position, they have to have a WORK VISA. If they don't, they are committing immigration fraud. So is the employer who will instruct them to LIE at the point of entry. Because if they explain to the immigration official what they are going to do, they will not be admitted.

If the "tourist" staying in your home quits, you have no recourse. If the "tourist" staying in your home is injured, (s)he can sue because (s)he isn't covered by workman's comp. If the person is careful and records all hours work, (s)he can sue you and recover minimum wage. The employer will not only have to pay the money, (s)he is looking at criminal charges.

Look, there are always people who employee illegal aliens off the books, but they are breaking both immigration and minimum wage laws. I guess it is up to young people if they want to do this, but making a false statement to immigration officials is a felony--and they need to understand this.

It is illegal to require people to work and not pay them in legal tender. You are looking at big fines and back wages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're advertising for a "gap year" Canadian who will act as our "distance learning supervisor" in return for travel expenses, room board, Metro passes, gift cards etc. Gap year girl or guy's job will be to keep our 2 upper grades kids track to complete their DCPS' DL assignments, jazzing content up a bit with games, songs, activities. We sucked as home schooling parents in the spring and want live-in help this time around. We've advertised on a couple Canadian job sites geared to young people and are receiving promising sounding inquiries. Canadians can still travel to the US on 6-month tourist visas that are issued automatically. They can stay with American families as unpaid guests. Canadian tourists can no longer cross land borders but can still fly in. We're currently checking references and interviewing applicants and expect to have a young person in the house to supervise most of our children's DL by Labor Day. We hosted au pairs on J-1 visas for years, so not a big change for us (just no more J-1 visas in the mix as the WH has frozen au pair visas at least til the end of the year).

Why on earth would someone want to come to our pandemic-ravaged country to take an unpaid internship for some random family? And have to live-in? Ugh!

This is amazing illegal and violates all kinds of wage and hour laws in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did something like that in Canada on a gap year between HS and college and it worked out great. The family couldn't pay me formally, but gave me all kinds of trips, gift cards, travel gear.

DC isn't covid ravaged right now.

Only Canadians can visit the US visa free for up to 180 days. I bet the random family will find a taker. Capitol Hill is a lot more interesting than rural Saskatchewan.

The Canadian student can sue for retroactive back wages at the end of the gig too. There are big fines for what PP is doing and also criminal penalties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the PP you're responding to but, good grief, you sound like an angry State Dept. employee who's fed up w/Trump.

Actually, Americans are entitled to host visa-less Canadians on tourist visas as friends/guests in private homes. If the Canadians choose to help entertain their hosts' kids in the process, so be it, as long as they aren't being paid any sort of salary. The college-age daughter of an old friend, who's Canadian, stayed with us on this basis for several months last year and there was no fraud or problem with immigration.

In case you haven’t heard, the border is closed indefinitely and Canadians do not want to come here during a pandemic!!! They think we are a joke.

- Canadian living in the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I intend to hire a governess for my children this fall. My only concern is that I might fall in love with her, and then when she realizes I'm keeping my mad wife locked in the attic, flee and leave me heartbroken. But I'm confident things will work out for us in the end.

Ahahahahaha