Freya Blackman (UK) - February 2016
It seems weird to admit it now but only a little over 3 months
ago, my family and I were bordering on a breakdown. With two
preschool-aged girls, a house out in Whitby and two demanding
full-time corporate jobs in the CBD, we just couldn't seem to find
a way to make it all work. Daycare had been a great solution but
with our eldest about to start school, we needed to do something
different and giving up on the careers we'd worked so hard for just
didn't seem like the right choice.
A few friends and colleagues had au pairs and on hearing them
describe their situations, we wondered if it might just be a
solution worth trying. Fast-forward only two months and our lives
could not be more different. When Mandy [Placement Manager, Au Pair
Link] recommended a few au pairs to us, we weren't sure quite what
we were looking for - but when we ready Freya's profile we knew
we'd found it. Freya could not have been a more perfect addition to
our family.
Where we are rushed, stressed and frazzled, Freya is calm, firm
and steady. Where we are quick to lose hope, Freya always has a
solution. Where we were carting our girls out the door at 6.45am to
get them to daycare on time for US to get to work, Freya has the
girls running on their own time, to their own schedules, and yet
she still manages to fit in so much.
Because of Freya, our eldest has been able to go to kindy, and
she's made a new friend who will accompany her to school in a few
weeks. Because of Freya, our girls have had time to explore their
neighbourhood and their community, finding new parks, libraries,
classes and playgroups. In the two months we've had Freya, our 2.5
year old has been able to transition out of nappies at day and at
night, having the one-on-one love, attention and support she's
needed to get there. Through Freya, we've even been introduced to a
book which has turned our evening routine for getting Miss
Two-and-a-half to sleep into an absolute breeze.
Freya is creative, she has gone above and beyond in finding new
ways to educate, play with and enjoy her time with our girls.
Together they are always learning, doing and enjoying. And our
girls love her - oh, how they love her! When she goes away on trips
or outings over the weekend, the girls can't wait for her to come
home.
The added benefits we didn't expect have been for our family as
a whole - Freya fits in, she helps out, she offers to help with
dinner every, single, night. She helps tidy up, do the dishes, and
my goodness does she make an impressive cup of tea! She makes a
great movie date, she loves a good wine and a good chat about the
state of the world, and she really does just bring something extra
to our home. She has become a friend and a real member of our
family, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
When it comes to Freya, we only have one regret - and that's
that we didn't bring her into our home and into our lives sooner.
She is amazingly incredible and she deserves every single bit of
praise and recognition she gets for what she's brought to our
girls, to us and to our family.
Thank you, Au Pair Link, for bringing Freya into our lives - and
thank you Freya! We love you!
- The Heberley family