Au pair nominated for Au Pair of the Year
By Janna Todd, local au pair coordinator, Cultural Care Au Pair

Victoria Thomas is the au pair for the Burke family. With her are triplets Ian, Owen, and Addison (10 months) and Ryan (19 months) who is sitting on his mother Heather Burke's lap.

Caring, dependable childcare is hard to find and exceptional childcare even rarer. But the Burke family recently struck gold when they welcomed Victoria Thomas of the United Kingdom to their home. Thomas provides live-in childcare for the Burke's four children, and her outstanding dedication and enthusiasm in caring for them has led the Burkes to nominate Thomas for Au Pair of the Year. Sponsored by the International Au Pair Association, the Au Pair of the Year Award honors au pairs who are caring, dependable, and exceptional providers of childcare to their host family.

Thomas is living with the Burke family in Columbia as part of the Cultural Care Au Pair intercultural exchange and childcare program. She cares for the family's host children - Ryan (19 months) and triplets Ian, Owen, and Addison Burke (10 weeks old) in exchange for the opportunity to live in the U.S., take classes at an American university, and become part of a real American family.

"When Victoria arrived in the States, I (her host mother), was 30+ weeks pregnant with triplets," Heather Burke said. " Victoria left behind her family, friends, and familiar surroundings and was thrown into a quite stressful situation. We weren't able to give Victoria the 'welcome' that we were planning on, due to my pregnancy."

Within days of her arrival, Thomas stepped right in and made herself part of the family. She took just as good care of Ryan as the Burkes. Thomas came up with games, activities for Ryan: painting, playing play dough, and coloring! Ryan looks up to Victoria already, and admires her greatly. What a role model he has at such a young age.

Once the triplets arrived, life once again changed! Things were very stressful, not to mention two very sleep deprived parents. Thomas volunteered for midnight feedings and helped around the clock. Without ever being asked, Victoria took on the four children's laundry, bottle cleanings, and so much more.

While the whirl wind of the triplets took over, Thomas still made time to make Ryan feel very important and special. Her enthusiasm, self-motivation, and charisma are an important part of our lives.

The International Au Pair Association established the Au Pair of the Year Award to recognize the young men and women participating in the au pair program, a demanding cultural exchange and childcare experience. The winner of the award will receive an all expense paid trip to Barcelona, Spain in March 2007, where they will be honored at the 12th Annual International Au Pair Association Conference.

"Victoria Thomas has gone above and beyond to create a healthy and enriching environment for her host children, while also challenging herself to learn a new language and culture," said Janna Todd, local au pair coordinator for Cultural Care Au Pair. "Victoria's commitment and dedication to her host family and community certainly make her the 'Au Pair of the Year' in South Carolina."

For more information about hosting an au pair, visit www.culturalcare.com or call 800-333-6056.