)
"I got so lucky with my au pair."
We hear this all the time from happy host families who truly feel that their au pair is a member of their family; it stems from appreciation and gratitude for finding someone that fits well into their family's dynamic. New families considering an au pair might wonder if they will get lucky too. Consider this: "luck" can be created through intentional host family/au pair relationships, ones that are strengthened by active commitment to each other — and these are the relationships that become lifelong connections.
Luck is created through intentional relationships
Host mom Chloé Barritault, one of our 2026 Host Family of the Year Award finalists, felt so lucky to have found her au pair, Vrichica Celigny, one of our 2026 Au Pair of the Year Finalists. The two of them nominated each other for these awards and were both selected as one of approximately 15 finalists out of around 350 other nominees.
Finding each other: Chloé and Vrichica's story
Finding each other felt like fate— Vrichica started looking at the requirements to become an au pair in January of 2024 and spent the next five months at a babysitting agency to get the required childcare service hours. Both women created their profiles and started the matching process in May of 2024; they found each other in the beginning of June and were each other's first phone call after messaging in the app.
"I remember when I took the first call with Vrichica, I was in Mexico visiting a friend of mine. I got off the phone and I was like, I think I found my au pair!" Chloé said.
Based on their LCC's advice, the pair had two more calls. But by that third call, it was just a formality; Chloé and Vrichica knew they were the right fit for each other.
Worth the wait
Vrichica wanted to come to the US in the fall of 2024, but Chloé was six months pregnant in June and didn't need Vrichica to come until January 2025. Some may have been discouraged; Vrichica decided the wait was worth it to end up with the family she felt was right for her.
Building a foundation before arrival
The six months in between matching and Vrichica arriving in the US allowed the two women to develop their relationship ahead of time, forming a solid foundation of trust and respect.
Adding a third person to her family unit was life-changing for Chloé. Vrichica fills a unique role in their family structure; she's like a big sister to Chloé's son, but also a little sister, close friend, and parenting teammate to Chloé.
Navigating differences with communication and commitment
Navigating the host mom and au pair relationship took dedicated work in communicating, setting boundaries, and finding ways to meet in the middle. The two women are very different — Chloé is an outgoing extrovert, while Vrichica is a reserved introvert.
Figuring out how to hold space for each other's differences and communicate through disagreements or conflicts with openness, honesty, and compassion was an eye-opening experience for them. They both committed to showing up in the relationship for each other and for themselves, learning from each other and growing together.
Leaning on LCC support
They also leaned on the support from their LCC to help move through any misunderstandings, getting a valuable third-party perspective and advice from someone who has extensive experience with host family and au pair relationships.
They decided to see challenges as opportunities to learn more about each other, reset expectations, and implement compromises that were more sustainable for both parties.
The work begins after the match
"It's not just finding a great match," Chloé said. "That's not the end. You find a great match and then the work begins."
A "lucky" match isn't something that happens once in a lifetime. Chloé and Vrichica's story exemplifies how luck can be created. Luck can present you with an opportunity; it's up to you to make the most of it.
)
)
)
)