This story is part of 鈥�Parenting in a Pandemic,鈥� 海角社区app鈥檚 continuing coverage of how parents are dealing with childcare, schooling and more through the coronavirus pandemic.
When a Leesburg, Virginia, mother of three, and her husband began hosting an au pair to care for their children, neither imagined facing a pandemic and the challenges it would bring.
Rachel and Bill Peterson connected with Juliana, who would become their au pair, two years ago through . The family declined to share Juliana’s last name.
鈥淏asically, it’s like online dating. You get online and you have a profile, the au pairs have a profile and the families search for somebody that they think is going to be compatible 鈥� in the date range that you need,鈥� said Peterson.
She is 鈥渟omebody who just really speaks from the heart and who I felt would really work for our family,鈥� with Peterson adding, 鈥渢hat’s kind of what set her apart from everybody else.”
She is an au pair to the Peterson鈥檚 three children: two girls, ages 9 and 7, and their 3-year-old brother.
鈥淚 always knew that we were fortunate and we were so lucky to have somebody that really loves my children as her own, because she had really fused with our family,鈥� said Peterson.
At a time when so many families are facing challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic, Peterson said Juliana’s presence makes a meaningful difference.
鈥淲hen everything happened in the spring, I mean, we really had no interruption, everything just kept going the way it was going,鈥� Peterson said, all thanks to Juliana.
鈥淪he stuck everything out, she was locked down with us. She kept my family smiling, my children happy 鈥� and she kept them busy.”
Peterson said some friends whose families were without au pairs had a total upheaval, that they 鈥渄idn’t know what they were doing, how they were going to do it.鈥�
She said some would vent their frustration to her: 鈥淚 actually had a hard time even trying to commiserate, because I felt that I had survived 鈥� and so every time I kind of talk to my kids, my friends about how hard things are, I always say, 鈥楤ut please don’t forget, we have Juliana.'”
Juliana is from Jacare铆, Brazil.
鈥淪he is pending in a status change because after two years, au pairs have to go back. But she has become part of our family and ultimately her success is something we very much want to be a part of,鈥� said Peterson, who said her family is sponsoring Juliana鈥檚 education in the U.S.
Peterson said Juliana is now waiting for a F-1 visa, but due to the pandemic, the government has been 鈥渆xtremely slow鈥� to respond.
鈥淪o unfortunately, she’s not able to start classes in August,鈥� said Peterson.
The mother of three, who works full time along with her husband, is a 鈥渂rand new teacher.鈥�
鈥淚’m a career switcher,” said Peterson. “I have switched careers and started graduate school during a pandemic. So if you can kind of grasp that, how one might do that without losing their mind, it’s her.”
She said Juliana is 鈥渢he reason why I’m able to do all of these things, and it’s unbelievably invaluable.鈥�
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