“求求你们~把这个互惠生给我带走好不好~”
家庭妈妈在电话近乎哀求的语气。
从最开始的颐指气使，到后来指责，再到无力地求我“把互惠生带走”。这件事情过去好几年了，但是家妈的声音似乎还在我耳畔回荡。（我的职业伤害？）
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“您先等下，我等会儿就到您家了。”我疲于应付。路上家庭妈妈不停电话催命。每几分钟一次。
之前家妈在互惠生刚到家庭的24小时内电话了我十多次。从那个时候我就开始懊悔我对客户的“饥不择食”。
忍了半个月，我已经奔溃到陷入自我怀疑：我的工作有意义吗？互惠生项目有必要进行吗？
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我觉得这个妈妈有点焦虑or躁郁。在去家庭的路上，我已经决定了把互惠生提前带出来，她家不适合。但是我还是想去“家访”一次。或者说涨涨见识？
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果然到了客户家，家妈就劈头盖脸当着互惠生的面数落：
互惠生完全不能帮到孩子英语提升，来了一个月，做的测试口语水平并没有提高。
“你觉得一个月能提升到什么水平呢？”我弱弱地回应。
家庭妈妈愣了下，没想到我会“替互惠生说话”。接着就开始火力全开输出了。
互惠生是法国的，本来打算让她教小女儿法语，但是她问了老师，这个互惠生法语有很浓重的南法口音。“我可不想我的女儿说一口戛纳腔，或者普罗旺斯带薰衣草味儿的法语！”
互惠生资料里写的小学初中练过体操，但是她小女儿练体操完全帮不到。
“她现在可喜欢吃中国菜了，带着我女儿吃，我怕跟她一样吃的圆滚滚的，单杠都翻不上去了！”
互惠生每天都kiss小朋友(ꈍᴗꈍ)ε｀*)，这个我不接受除开亲戚以外的kiss。
“互惠生没办法跟上小朋友的进度。“
然后家庭妈妈给我展示了她们的“鸡娃日程表”，两个孩子每隔基本上每天都有三个培训，每周都有变着花样的活动，彻底让我震撼到了！
“互惠生真的带不过来。我以前是**大学的，我辞职带两个孩子，互惠生没帮到我任何事情。”
“是的，我也觉得！”这次我抢答！
那天我从家庭出来，带着互惠生和她的行李，随着车子驶离她的小区！我长长地舒了一口气。我和互惠生相视一笑，就像大冬天从北方飞到三亚落地一样开心！
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几年后，我依然和这个互惠生有联系，她还让我帮她补开过项目证明。
她跟我说：“现在我也有了孩子，我很庆幸我看到过“中国虎妈”是什么样子，有过经历就知道如何比较，我的孩子能够轻松开心也要谢谢我曾经的寄宿家庭。“
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是啊，我想，只有经历过才知道愉悦成长的宝贵啊！
“Please! Could you just take this au pair away from me?”
The host mother almost pleaded on the phone.
From being bossy at the beginning, to making accusations later, and then helplessly asking me to “take the au pair away”. It’s been several years since this incident happened, but the host mother’s voice still seems to be echoing in my ears. (Is it an occupational hazard for me?)
“Just wait a moment. I’ll be at your home soon.” I was tired of dealing with it. On the way, the host mother kept calling me as if urging me to rush over, every few minutes.
Previously, the host mother called me over ten times within 24 hours after the au pair arrived at the family. From that time on, I began to regret my “eagerness” in serving clients.
After putting up with it for half a month, I was so frustrated that I fell into self-doubt: Is my job meaningful? Is the au pair program necessary?
I thought this mother was a bit anxious or bipolar. On my way to the host family’s home, I had already decided to take the au pair out in advance. Her family wasn’t suitable. But I still wanted to pay a “home visit”. Or maybe just to broaden my horizons?
Sure enough, as soon as I arrived at the client’s home, the host mother started scolding the au pair in front of her.
The au pair couldn’t help improve the children’s English at all. After being here for a month, the oral English level shown in the test hadn’t improved at all.
“How much do you think it could improve in just one month?” I replied feebly.
The host mother was stunned for a moment. She didn’t expect that I would “speak up for the au pair”. Then she started ranting with full force.
The au pair was from France. Originally, I planned to let her teach my younger daughter French, but she asked the teacher and found that the au pair had a strong southern French accent. “I don’t want my daughter to speak French with a Cannes accent or a Provence lavender-flavored French!”
It was written in the au pair’s profile that she practiced gymnastics in primary and junior high school, but she couldn’t help my younger daughter with gymnastics at all.
“She loves Chinese food so much now and takes my daughter to eat it. I’m afraid that my daughter will become as chubby as her and won’t be able to do a somersault on the horizontal bar!”
The au pair kissed the children every day. I can’t accept kisses from anyone other than relatives.
“The au pair can’t keep up with the children’s pace.”
Then the host mother showed me their “intensive parenting schedule”. The two children basically had three trainings every day and various activities every week, which really shocked me!
“The au pair really can’t handle it. I used to work at ** University. I quit my job to take care of two children, and the au pair didn’t help me at all.”
“Yes, I think so too!” This time I answered quickly.
That day, when I left the host family’s home, I took the au pair and her luggage with me. As the car drove away from her community, I let out a long sigh of relief. The au pair and I looked at each other and smiled, as happy as flying from the north to Sanya in the middle of winter and landing there.
Several years later, I’m still in touch with this au pair. She even asked me to help her reissue the project certificate.
She said to me, “Now I also have children. I’m so glad that I’ve seen what a ‘Chinese tiger mom’ is like. Once you’ve had the experience, you’ll know how to make comparisons. My children can grow up relaxed and happy, and I should also thank my former host family.”
Yes, I think only after experiencing it can one know the value of growing up happily.