Comment utiliser une fourchette en France?

So you're probably wondering why I haven't written anything about being an au pair yet.  I mean, my blog title includes these words in it, for crying out loud! Well, you're quite right.  I really should have written about this sooner, but my excuse is that I've only just now gotten pictures of the two kids I'm working with.

Since I now have the pictures, voilà!  A blog post about the kiddos:

I was a substitute teacher for only a year, but I feel like I've seen my fair share of kids of every age, disposition and degree of "naughtiness" (or, in politically correct words, "behavior issue").  Even still, I found myself wondering several times a day before I arrived to this family's apartment about what the kids would be like.  Would they like me?  Would they be crazy and undisciplined?  As a substitute, I found that many kids take a little while to warm up to you, but most often do.

The kids are quite sweet.   Here we are playing "camping".

We went to Africa, took a safari and then drank chocolate milk for lunch.  Apparently on camping trips for these kids, all we ever do is plan our nap and sleeping schedules.  It's very cute. :)  The boy is named Hugo, and is 4 years old. One of my first experiences with him was that he thought that I didn't know how to use utensils in France.  I was waiting for everyone to be served dinner (as is especially customary in France, more than in America, I believe).  Well, Hugo must have thought that I was just confused by the silverware. He got out of his seat, stood next to me and handed me the fork.  And then he motioned eating with it.  I had to bite back a smile because it was very cute!

Here he is riding his bike in the park last week:

Salomé is also quite hilarious at times. She loves being in charge, and has spent this past weekend preparing me numerous "study guides" to learn French.  Quite helpful, actually, so I won't complain! :P She's 7 years old, but is already concerned with looking "cool" for the other kids.  I don't remember EVER having this concern as a kid (or even in high school, haha).  Often, she's been very helpful to me when Hugo has a tantrum.  The other day, she took me into her room and told me that she wasn't used to my rules yet, but that so far I was better than the au pair that gave her bedbugs (thank goodness for that, at least).  Trés amusant!