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Original poster

Au Pair just announced she's leaving early

31 replies

BerkshireMum · 22/06/2013 21:50

Our Spanish au pair started in mid-April and promised to stay until at least the end of September and probably until Christmas. She announced on Thursday evening that she's decide to stay in Spain when she goes for a planned visit in August.

Really angry about it - as I work in London full time but we live in a village an hour outside London so I really need someone on the ground who knows where the key places are and can drive the children where they need to be. We'll now get back from a two week holiday on a Friday when we both have to be back at work on the Monday and there'll be no au pair. Can't get a new one and then abandon her for two weeks straight away and neither of us have enough leave to take an extra week.

Do you think I should try and get a replacement ASAP and then send the current girl home?

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MissStrawberry · 22/06/2013 22:07

I don't understand the point you are trying to make about the au pair going home while the OP is on her own holiday.

Original poster
BerkshireMum · 22/06/2013 22:07

She knew our holiday dates before she came, and remember we expected her to be here April to December, so a trip home in August was reasonable on both sides. We went away for a week a month after she arrived and we paid her.

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Original poster
BerkshireMum · 22/06/2013 22:04

LondonBus I do know why - and sort of understand - but it's of her own making and she won't be helped. Basically, she never registered at college, made friends with a couple of other Spanish girls (one of whom has just gone home) and spends all her time not working with them or in her room. Doesn't eat family meals with us and today is the first time she's been out with us as a family, despite regular, genuine invitations and attempts to persuade her. She's our 7th au pair and the first who's been like this - have had one other who was lazy - so I don't think it's primarily down to us.

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LondonBus · 22/06/2013 21:58

Oh, and I'm presuming the planned break is during your holiday.

In August.

I'm not surprised she's not coming back.

You would be doing her a favor by finding someone else and not demanding she stays longer, with you being really angry.

LondonBus · 22/06/2013 21:55

Firstly ask yourself why this girl doesn't want to return after her planned break.

MissStrawberry · 22/06/2013 21:54

Start looking now, get rid of flaky girl as soon as possible.

I used to be an au pair and agreed to stay a year. Towards the end they wanted me to stay another , I said no and went home on the first of the two Saturdays they gave me. I actually wanted to go home a lot earlier but I had agreed to a year and that is what I did.

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