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Original poster

Au pair in need of some host parents advice

30 replies

Grace95 · 12/10/2013 08:08

Hi I am an au pair working in the south of France and at first the job was great, the family is loverly and its a real home from home. However it suddenly becom very hard for me. I know take the eldest to school in the mornings which I don't mind but means leaving at 7am which wipes me out as we don't have dinner till 8/9 pm. I then play with the baby (9months) till lunch, help with lunch, then keep the baby again in the afternoon assist with any jobs the parents are doing (who work from home). These working days can be up to 10 or 12 hours long and I am only contracted to do 5 hours a day! I don't want to sound stroppy as they have put me up in there home and are teaching me french but I am so tired by Friday evenings I just breakdown. I know I need to approach the parents but don't know how. It's such a hard situation to be in. Any advice would be great fully received! Oh so I work about 50 hours a week for 50€ a week
Thanks

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NomDeClavier · 12/10/2013 09:20

Far too much. How is your French? You can report then to the relevant authority for exploitation if they're exceeding your contract and not letting you go to Fremch lessons. You contract should have been stamped to shown its approved.

I've just had to handhold a friend of our ex-AP through it here so PM me if you want more details.

Original poster
Grace95 · 12/10/2013 09:12

Yes my hours where pre arranged in the contract 5 hours a day, two days of and two evenings babysitting a week which sounded like a great offer, I wasn't told they worked from home and that I wouldn't be able to go out on my own on weekdays with the baby to visit local markets and towns. And yes unfortunately I signed the contract knowing the pay they had told me the basics. The problem I am finding however is when to talk to them as the children are up at 7 and go to bed really late. I know I need to talk to them but its scary being on my own but I know it will be better once talked. Thanks for all the loverly replies

OP posts:
JustBecauseICan · 12/10/2013 08:21

It sounds like they have gone for the cheap labour approach.

I am an ex au pair and the hours where I wasn't actively "doing" things with the children were my own. Tbh, I almost felt a fraud as I had so much free time. My friend, same country, had an experience that sounds like yours. Lovely people, sure, but she was on duty 24/6 with just Sundays off.

I think you do need to sit down and clarify your exact hours, point out to them just how many you are actually doing. Check contracts etc.

Arrtttiiieee · 12/10/2013 08:20

I just found this on Au Pair World: www.aupair-world.co.uk/index.php/au_pair_program/france/au_pair/pocket_money

They should not use you for more than 30 hours a week (excluding babysitting once the kids are asleep). And it looks like they should pay you more. Did you sign a contract with you current pay specified?

Arrtttiiieee · 12/10/2013 08:15

Hi Grace

When you arrived did they sit you down and outline your duties? If so were they upfront about the hours or have the hours crept up? Either way you clearly need to have a chat with them.

I am a host mother and I hope our au pair would talk to me if she was concerned about her hours. Could you wait until the kids are in bed and ask for a chat about your hours? Explain you feel welcomed and happy with them but that you were expecting a normal au pair workload (25 hours in the UK but check the French average on au pair world). Explain you are very tired and ask if you can sit down and write out exactly what hours you are needed and build in some breaks. If they are as lovely as you felt they were when you arrived then they should react well. It's hard raising these kind of things but having a difficult chat is much better than being worked into the ground.

Good luck!

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