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Original poster

Au pair took drugs. WWYD?

236 replies

WhatTheDickensian · 02/07/2016 22:17

We have a lovely Australian au pair who is 19. She's been with us since Christmas and Is a lovely girl.

Last night I got a call in the middle of the night because she was in hospital. It turns it she took ecstacy while drinking and she had a fit. Shes still in hospital but is going to be fine.

What should I do? Would others keep her employed to care for their kids? She is a good au pair and the kids are close to her. She and I get on very well. But on the other hand she took drugs last night when she was due to come back to our home and to look after the kids at 3pm today.

She has apologised profusely.

WWYD?

OP posts:
AlexandraEiffel · 02/07/2016 22:27

It wouldn't be affecting her 3pm the next day though, would it?

Luckystar1 · 02/07/2016 22:26

No way would I let her near my children (but I'm very anti drugs). I do feel for her though. I've made many silly mistakes in my time

AlexandraEiffel · 02/07/2016 22:26

Ecstasy, to my mind, is a bit of a drug just take on a night out, buy on the night kind of thing. It wouldn't particularly bother me. A drug you could use habitually, get addicted to, end up in debt to dealers for etc would be different. So unless it's a frequent thing I'd just chalk it up to experience with her.

Original poster
WhatTheDickensian · 02/07/2016 22:25

I tried E a couple of times as a student but I would still describe myself as sensible and responsible. It's not the experimenting itself that I am horrified by, it's experimenting in the early hours of a day that she was going to be in charge of the kids.

But if we ask her to leave the children will miss her so much. And she will miss them. She has been like a member of the family.

OP posts:
Hassled · 02/07/2016 22:25

I think cut her some slack - she made a stupid mistake, as 19 year olds often do. If you otherwise like and trust her, then just quickly move on. She won't do it again.

MyBeard · 02/07/2016 22:24

It would be a dealbreaker for me too

WellErrr · 02/07/2016 22:22

Depends if she's an habitual drug taker or just made one ill advised decision.

I don't think it's cut and dried.

Floggingmolly · 02/07/2016 22:22

No, I'd send her on her merry way.

RadicalPessimist · 02/07/2016 22:21

She made a mistake and is obviously mortified about it.

But you can't leave her in charge of your children after that. You just can't.

I hope this is a lesson for her.

AndNowItsSeven · 02/07/2016 22:18

Yes I would she was young and stupid, Ectasy would not have affected her at 3pm
other than her feeling quite low.

Gileswithachainsaw · 02/07/2016 22:18

No way. who knows what she may have left in her room/lying around.

you do not want drug dealers coming to the house.

deal breaker for me.