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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Au pair flying home frustrations!

65 replies

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 17:57

Au pair had told us some time ago that she wanted to stay with us for Christmas and go home just after - all fine.

I had asked her a couple of times in the last month if she had booked her flights, and she hadn't got round to it yet. A couple of days ago I noticed she posted on facebook that she had booked her flight - didn't mention anything to us. I asked her today, and yes - she has booked a 6am flight from the 5th closest airport to us

I asked if she had a plan to get there, having previously explained this airport was hard to get to and there was a coach running once a day to it. She was hoping we would take her, or she would get a bus or train. To be fair we had vaguely said that we would be visiting family about an hours drive from this airport after Christmas and we could possibly combine it with a visit to London/getting her to a train station nearer to the airport. However, she has booked the flight without checking the time or date with us at all!

Am I being unfair to be really annoyed by this expectation that we will arrange our plans to suit her, when she didn't even tell us about the flight until I asked?

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PigletWasPoohsFriend · 04/12/2016 20:44

I've just checked the flights and there is a much more sensible evening one but it is 3 times the price. If she had asked we would have said get that, or even better the one the evening before and we could have dropped her at Gatwick in time to get the airport bus to Stansted.

You have answered your own question. It would have cost her 3 times as much.

Longdistance · 04/12/2016 20:44

Actually, I'm gonna go against the grain.

I'd give her a lift to the airport so she can go home for Xmas. If she was looking after my dc, I'd just go out of my way only so I can watch some planes as I'd treat her as a friend/family.

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:42

All this is before we even get into the return flight! She hasn't booked it yet but apparently wants to come back on the 6th. Seems it hadn't occurred to her that we would all be back at work/school by then so wouldn't be available to pick her up...

OP posts:

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:40

Thanks LIZS I will suggest that to her.

OP posts:

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 04/12/2016 20:39

5 hours hanging around Stansted airport is perfectly do-able. It's not the Bronx.

LIZS · 04/12/2016 20:38

Although may be cheaper to change to the evening flight!

LIZS · 04/12/2016 20:36

Offer to do the gatwick coach and book her into premier inn which has a shuttle to the terminal. She avoids crossing London or hanging around the terminal all night.

TheInternetIsForPorn · 04/12/2016 20:34

At 18 I travelled to Canada alone and negotiated changing flights in Chicago O'Hare. If she's adult enough to work abroad she can get to her own flight!

VintagePerfumista · 04/12/2016 20:33

Oh give over OP!

She's moved abroad on her own!

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 04/12/2016 20:31

Well she's got plenty of time to get used to it

You're weakening op!

BratFarrarsPony · 04/12/2016 20:31

"unhappy about travelling across London on her own"

for goodness sake tell her to grow a pair...
what does she have to do? travel from one mainline station to another on the tube? boo hoo.
If she is old enough to come to a different country to work, then she should be able to do this.
Besides she should have thought of this before she booked the flight.

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:28

Lots of teenagers are not used to large cities and taking public transport.

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VintagePerfumista · 04/12/2016 20:27

Nah, I was an au-pair when still a teenager, and it's something you sort yourself, if she is insisting on it, then she's trying it on.

(she's not Italian is she? )

drspouse · 04/12/2016 20:26

Why can't she get the train into and out of London herself?
Lots of teenagers do this regularly.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 04/12/2016 20:26

She sounds a pain in the arse. Let her sort it herself.

I'd offer to drop at Gatwick as you're going there any way and if I was feeling kind I would help her book a coach.

She's made her flight plans bed yadda yadda.

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:25

Vintage - she does want/expect us to get her there, or at least to London, but she is unhappy about travelling across London alone. She is very young, a teenager still, and I want to treat her fairly.

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Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:23

She could, but she'd be waiting 15 hours at Stansted.

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LIZS · 04/12/2016 20:22

Can't she get national express from Gatwick to Stansted?

VintagePerfumista · 04/12/2016 20:21

And I repeat....why are you making this your problem? You're getting all worked up over something a) you hadn't promised b) she hasn't even asked for! (or am I missing something?)

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:18

I could take her into London for the afternoon/evening the day before while DH takes the kids to where we're staying - then I could put her on a train at Liverpool Street at say 10pm, so she'd get to the airport around 11pm and then wait overnight.
I could then get a train to the station nearest where we're staying and pay a fortune on a taxi.
I'm annoyed though.

If she had booked a flight for that evening we could have dropped her at Gatwick. If she had booked for the following evening we could have all had a day out in London before putting her on a train at tea time.

OP posts:

VintagePerfumista · 04/12/2016 20:18

Let her sort it out!

Unless she has some contract with you which promises babysitting and handholding whenever she travels!

Not your problem, not your monkeys. Leave her to it.

shinynewusername · 04/12/2016 20:11

National Express airport coach - she'll be fine. And next time, she'll check beforehand

CondensedMilkSarnies · 04/12/2016 20:11

www.stanstedexpress.com/timetable/timetable

Original poster

Pattakiller · 04/12/2016 20:10

Argh there's just no way I can see to sort this that doesn't involve time/expense and changing our plans

We would be going past Gatwick mid afternoon the day before, so I think that would be too long for her to hang around an airport.

Yes - I've just checked the flights and there is a much more sensible evening one but it is 3 times the price. If she had asked we would have said get that, or even better the one the evening before and we could have dropped her at Gatwick in time to get the airport bus to Stansted.

OP posts:

CondensedMilkSarnies · 04/12/2016 20:09

Could you get her to Liverpool Steeet station ? There's a Stanstead express train that goes from there .

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