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Original poster

Is there such a thing as an au pair for holidays?

10 replies

Belleende · 28/09/2018 07:10

On holiday (SC cottage) with DD 1, 3 yo and dd2 10 month old. Have been up at 5am with one or both of them every day of the holiday. I am knackered. Not a single lie in or night out with DP.
Do holiday au pairs exist? Someone you take on holiday with you in return for a bit of babysitting. Is there a better way to get some grown up time? Having a nice time but also sad at all the things we can't do together.

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 28/09/2018 07:26

Sure they exist. My teenage dd aupaired for my cousin a few summers ago while she was teaching a class in Berlin. I'm sure my dd would be happy to do it again. Feel free to PM me if you would like to try her out on your next holiday (she can provide extensive references as she does a lot of babysitting and volunteer work). I'm sure there are also other mumsnetters with dc's who would holiday aupair for you. Although, I suspect it would be easier to find someone if you are holidaying someplace nice.

underneaththeash · 28/09/2018 07:26

No, au pairs aren't trained and don't look after children that young anyway. You can get holiday nannies that go on holiday with you, but the cost quite a bit - wouldn't it be a bit awkward having someone you don't know in a holiday cottage though.
Sitters.co.uk can often supply babysitters though in holiday cottages, I'd give them a try. When my children were that age we just used either use sitters, take a grandparent with us, or go to a hotel with kids club/babysitting, otherwise it's not really a holiday!

Original poster
Belleende · 28/09/2018 08:41

GPs aren't an option. Mine are too old and DPs mum, let's just say she isn't the most maternal. (DD 1 really doesn't like her)

The reason I thought au pair is that I would be happier with someone we got to know a bit rather than a random babysitter.

I need to do some more work on DP. There is a holiday park where we are and I suggested booking there originally. DP said he would rather eat his own eyeballs. May be would be more amenable now the reality of holidays with 2 kids has hit. Hummm.

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Childcare & nursery Families
Hellywelly10 · 28/09/2018 08:46

I thought au pairs were for children over 2.

sofato5miles · 28/09/2018 08:50

We have taken professional nannies on holiday but it is not cheap..

Dragon3 · 28/09/2018 08:59

I think it's a nanny or grit your teeth for the next few years. It's exhausting. But over before you know it in retrospect (hard as that seems to believe at the time!)

Cheaper might be to plan a couple of weekends a year where one of you goes away and sleeps/relaxes whilst the other looks after the kids. Obviously doesn't solve the problem of spending time together though.

SofiaAmes · 28/09/2018 09:04

Not using an au pair for a baby makes sense if you are at home and expecting to leave the child alone with the au pair while you are gone all day at work. Using an au pair on holiday so that you can have a lie in or go to dinner nearby seems perfectly fine to me. Certainly an au pair that comes recommended or through friends is better than hiring a stranger from an agency while on holiday.

Original poster
Belleende · 28/09/2018 09:10

Those were my thoughts Sofia. We are at a big surfing beach, would be great to take someone who loves to surf, they would get day times to catch waves, we get a bit of alone time for a few mornings and evenings.

Good to know it isn't just us who finds this hard. I keep looking up at the paths into the hills knowing that we would have been up exploring them before we unpacked in the days before kids.

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 28/09/2018 23:54

Are you in South Carolina, USA? We're in Los Angeles and dd is in school, but next time you take a holiday that isn't during the USA school holidays....let us know.

Amaaboutthis · 28/09/2018 23:59

Yes we did this when our youngest was 1.5. He was seriously hard work and it just made our lives easier. She helped out with breakfast, took the older kids to the beach, followed the baby round the pool and babysat a few times so we could go out for dinner without an overtired grumpy baby. Only did it once but it made for a very easy holiday. She was actually already our Aupair and just came with us for a week but lots of friends took Aupairs just for holiday

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