to feel uncomfortable about this

[HouseOfTheRisingSun]

I have nc

I come from a Western European country originally; I've lived in the UK for almost 19 years, my two DC go to the local state school where I volunteer regularly. I listen to the children read, I assist in art lessons and help with IT. I also run a language club once a week (I get paid for this).

Just after half term I was asked by the school to help a new girl who had just joined Y4 having only just moved here from my country of origin. The school asked me to help translate homework for her and help her with her reading. Absolutely no problem with this whatsoever.

However, when I actually met the mother of this girl, I found out that the only reason she's here is because her husband is trying to open a branch of his business in the town where we live so they've seen it as an opportunity for her DD to learn English. They only intend to stay for 3 months.

The mother was very uncomfortable talking to me, I guess she was hoping to pretend she couldn't communicate so that she wouldn't have to reveal their plans to anyone; she drops her DD off in the mornings and doesn't even get off the car, has no interest in meeting the other mums and some of them have approached me to ask me that I talk to her and tell her that they would like to welcome her and get to know her. They obviously think she's being shy.

She is basically using the school as a language school for her DD and doesn't want anything translated. She now avoids me so I can't even ask her to tell the school to stop requesting for translations and I don't feel it's my place to say. So for now I just continue translating for this family even though I know it is the last thing they want.

I have absolutely no idea what the problem is here. A family have come to the UK to open a branch of their business, child is in school and the mother hopes it will improve her English. Mum not keen to mix (her choice). All seems very valid to me.

I think I kind of know what you mean, it happens quite a lot where I live. Do you mean that the school are trying to help this family and the family don't want this help so you feel you'd be best used elsewhere?

If other mums ask you to pass messages on again just tell them you can't because she's avoiding you.

You could ask the school to write to the parents and check that they still want things translated because you get the feeling you are going against their wishes by doing it.

We know a family who do this every year or two. They live in France, but the mum is English and wants the children to be completely bilingual, so she brings them over for a term or so at a time and they rent for a few months and go to the local school.
It is a fantastic opportunity for the children, and yes it is a big freebie from the UK state to that family. We know lots of other families who come over for a couple of years only and whose children gain enormously by going back to their home country bilingual.
I hope it works both ways, but I suspect that there would be a lot more red tape in other countries, including within the EU. We once had a foreign exchange child staying with us, and we took him to our primary school for just one week - they were fine with it. It's pretty amazing really.
If the family don't want you to translate, I would explain the situation to the school. Presumably you weren't given the 3 month only information in confidence, but as a representative of the school, and are free to pass it on.

YABU I did a similar stint as a child in a Western European country, staying with family friends while my parents were having difficulties, and I have such fond memories of the lack of fuss and help I got from everyone. It also gave me the impetus to learn the language fluently as a child. I really appreciated how everyone went out of their way to be as welcoming as possible.