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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

What would you do if you could smell alcohol on an au pair at 3 in the afternoon?

13 replies

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 18:56

Would this bother you? She has sole charge of a 3 year old. I don't know her employer very well. I don't feel happy about it. Dh said "Oh she maybe had a glass of wine at lunch with her employer".

Yeah, maybe. Would I smell 1 glass of wine just from standing near her several hours later?

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Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 19:01

Would this have got more responses if I said she was eating a sausage roll instead?

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Yafta · 07/07/2006 19:02

Sack her?

Caligula · 07/07/2006 19:02

Yes you probably would several hours later. But I would mention it to her employer - if my au-pair had been drinking in charge of my children, I would have wanted to know.

Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 19:02

She's not my au pair.

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Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 19:04

Yes me too Caligula. However I have to see this au pair every week and if I ring the mother I reckon she will tell the au pair. Which will be bloody awkward to say the least.

And I am probably over reacting a bit. Am I?

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Caligula · 07/07/2006 19:22

Hmm I don't think so. OK it may be a one-off, but if it were me (who was her employer) I would want to nip it in the bud so that she didn't think it was acceptable.

hattiel · 07/07/2006 20:09

agree, tell her employer, if it was my Au pair i would want to know. did she have sole charge of 3 year old at the time?

glassofwine · 07/07/2006 20:11

I thinkyou should ring her employer. Which ever way you respond you're running a risk. Risk a. a child isn't properly being cared for or risk b. the au pair is 'off' with you. Also the chances are her employer won't tell her.

Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 20:48

Yes she was looking after the 3 year old.

The mother is a bit loopy tbh, I think she would almost certainly tell the au pair - how would she raise the subject without telling her, anyway?

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Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 20:49

Oh and she didn't seem drunk, at all. Which I guess is the main thing. She is not the greatest childcarer in the world (however possibly a bit better than the mother ) Her having had a drink seems a bit odd, that's all.

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southeastastra · 07/07/2006 20:52

see if it happens again, then say something?

brimfull · 07/07/2006 20:52

Doesn't seem too serious imo,is she old enough to drink.You can smell a glass of wine or a beer for ages afterwards.I think I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my children after a glass of wine.I wouldn't say anything .

Original poster

thiswilldo · 07/07/2006 20:59

Yes, I am not trying to suggest that anyone is incapable of looking after a child after 1 glass of wine, but unless she has had a glass of wine with her employer at lunchtime, I can't think of another reason that is acceptable for her to have been drinking in the afternoon while 'on duty'.

More a case of it pointing to things not being quite right, rather than a fear for child's safety or whatever. I think I will follow SEA's suggestion and see if it happens again.

Thanks for your thoughts.

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