Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.
Childcare
barbamama · 22/05/2007 12:42
I really don't think those families were typical surely? One was nice but mad (did you see when he poured a load of petrol on the bonfire while the kids were right in front of it, and what was up with his ex?), one was chronically disorganised (imagine not giving the au pair the right key on the first day!) and one was trying to get a trained nanny/cleaner/dog walker on the cheap - stingy! I thought the au pairs came off better in it.
fifilou · 22/05/2007 12:59
i missed it too, eulisis...youre right about wacko parents and waclo aupairs!
there is a nutty family at the b1 and b2 school who male aupair walks through the playground with a fag on (its as non smoking building, and besides he shouldnt be smoking around his charges), he huffs and tuts all of the time, never straps the kids safely into the car, and thinks he is some babe magnet as he struts past all the younger nanies, and woryingly the teenage girls who have come with their parents to pick up their younger siblings.......eurghhhh!
some aupairs are wonderful, there is one at school who is so lovely, and goes out of her way to help others amd works so hard for her faily. The family dont realsie how lucky they are, and she gets paid a pittance for her hard work. she even cleans the dads motorbike evey sunday because she likes bikes!
glad it was a about aupairs and not nannies, we are always getting a hard time....
maybe they should do one on childminders!!!!! hwta do you think??!!!!
mishmash · 22/05/2007 18:05
I am a hostmum to an AP and I thought the families were dreadful!
The mum with the 3 boys didn't even take a day off to show the ap the ropes, left her wrong key for house and ended up crying when the poor AP made her DS3 walk to the beach - she didn't even show her where the buggy was. 7 hours with 3 small kids is an absolute no-no in my book!!! I had a nanny when my kids were that age.
Couldn't believe that Poppy's mum let her do the interviewing!!! She was a right task master with her list and timetable. And as far as the birthday card her DD gave AP - did anyone notice it said to the Nicest NANNY!!
As for the other family - at the least the AP got on well with them and seemed to have enjoyed her stay.
cmru1 · 22/05/2007 18:25
very watchable from behind clenched hands, where do they find these families,talk about wanting free labour, what is the point of us childminders constantly training and bettering ourselves to offer improved childcare if the au-pair system allows parents to abuse it.
also did anyone else notice that the woman based by the beach in west sussex, at the end we were told a neighbour was looking after the children? Are they registered? if not whay not given the amount of care her children need!
MrsSchadenfreude · 22/05/2007 20:12
Hello Mishmash! (waves)
Poppy's Mummy was v posh (despite being forced to slum it in nasty gated community in Sarf Landan after Chelsea). Posh Mummies call anyone who looks after their children "the nanny" especially to their friends, dahling.
If they'd filmed us (or you), it would have been terribly dull telly. Eleusis might have been more interesting - not sure I buy her claim to be "normal."
dmo · 22/05/2007 20:38
yes but posh mummy wanted a nanny, cook and dog walker on a au pair wage very summymummy me thinks
i heard about the neighbours too prob not registared, and the au pair didnt make him walk all the way to the beach she carried him some of the way, made me cross when she was bubbering about it but not taken the time to let au pair settle in and show her where everything was
and dont get me started on the single dad with the bitch wife
ThePrisoner · 22/05/2007 20:58
I did wonder if the programme was going to be of those "look how badly au pairs look after your children when you're not there" type programmes. I thought that the au pairs did amazingly well considering that the families were a little on the strange side ("good" TV, I guess).
I felt really sorry for the au pair with Poppy, and wondered why her mum didn't hire a nanny. And I also thought the Turkish au pair left with the three boys did really well.
mishmash · 22/05/2007 23:50
Big wave back MrsSchadenfreude - when you on MSN again???? Sorry for the hijack.
I know of several AP Mom's (including myself and MrsS) who look after our AP's very well!
I can't believe what little research they did on these girls before taking them on. We have our new AP coming end July and we are in regular contact with her since March. I think we are both singing from the same hymn sheet as it were - we want to get to know her and she wants to get know what life is like with us too!
barbamama · 23/05/2007 10:20
fakely posh I thought - she was trying really hard to make out she was rich and posh but it didn't really ring true. mind you, my friend used to live in that gated development in Wimbledon and it is actually very nice. What was all that about the Champagne! - embarrassing.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.