Is my aupair being cheeky? Says it is hard for her to walk 25 min each way for school run.

[blueshoes]

My first aupair (French) is starting in Aug. But I am already having doubts.

An important part of the aupair's duties is to do my dd's school run. The school is a 25 min walk away, with dd age 4 in a buggy. Now the aupair emails to says that a 25x4 walk every day is hard for her to do.

She was asking about taking a bus and having a bus pass.

I emailed her to explain that a bus would take longer (35 min+), she would still have to walk 20 mins each way (because the school is not near the bus stop), and the roads are congested in the mornings. Plus it will cost us £20 a week in bus fare. She does not seem to have taken that in (language problem?).

Is she angling for us to provide her with a bus pass or contribute to her travel costs? Or does she have a point about such a long walk? I personally have done it (old-ish and weak as I am, lol) and don't see why a young strapping 20 year old cannot.

We are paying her £65 a week allowance - which I feel is slightly above market for what is IMO quite an easy job(London).

Do any of you who are aupair employers pay/subsidise transport costs on top of allowance? Should I ditch her before she starts, as being lame?

x posted Olive .

lol

I now drive and have the arse of a hippo

let that be a warning to her

I find my Meriva much more economical than Arse of hippo Olive.

It's not just a 25 min walk - you are asking her to do it 4 times in a day. Can't you just organise a bus pass for her? what's the big deal?

I walk alot, but would probably balk at walking 25 minutes 4 times a day. Twice is fine though. Someone else asked, but I don't think you answered, did you specifically mention this in the job description? If so, then I think she is unreasonable in taking the position if she isn't prepared to do it. If not, then I don't think she is so unreasonable...

Bikebug, good point. Will buy her good shoes - cheaper than bus fare!

Thomcat/bibis, about bikes, we don't have a place to store. And I am not sure what to do with dd. She cannot ride one. And frankly, it is dangerous as the heath criss-crosses with heavy traffic.

MrsR, lol! I don't interview those who ask for too much. [Shylock in disguise]

ViciousSS,

filou/oo/Kew, I like your attitude. Wish she shared it.

Spider, yuo have a point about being lightweights pre-kids. I wish she had a more can-do attitude. I will do it now without a blink

For those who say it is unreasonable, it is just that in London, dh and I walk and walk and walk (ok, post-kids). And it is very common for families to do that here. It is part of the lifestyle - which I agree is not for everyone.

ViciousSS, I meant to answer your question - it is a Phil & Teds 3-wheeler with big bicycle wheels. Most of the way is paved roads, but a small part across the heath involves foot-worn paths.

That's a two-hour/day walk.

I walk 2.5 miles a day into work and it only takes 40 minutes.

Pushing a buggy with a 4-year-old in it?

Sorry, but if I were that au pair I'd be out of there!

That's asking her to walk a good 5 miles/day.

Don't worry blueshoes, some APs wouldn't bat an eyelid at that distance. You just need to find one that doesn't mind

An au pair isn't interested in losing baby weight and is probably already one of those skinny young adults.

Does your dd walk part of the way? I just realised she is 4 and guess she is probably quite heavy to push - not casting aspersions on her weight, but ds is heavy to push around at 17months...

She is French? I thought French people didn't walk anywhere - like most of Europe. She probably thinks you're asking the equivelant of marching from Land's End to John O'Groats twice a day.

am i being stupid bu why is it four trips a day and not two

You could offer to buy her a suitable pair of shoes to walk in or just look for a new AP who doesn't mind walking.

I've had a french AP before who walked miles! Not for me though but to go clubbing/home from clubbing. He didn't have much energy for housework though

£65 / by 25 hours = £2.60 and hour ! Really ?

Would I have ever wanted to walk across a blasted heath - not even an interesteing high st with shops and coffee shops - for half an hour four times a day in the pouring rain (and, later, the gathering dark) pushing a four year old in a buggy for two of those trips for £65 a week?
Um....no.
But good luck finding someone who does!

Skinny doesn't mean firm'n'fit though. It's not going to kill her FGS!
Maybe I'm a nutter or something, but I really don't see the problem (and I still have a pert bum (almost)at my advanced age). When I was an AP there wasn't much in the way of public transport so you walked or nothing. I walk further now to take my DD to the park.

it may seem cheep but they also get a room (in london, what about £100 p/w??) and all their food. Not bad for pocket money, I think.

A 2 hour walk a day, pushing a 4 year old in a buggy 5 days a week?

For 65 quid a week??

Wouldn't want to be your Au-Pair!

Brangelina, that is how you got your name?

Mumpbump, sorry, I must have missed it. I mentioned the school run in the job spec but the 25 minutes walk in my correspondence pre-offer. I have to admit, she does not seem to read a lot of my emails (again, could be language issues). Well it has sunk in.

I was naive to think it would not be a problem for a young girl. Sheesh. Will mention it in bold if I have to re-advertise.

Laboheme, she is not entitled to any discounts. So a bus pass would effectively mean a fullprice travelcard or an Oyster card which I have to top up (it is £1 each way). And I explained to her it takes longer to take a bus and she will still have to walk 20 min. The cost of a bus would add £20 per week to her a£65 allowance. Not a kings ransom, but heck we are scratching in the dirt as well.

I have only just stop walking dd to preschool as i am 31weeks pg it just to much for me.

But from sept last year i would walk her their, comeback then go and get her - her school is 30 mins (just over a mile) away the last bit up a very step hill and i am a lot older then your aupair and have beed driving everywhere for years .

I just think a lot of younger people are so used to beening driven everywhere when they want they have forgatton why they have legs.

I would tell her to take a hike (though she might as for a ride). Sounds like a sign of things to come.

Especially since the bus is hardly saving her anything in walking distance.

try a girl from Norway or Sweden. Excellent English and usually quite active (in my experience)

hold up ladies, give blueshoes a break! Shes employing an aupair here, not a nanny!

i think shes not being unreasonable at all!

65 a week,POCKET MONEY not full time employment weage! shes doing school runs and moaning about them!