How do I tell AP I don't need her anymore!

[mishmash]

Have a lovely Swedish girl with us at the moment and our agreement was up till end June 08.

But... I am more than likely moving to a one day week at work mid November.

She is having an absolute ball here - I envy her social life at times. I am sure she won't want to go home because I think she is enjoying her freedom so much.

Should I try and pre-empt and look for another family for her

Yes, definitely try and give her some options if you can. Will soften the blow a bit. Or point to Dublin. She is bound to have a blast there as well.

Do you have a contract with her? If so, how can you get out of it before the end of her term? If not I think you need to be honest with her asap, and give her all the help and assistance you can in helping her find another family.

No Weegle there is no contract - Eleusis I will have to point her towards Limerick as she has fallen head over heels in love with a guy down there that she met two weeks ago!!

I really don't want to spoil her new found freedom.

Kittywits in Brighton needs one, I think.

Try Cat her, or post on her thread?

Kittywits au pair dilemma

shame you can't hold out until February - our lovely Swedish AP is leaving them and I'm after a replacement for her (although we are in London so probably too far).

Hey Shaden. Haven't seen you in ages. How the heck are you?

Mishmash, have you broken the news yet? Can you be flexible with the end date? You might say hey I'm really sorry but our circumstances have changed and we don't really need an au pair anymore effective in one month. But, if you to stay here a bit longer while you look for a job you are welcome to stay for say another month if you want to do the laundry and some other cleaning in exchange for room and board.

Anyway, let us know how it goes. Good luck!

Looking for another family for her would be most helpful i'm sure. As you have appreciated her hard work, why not treat her to a meal out, all of you together and a nice gift made by the children.

... and give her the most glowing reference and offer to speak to any prospective families about her.

Are you in Ireland mishmash? See if she wants to come to cornwall!!

Hi Miss Original - yes we are in Ireland and she loves it here so not sure where she would want to go. She has a pretty easy life with us so is enjoying the au-pair "experience" so much I don't want to spoil it.

But after my rather shit day at work today it is looking more likely that I will be an un-necesary cog after Christmas.

Spoke with DH about it because I have worked full time for the last 17 years and not sure how I will cope with not working - but because personally life has been so stressed for the last 10 years and more so he is happy for me to take 8 months off.

But because I don't know from one to next hwo things are at work I am going to wait till she comes back in November (home on hols) and see how things pan out from then till she goes home for Christmas and decide.

I think she knows herself that she may not be needed as she has already questioned me on my working arrangements.

Mishmash - we are in Kent and I have just been promoted (this morning! Hurrah!) which is great but means I might have to do a fair bit of travelling. We have a live-out nanny and I have now decided that we probably need an au-pair as well to help with wrap-round cover (and besides this, our nanny will possibly be leaving next Easter to move to Manchester anyway).. new job starts on Jan 1 so I am flexible regarding a start date - anytime betweeen now and then..

I am going to post a new thread on this anyway, but if your au-pair is thinking of moving to the UK we would probably want to put a bid in... we have had a Swedish au-pair before and she would be happy to talk to your girl if there is any potential interest...