Au Pairs and Christmas

[Weegle]

Just interested...

is your AP staying with you over xmas or going home?

are you giving them a bonus? if so how much?

are you buying them a gift, if so what?

ours is here xmas day but flying home 26th over NY. I'm not planning on a bonus (skint) but I've bought her quite a few pressies - book, chocs, smellies etc as I want her to feel welcome and aprt of the family on xmas day.

Mine is going away on the 22, she is away for 2 weeks, we will be away too. I still pay her for the two weeks she is gone, but in advance so she can buy Christmas presents.

She gets no bonus, I have bought her a book for Christmas present. I am also buying mince pies and a fruit cake for her to bring home to her family.

Hi Quint! My AP tried to meet with yours on Sat and I gave her your money but it didn't work out so I'll email you! Hope you are well.

Mine is going home on 20th for 2 and half weeks (then she's only back for 3 weeks and then she leaves). I paid for her flight as a Christmas present and I am also paying her whilst she is away. We are also buying her a little present from LOs. Gosh I sound too generous but she's worth it!

Ours is staying here (is Turkish muslim so didn't feel need to go home). Haven't decided about bonus yet, will get a few little pressies, so she feels included, gloves etc. I think my mum's been buying her bits! I'm not sure what to do the few days after xmas as we're going to stay with family in north for a few days, feels a bit mean to leave her here but would be a bit of a sqeeze at MIL's and doing lots of visiting etc. I guess for her boxing day is just another day.

Hello MrsRecycle!
How are you? Have you found a replacement from February?

I've got a shortlist of 3 and was meant to speak to one last night but I've lost my voice. I'm a real quandry - she's a lovely girl who is my favourite but can only stay for 6 months. Have another who is a Mormon and can stay for 2 years but depends on her timetable which she doesn't know until next year (and she's nice as well). I am so stressed out with this looking for a new AP that I really want someone who can stay a lot longer.

Aww poor you (with voice, etc) and 6 months really is a short time. It would only bring you till JUST before summer holidays! Mind you, lots of girls are looking at the time, so it might be worth taking her on for 6 months and look for somebody who can stay longer from July onwards. Where are these girls from, if you dont mind me asking?

Portugal, Scotland and Hungary (there's a joke there!). Would love another Swedish girl but they are all so popular (lots have 200 families interested in them).

Glad you think 6 months is a short time. Maybe I could do that, hire her until July and then look for someone for two years but I really like the Scottish girl (Mormon) but if her timetable doesn't fit ours then there is no point really is there?

Mrs R, if you don't want your six monther can I have her??? Pretty please.

Oh I would love to find a family for her - she's so nice. Whereabouts are you?

Our AP leaves tomorrow and will be back just before New Year bringing a friend with her to stay for a few days so they can have fun together in London. So AP will not "work" again until 6th or so. I am not paying her while she is not here, partly because she hasn't been with us long enough, and partly because I am letting her friend stay and it means she is basically unavailable to me for the whole of the school hols and I have had to turn down a piece of work because of that. I am giving her presents - book about London, smellies, chocs etc - and a bonus of £40 though.

Mrs R, I'm in West Kent not far from Tunbridge Wells. It is fairly rural, althou good sized town 1 mile away. Most AP's are not interested tbh!

I'm one of the lucky folk you sent your schedule to in the vain hope I could 'train' my French AP - no such luck I'm afraid! She is staying until Feb, although has gone home for now - left 16th back 6th Jan.

I just put our AP on the plane home. She is back after Christmas and then we are all going down to Edinburgh for Hogmanay.
I gave her some presents and also a present for her mother. No bonus I am afraid. But we are taking her on holiday to Edinburgh!

You are right Aly - even in West London we are not close enough for most Au Pairs. The Hungarian is looking for mid-Feb and may consider outskirts of London - I'll email her and see how her search is going.

Oh have just found a brilliant Au Pair until I read her profile in full.. eleusis/Aly/Squiffy - would you consider this Au Pair

No -- for more reasons than one.

exactly what MrR said ele!!

I always did like him -- great minds think alike.

How bout this one?

www.greataupair.com/fastfind.cfm/locatorID/737055/page/3/pagelist/1/searchType/Advanced/aupairLiveIn /1/aupairGender/1/aupairShortStay/12/aupairStartDate/2/aupairEndDate/3/aupairPhotos/1/countryList/0/ countryWorkList/242/aupairSmoker/0/languageList/18/aupairBefore/1/nationalityReq/1/nationalityList/1 2,18,19,38,24,4,5,8,9,11,12,13,14,15,20,23,24,30,31,32,33,39,41,42,45,48,56,58,62,63,77,117/aupairAg eRange/18-26/aupairLiveIn/1/displayRows/5/fulltime/1/salaryExpectation/5

Mrs R I'd be seriously concerned about an AP who was prepared to share such personal info on an application, perhaps a little unhinged overfriendly?

Gloria Looks great, but sadly not prepared to work with children with SN - an ongoing problem for me. Also $400? If that is $US that is £200ish (and changing all the time!)which I think is quite a bit for AP.

yes Aly - MrR said she'd run off with our kids!

It says she is 19, not much experience, £150-199, and full time. Being an au pair isn't really full time, so if you you prorate it and adjust down according to the hours, I think you'll find her reasistically around say £90ish which seems not too far off. Besides, just because she ticked that box doesn't mean she won't settle for less.

Didn't realise SN was needed. Sorry.

Update - just spoken to Portugese girl and she is lovely - perfect English and very chatty. And the good thing is she only wants to go home for August so could come back in September (if she wants to). So sorry, Aly, but 6monther is taken now (but am so pleased I've found someone before Christmas).

Did you offer the job? Did she take it?

Yes and yes. The conversation really flowed and I definitely clicked with her.

ohcomeALYefaithful - you don't have to say, but we're West Kent too not far from TW. Also reasonably rural. It's hard making sure you don't have one who wants the London lifestyle but ok with the way we live! But then I also think you have a lot to offer being half way between London and Brighton etc. Does your au pair do English classes? Our is at West Kent.

Oh that is Wonderful news MrsRecycle! Such a relief to get that sorted before Christmas!