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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

So have all the aupairs returned after Christmas

84 replies

mishmash · 06/01/2008 22:16

Mine arrived back on Friday and has been pampered since her entrance.

And I am here just thinking "oh no - back to square 1" - really enjoyed the time here without her.

We decided we still need her till Mid June cos we can't sort out childcare till then and I finish work.

BTW for those of you who don't know me my kids are all school going so she only has them 2-3 hours a day.

Had hoped my mum would be able to take them but she is getting on in years and is in lots of pain from arthritis.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

bucksmum · 18/01/2008 18:47

Well the new aupair arrived but I think she is looking for another job already shes only been here a week but I think she wants to be in London not in leafy bucks! She has updated her profile on au pair website.
Her english is poor so difficult to tackle suppose will have to wait and see just very annoying

ingles2 · 18/01/2008 23:13

on no bucksmum,...but good to get rid quickly than have them settle in for a couple of months. What do you think of her?

nortynamechanger · 18/01/2008 23:40

Oh BM, what a pain. If it is any consolation our AP had registered herself back on AP World after 1 week (I'm lovely honestly!) but only got 4 contacts.

If you like her/think she would make a good AP I would possibly tell her you know. You can then discuss why/what she wants and see if you can come to some compromise - if it is the location, well as ingles says better to find out early on!

Mine is deffo off end Feb, she was making noises about staying as long as I wanted her too but I obviously upset her and she has decided she is going then.

I'm quite pleased but torn, do I really want another AP as this one has not been great? Or do I really want to be showered/dressed and on time for school everyday? DS (3.5) has just gone into serial plasters (both legs)for the next 2 months and can't really be left alone and I have really improved my relationship with DD, as I'm not so tired/rushed/stressed and we have spent lots of quality/girly time together.

OOOHHH! Decisions, decisions....

ingles2 · 19/01/2008 18:52

Hi Norty....this bit
"DS (3.5) has just gone into serial plasters (both legs)for the next 2 months and can't really be left alone and I have really improved my relationship with DD, as I'm not so tired/rushed/stressed and we have spent lots of quality/girly time together."
makes me think it's got to be worth you trying another AP,..or getting some help anyway.
Unfortunately finding a decent AP is rather like finding a decent man......don't you think?

bucksmum · 19/01/2008 20:48

Well she is apprenetly meeting her Father on Monday in London I think she is going to meet new family but will see what happens. SHe is meant to be enrolling at College on Tuesday and I have said I would pay half her fees now and half when she finishes. So she will neeed to pay £70 on Tuesday so we will know then and then I can start the hunt for a new one!

ingles2 · 19/01/2008 21:24

mmmm interesting. you're probably right though, otherwise surely her father would want to be introduced / see where she lives. I wouldn't give her cash for college, I would say I was going to phone on Tuesday and pay by card...then you'll know

bucksmum · 20/01/2008 14:04

ThatIngles thats excatly what I thought! I will write a cheque payable to the college. For half the amount then see what happens. JUst need to start the search again. This is our 6th aupair and first real problem so I think we have been lucky so far

bucksmum · 22/01/2008 18:52

Well suspicions were right she has made up some story of father not happy with her living in buckinghamshire and that she will be safer in London! She hasn't said when she is going but i will put money on this weekend. So the search starts again..........

frannikin · 22/01/2008 21:20

Safer in London?! Never heard that one before...

ingles2 · 22/01/2008 21:21

PMSL Bucksmum! Some AP's must think we were born yesterday! London safer than leafy Bucks, well that just takes the biscuit.... come on...you gotta laugh or you'll just cry! I have my fingers well and truely x'd that the next one will be fantastic

ingles2 · 22/01/2008 21:22

oh by the way, beware! my friends AP (french by the way!) tried to do a midnight dash with half of their belongings..

ingles2 · 22/01/2008 21:24

Actually,...
why don't you ask here to leave at your convenience. like tomorrow instead of waitng for her to decide?

frannikin · 22/01/2008 21:39

Bucksmum I think you should! She's effectively resigned as your AP so she's no longer your responsibility. That'll make her think twice about running out on another family.

Or just push her towards a midnight dash a la ingles2's friend's AP

ingles2 · 22/01/2008 21:41

Frannikin.... Actually I think it might be my friend,...she's had a couple of disappearees!

frannikin · 22/01/2008 21:54

That's not good - I'm now making a mental note to ask whether future employers have had anyone run out on them!

nortynamechanger · 22/01/2008 22:50

Bucksmum, what a pain. At least your strike rate is good, are you telepathic or just have very stringent interviewing technique??? 2/3 of last APs have not been great, although the good one was so very good it's a hard act to follow.

I'll be joining you, mine has just announced that she's off - no great loss I can tell you apart from DS has just gone into plaster for 8 weeks and DH off 75% in USA until April!

She's given me 2 weeks but I am so tempted to tell her to allez!

ingles2 · 22/01/2008 22:59

so what you going to do Norty,..?

bucksmum · 22/01/2008 23:15

We have just been lucky I think. She is going on Saturday we will watch her like a hawk I would ask her to leave but DH is away and I really need some child care this week.

I have emailed a load of au pairs off of the website so fingers crossed

nortynamechanger · 22/01/2008 23:20

I've fired off loads of emails to APs from AP World, Bucksmum I'll fight you for the best one!

bucksmum · 23/01/2008 08:49

The race is on............

bucksmum · 25/01/2008 14:51

So how is the search going Norty we have 2 interested at the mom of course that doesn't mean that either will accept......

nortynamechanger · 26/01/2008 09:33

I have a few interested too, do you use APWorld? Perhaps we shoulf tell each other who we are going for to make sure they are not playing us....Had a nice reply from a Chinese girl who is currently in Finland, but that involves domestic worker visas !

(Although if you pinched the Fab Canadian I wanted I will send the boys round)

It is so difficult for me I live in the middle of rural area and DS has SN - which puts many people off. They all want to live in blardy London.

Also I no longer offer a car - way too much aggro/expense. There is a bus stop 200 yards away and when my DH is in the country he walks to the train station everyday, less than 1 mile. They have use of a fully serviced bike though!

Simply · 26/01/2008 20:40

sleeplessinwales I've tried to CAT you but you don't allow it so I'm putting a message here for you instead. I hope I don't annoy anyone by doing so! I lurk often on the au pair threads and pick up lots of tips but don't post very much on MN these days, just a bit here and there. Anyway...I'm near Aber, sleeplessinwales and whilst my current (and first) au pair wouldn't be suitable, I wondered whereabouts you were and if you were near me, we could chat? I only need a part-time au pair so if there was another family locally who needed a part-time live out (or in) au pair, there could be a possibility of sharing an au pair if our requirements (i.e. patient, kind, child and pet loving, non-smoking, French and/or German speaking etc girl au pair) were similar. What do you think?

bucksmum · 26/01/2008 20:42

Think we have found a german girl although she cant start until 20th Feb. We are using AP world I just emailed everyone who looked suitable and waited for the replies.

Just waiting for confirmation from her although never entirely sure until someone actually arrives.

nortynamechanger · 01/02/2008 10:57

Bucksmum, I may needs a crash course in recruiting - never had these problems before!

Still haven't found a suitable candidate to start anytime in the next 2 months. Even though I had over 100 contact me in a week (I do also initiate contact with others), I emailed 90% but only a few replies back - but none can start soon.

Plenty for afer April though.

Having a ds with sn does put a load off.

Thought I'd found a fab one, but she wants £250 per week minimuum

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