Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Am I likely to be able to recruit an au pair in to this?

12 replies

Weegle · 13/05/2009 17:20

Out third au pair is going home on Saturday. We weren't planning to replace her until autumn as we have moved in to a "project" and have major building work planned. However, this now looks delayed to not start until August at the earliest, and something has come up meaning I could really do with some help ASAP, and at the very least over the school holidays.

The problem is the house is a complete mess. Current AP loves us, and moved with us, so knew what the score was, and has been brilliant (even helping with wall paper stripping!). But how can I recruit one in to this? There is no heating (fine, it's getting warmer), we have workmen in/out all the time, the room which is the AP's is in desperate need of decoration, carpet (there is none) and has a broken window. And at the moment you have to walk through DS' room to get to it (although it wouldn't take much to get the partition wall up which is planned). The bathroom is shared by all four of us and downstairs, in a lean-to off the back and bloody freezing, and old. The lounge and dining room are currently building sites although the lounge should be decorated within about a month, and is going to be our "haven".

If I'm completely upfront do you think I would be able to attract a short termer? I just don't see we are a particularly attractive prospect at the moment but can't think of another solution.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Kathyis6incheshigh · 13/05/2009 17:22

I don't think this would be a deal-breaker for ^everyone if you were an attractive prospect in other ways (eg location, good wages, not too much work).

LaurieFairyCake · 13/05/2009 17:25

I don't think your house sounds that bad or that you have anything to apologise for

I would just mention that you are having some building work done. Put a cheap rug in her room and give her a tv and one of those mini fridges stacked with mars bars and she will be in au pair heaven.

ingles2 · 13/05/2009 17:27

Hiya Weegle How are you ?
How about a MAP? More likely to not let the mess bother him.....

LaurieFairyCake · 13/05/2009 17:30

thinking that a MAP is probably a male au pair and not a morning after pill as too late for Weegle

nannynick · 13/05/2009 17:47

Weegle - any chance of some photos of the house? To me the description you give could well put people off - a picture on the other hand does show what it is really like... perhaps it's not so bad, or then again maybe it's worse.

Weegle · 13/05/2009 18:59

yes I thought a MAP for that reason - would also be good for soon to be 3 year old DS who is seriously in need of at least 6 hours exercise a day at the moment!

nannynick I can't post photos (long story involving over keen DH and backing up the pc) - imagine 1906 semi which hasn't been touched for 30 years - original windows, not looked after, 30 year old decor, carpets and curtains (except where I have stripped the wall paper, so that looks lovely, not) - the whole downstairs had the damp-proofing done so bare plaster round the bottom half of the walls. Ripped carpets. Front door jams. That sort of thing. Modern kitchen though! And we are lovely! And we can get her room super lovely and cosey, and the lounge should be done any day now. But the bathroom I think is the real problem...

But I REALLY need help, at least for the summer hols.

ingles - I'm good thanks, been a while since I've been on here much, been too hectic with the house! How are you?

OP posts:
DadInsteadofMum · 13/05/2009 20:36

Just be honest, if you are looking for the summer there are for more applicants than families, somebody will be interested.

halia · 13/05/2009 20:44

I'll wish you luck, simialr situation in a way. we've got a project which needs loads fo work - actually we're living in teeny tiny rented accomodation atm.
Over summer we desperatly need to get it finished and that on top of study commitments means I need 'some' childcare for active DS (4)

Now by august we could have one room + bathroom OK at the 'project house'. Basic kitchen would also be installed (sink, fridge, gas hob, microwave, kettle, worktops)

rest of house would be in process of decoration (mainly by us)

Now could I attract a summer au pair to 'live-in' in seperate accomodation 5 minutes walk away?

Pluses:
only 15 hrs childcare
own accomodation inc bathroom
lovely location
great for anyone into outdoor stuff
flexible about days worked if someone wants to do summer course or get another p/t job
Can make one room nice with double bed, TV, rugs and fresh coat of paint!

minus factors
not living in family
country town (although 2 buses an hr 40 min journey to big town)
50% of time work might be going on in house (not past 8pm or before 9am though!)

PixiNanny · 13/05/2009 22:31

Ee! That would be like my perfect job, especially if you let me loose with the paint I've been practically begging my host family to let me help do up their second house haha I'd love to be able to work on rennovation as well as be a nanny, throw paddling in there and I'd be in heaven

ChippingIn · 13/05/2009 23:49

Weegle - tbh it sounds diabolical....

..and just the sort of thing I'd want to do if I was an Au Pair! You sound lovely and down to earth and that is worth far more than a fancy pants house. Just post the ad pretty much like your OP and you'll be fine. One things for sure, you'll weed out all the little princesess from the off!!

Halia - sounds fab too A live-out Au Pair job... where are you exactly???

halia · 14/05/2009 08:04

north yorkshire - I'd really like a practical, happy, relativly independant kinda girl or boy who wants to go mountain biking/ pot holing/ horseriding/ hiking on their days off, who will take DS for walks/ splashing in the river/ round the castle and who isn't fazed by the idea of stepping over piles of dustsheets and tiles.

weegle, hope you find someone as well.

Weegle · 14/05/2009 08:20

thanks everyone! going to get my profile on APW sorted today...

good luck halia - sounds good to me! I think it's getting the right sort of individual.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread