Could strangle my AP. He's fab, Swedish, the kids love him and he is uber-flexible - happy to cancel his own plans at drop of a hat if something comes up. Just about up to speed now on ironing, and always takes kids swimming/park/trampolining on the way home from school 'because it's good for the kids'. Crap at cooking but can knock up some fresh pasta and sauce, or an omelette.
Anyway, he had planned to return to University in January and move in with his girlfriend, so I have offered his role to someone else. And of course he has now split up with girlfriend because he loves the UK and can't face idea of going back to Sweden and playing happy families. Whilst I would love to back out of new AP and keep my fab one, morally it is not something I could do (for lots of complicated reasons involving NVQ placements locally and stuff), so sadly Chris needs to move on.
What else to tell? He's 23, has been playing badminton for the county, has no nasty habits that I am aware of, and is very very eager to please and fit in. I have treated him really well because he is the 'perfect' au pair, so he will expect to do exactly what it says on the au pair tin - ie £80 for 30 hours, split between playing with kids, school drop offs and light laundry/ironing type stuff. He drives (no accidents), has never turned his nose up at anything and will pitch in happily on his days off if he is around. He has had a couple of male friends to visit from Sweden but they have always been pleasant lads and he makes sure they bring presents for us all when they come. He has really 'normal' parents too who give him lots of advice by phone. He happily goes off to places to make friends and is pretty normal.
If you promise to be very very nice to him I will let you have his contact details. He is due to leave me at end of Jan and wants to stay in Kent/London because he loves it round here and wants to come back some weekends to see the kids/catch up with the friends he has made locally.