Au pair wanted advice please

skintmostofthetime

Don't matter is she's ugly if you get a gay feller.!!

mummymania

This will be my 4th summer with an aupair - I'm a single mum and putting my little ones in holiday clubs works out at £300 a week! An aupair costs me £60 a week. This year I am having the same Polish girl as last year - she asked if she could come back so we must be nice ) She is an English teacher in Poland and earns less than her aupair wage.
Any questions please ask )
Una x

Dormouse

ruthyjo wrote: »

Second I feel a bit anxious about the whole thing from a safety point of view. There's no real way of screening the au apirs other than by interviewing and getting references. I have experience of interviewing but obviously it's more key when it's someone who I am entrusting to be alone with my children. An agency would cost in the £150-£300 to place someone with us. This is not a lot of money if it ensures my childrens safety (obviously) but I'm not sure that it would actually improve the chances of this. So has anyone got any comments/experience of DIY v agency?

When I was an au pair, it was arranged through a web site (sorry, can't remember the name ) and we did all the "interviewing" through email and phone. The first time I saw the family was at the airport! :eek: Obviously, there are risks involved in doing it the DIY way, but "my" family had done it this way for years, and it seemed to work for them (although of course, like everyone else, they had had bad experiences as well). I think I spoke to an ex-au pair as well, just to confirm the family weren't mass murderers etc

(I got on very well with the family, and even now 10+ years later we're still in contact, they came to my wedding, etc etc :A )

So DIY does work, but the risks are there. I would also say to go with your gut instinct. Personally, as a parent, I don't think au pairs are something I'd personally consider - I'm just not comfortable with the idea of a stranger in my home - but I know of loads of people who are/have been very happy with the arrangments.

Also, can I just say that your post sounded very sensible regarding the unrealistic expectations and harsh attitudes that some people have - I'm sure you'll be a lovely family to work for. :T

whitewing

My son is now 10. I have had au pairs since he was five and starting school. I have had 4 male au pairs in total. They lived with me in an ex-council house in the West Midlands. I paid £45 a week (rising to £55 for the most recent). They had a tiny box room and shared a bathroom. With one exception, they have been superb. The ones I had were from Eastern Europe. Their attitude to education is amazing; they are very keen to learn as much as they can, and generally reliable. Not always too keen on the cleaning so if your expectations are high, you need to spell out the duties. They won't necessarily have quite as much experience with children as they may state. And there can be cultural differences with regard to how they would feel about leaving children in the house while they pop to the shops so you need to be crystal clear about what is expected. You won't always get too much notice of them leaving, but if they are part of the family they will be less likely to let you down. I went thro an agency for mine - didn't intend to get an au pair but there was a lack of alternatives. I always tried to have a week overlap of the old au pair to hand over to the new au pair. My son cried buckets when each of them left. We went to the Czech Republic with one and am visiting Hungary with the latest. Like any childcare arrangements, it brings conflicting emotions and moments of extreme stress, but generally it has been a hugely rewarding experience with some very intelligent, kind, caring and sporty individuals. Check out references but mainly go for gut reaction and don't override your gut reaction out of desperation.