I was exciting first I got my au pair visa and I think it’s the same feeling for all of you.
We start the adventure full of energy and imagining how this experience will be unforgettable for us and the host family, but sometimes the reality may hit you down.
The first days are normally to be hard due to language and cultural barriers. But what is not normal, it is to feel bad, living a hard life.
So when it’s time to leave the family and find another?
Unrespectful kids:
It’s sufficient reason to leave your host family when the kids are rude and don’t learn how to treat you as an adult, even after weeks of work. The kids need guidance and to be punished if they do something wrong, which is not your position as an au pair.
So if the host parents never care about the kid’s behavior or force him to respect you, don’t stay more!
No working hours:
They put plans and inform you at the last minute, or they keep using your free time by being late. They do not count your work hours because they think: if you are there, you need to work.
You are always on call and they have always pressure. It won’t change!
You can’t integrate
If The host parent making no effort to include you in their daily life, and take you as a robot accomplishing their tasks that need no social life, especially if you are living in a small city and can’t find any relationship. You must be wasting time!
You are taking the parents job
When you find yourself need to educate, play, feed, and take care of all the kid’s life, and the parent escaping them all the time and being lazy both physically and emotionally towards their kids. It’s mean that the family can’t afford a nanny so they using you instead.
You are not enough
Some families are ungrateful, whatever you do, whatever you try you never enough and you wouldn’t. Move away from this kind of people, they are trying just to take from.
The stress
You are dealing with stress at any work, but it’s different when you are living in it. The kids could be super active and make the work hard, the worse is that the parents keep fighting each other and stress you each day. Don’t let your mental state deteriorate for the sake of people who won’t think much if they decide to get rid of you.
There are always bad people and good people, everywhere and all time. Our job is to not let anybody use us for any reason, We need to respect ourselves and give it value and remember you do not owe the family anything! It supposed to be a mutual exchange.
Leaving the family is your right when you are suffering from any abuse, don’t be afraid to leave and find another family or find another way to chase your dreams.
Feel free to share your au pair story with us and leave your question below.
Good luck!!
