It was not as it seemed..

What I learnt:

• DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!

• Be picky and have a exact image of what you want a family to be.

• Be prepared for home sickness

• Stand your ground and say NO

• You are not a cheap nanny/cleaner

In 2017 I made the huge decision to move half way across the world to Aupair for what I thought was the perfect family. I found them an online au pair site as many do, as being a very young excited girl ready to move to Italy I jumped at the first job offer.

Oh how I was very wrong..

Arriving all seemed perfect. I met the 4 kids I was going to Aupair for. Yes you read that right 4 kids all under 10 years old. I arrived just before summer started and from our calls and messages I was going to be busy in summer but the parents would be there to help and support 24/7 but what they forgot to mention was by “busy” they meant a full time 7am until 10pm job alone with all children at a popular summer holidaying area. I was a bit taken back by this but they assured me they would be back at night or at least I was told. In reality me and a “cook” were left alone for 5 days at a time.

Summer was a long difficult tiring time. Not to mention the nastiness I received from the mother. It was then at about my 2.5 month mark on au pairing I had my first thought of leaving. When you are ignored and not spoken to for 1 week these thoughts may happen am I right?…

Fast forward 2 months.

Summer is over and your schedule has eased a little but you are still treated as a worker not a “big sister” Now and imagine this.. Your family who you have not seen for months plan a trip to come see you, you host parents agree you can take the weekend off but later insist you take the week off. How great are they?

You spend a beautiful relaxing and well-needed holiday with your family but when you return its like a shift has happened. Your host parents are now treating you like more of a slave and decide to change your work hours only to tell you after you call asking where the children are.

At this moment is when I took my first stand against them for the better. I told them it is not acceptable to give me less than 1 days notice of changes or extra hours and god did they not like that.

2 months I waited it out hoping one of these days it would get better, I would be respected, I would be apart of this family. But it never happened in reality it got worse. Being forced to work double my 30 hours per week and getting no recognition for it like it never happened. Living off the minimum legal wage but doing double the work. Slowly the disrespect I endured from the parents rubbed off onto the kids, my final 2 weeks in this house I was spat on, kicked, mocked and told to go home. That was enough! So one day I got up and left I showed them the exact disrespect they showed me. and I never looked back.

I believe some things are meant to happen I am now a stronger version of myself and I know how an au pair is meant to be treated. Some au pair and family matches just don’t work out but its ALWAYS a 2 way street. Now I am onto my second Au pair family and I

truly know what the good life is like, and see that really its not that hard to respect and work with one another.

Au pair is not for everyone but if you decide to give it a go DO YOUR RESEARCH and do not be afraid to decline offers no matter how perfect they may seem.

There’s always cracks behind that perfect picture or smile..

-Anonymous

If you wish to submit a Real Story, please contact us at aupairwithcare@gmail.com.