So I am an AuPair and it’s been the worst! Just need to vent and cry haha

An AuPair is an international live-in nanny. AuPairs legally can work 10hrs a day and 45hrs a week, making $195.75 a week.

When I met this family they seemed genuine and fair. They told me that they would respect the rules of the program and that I would have weekend off. They told me they needed some to bond with the 2yr old, as they were expecting a baby in 2 months and wouldn’t be able to give the 2yr old enough attention. Both parents were able to get time off work to be with the baby, which was great since legally I could only start looking after her once she was 3months old.

As soon as I started working for them they began bending the rules at times and I didn’t complain as AuPairs are told to be “flexible”, I also understood how crazy preparing for a baby could be.

They kept reassuring me that things would calm down once the baby had arrived but it’s just been one thing after the next!

1. A few weeks after the baby was born the parents would leave her while they went to yoga or lunch with their friends, they once tired it while I was off duty 😳. The one parent decided to go back to work earlier as it was “too hard” looking after a 2month old 😂.

2. They would give me my work schedule the night before (9pm +), they also change it whenever they feel like it (when they don’t feel like being around the kids). Every week they are always late either the traffic from work is bad or the service at the restaurant was slow 🤷🏾‍♀️ they usually text me right when it’s time for me to be off to as if “it would be ok if they get an extra 30mins” (I don’t get paid for any of it! And I also can’t legally leave the kids alone). They always apologize and promise it won’t happen again.

3. I’m the family Uber, I have to drive them to the airport, work, their parties etc

4. They will have parties to attend and take me along so they can show off the kids and have me run after both kids while they socialize. I will literally be on my feet for 3hrs straight, including while eating so I can keep an eye on both kids.

5. They make me work until 12am while they are asleep and start work at 7:30am 🤷🏾‍♀️ I’m working on weekends now, plus the overtime that I don’t get paid for etc

I’m just so tired of all of this, I have a few weeks left so that’s what keeps me going. When I would complain to the agency I’m told about being flexible 😒! I paid $2500.00 to be an AuPair so that’s why I stayed as an AuPair. I didn’t risk a rematch as I could get a worse family or not find one and lose my visa plus would have to pay for my ticket back.