An Au Pair’s Tale Amanda Harrison was 18 and had just left school. She wanted a year out — a year of fun, travel and excitement far from home. And like many British girls of her age she went to the States to work as an au pair. She had read a lot about this profession for a young lady who lives with a family in a foreign country and takes care of a small baby. In exchange the lady gets an opportunity to live and work independently of her own family. That was exactly what Amanda wanted. Amanda’s parents were not happy about their daughter’s decision but finally had to agree.
Amanda went to live in Boston with a married couple. She had been told by the agency they had just had a baby, so the mother needed help with the new born girl.
From the very start Amanda was impressed by her new home. She liked everything: the city, the beautiful house with a huge swimming pool and the two wonderful Dalmatians that met her at the gates when she arrived in July. But most of all she was impressed by her hosts. They were hospitable and friendly, and their new born daughter was a real princess — charming and cute.
Everything was like a dream for Amanda. She was abroad on her own in a wealthy house taking care of a baby and already planning how to spend her first salary. But the dream didn’t last long. The mother’s attitude to Amanda changed very soon. She became rude and demanding, and often started to shout at Amanda if anything went wrong.
Once the girl was asked to warm up the baby’s bottle with milk. Amanda fixed the timer of the electric device at 7 minutes instead of 5, and the milk got too hot. The baby started crying as soon as she tasted the milk, obviously burning her mouth. The mother threw the bottle at Amanda, splashing the milk all over Amanda’s dress. And then the woman made Amanda wash the kitchen floors. When the weekend after the incident came, Amanda was forbidden to have her weekend, and instead was left alone with the baby. The parents went to the countryside and spent two days at their friend’s house. Amanda felt that what was happening was not right but she was too proud to tell her own parents about it.
Things were getting worse and worse. The mother expected Amanda to do the most difficult job about the house: to wash the dogs and even to clean out the swimming pool. At the same time the young girl had to look after the baby 24 hours a day. Amanda had total responsibility for the house and the child. That could not last any longer.
Luckily, Amanda knew another au pair who worked in Boston. She talked to her and the friend immediately called the agency which had found the job for Amanda. They explained the situation, and in two days Amanda got a return ticket and the money for the trip back to England.
She had spent four months in Boston. On returning home she kissed her parents and said: “Forgive me. And never ever let me go far away from you”. |