Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took my best friend because her HM couldn't be bothered to take her (or to say good bye at all actually, HM was gone when she got up on her last morning). Guess who ended her year on a better note? Me, who was taken to the aiport by her HM, her HD, five HC (one a 2 week old infant), granny & grandpa and a friend or her, who was taken by a friend and the 2-year old she was watching?

If you can't take her and can't have anyone she is close to take her at least arrange AND pay for an Uber/taxi/car service. If you want her to take the train and "pack light", you pay for the train ticket and shipping of the boxes she has to mail ahead because you don't want to take her and don't want to make arrangements for her to get to the airport with all her stuff (if you don't want to pay for shipping as soon as you have found out how much that will actually cost, be certain she doesn't want to either - for your convenience).

How difficult is it to just be a decent human being when it comes to hosting an AP? How would you want to be treated by a family you have lived with and worked for for a year? How would you want your child to be treated by a HF they lived with for a year?

I'm the PP with a newborn. This is definitely not normal and should NOT be an expectation.

Did you know what newborns with fevers need to go directly to the ER? Other families might not care about the risks of being out to large, public places like an airport. Our AP was perfectly fine with a paid for Uber trip.

I am one of the previous posters who said it was unkind not to take the AP to the airport. No, you don't have to go into the airport. You simply let them off in front and say your goodbyes while you are in the car. Simple. There is no excuse not to make the time and effort. You are setting an example for your kids.

I think saying your goodbyes ahead of time and securing a ride, whether it be Uber, taxi or a friend is totally fine. A huge reason people have Au pairs is because they have inflexible work schedules. I’m surprised so many people think you need to take a day off to drive the AP to the airport. The tone of your year is based on your everyday interactions with AP, not on their final few hours on their way to the airport.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took my best friend because her HM couldn't be bothered to take her (or to say good bye at all actually, HM was gone when she got up on her last morning). Guess who ended her year on a better note? Me, who was taken to the aiport by her HM, her HD, five HC (one a 2 week old infant), granny & grandpa and a friend or her, who was taken by a friend and the 2-year old she was watching?

If you can't take her and can't have anyone she is close to take her at least arrange AND pay for an Uber/taxi/car service. If you want her to take the train and "pack light", you pay for the train ticket and shipping of the boxes she has to mail ahead because you don't want to take her and don't want to make arrangements for her to get to the airport with all her stuff (if you don't want to pay for shipping as soon as you have found out how much that will actually cost, be certain she doesn't want to either - for your convenience).

How difficult is it to just be a decent human being when it comes to hosting an AP? How would you want to be treated by a family you have lived with and worked for for a year? How would you want your child to be treated by a HF they lived with for a year?

I'm the PP with a newborn. This is definitely not normal and should NOT be an expectation.

Did you know what newborns with fevers need to go directly to the ER? Other families might not care about the risks of being out to large, public places like an airport. Our AP was perfectly fine with a paid for Uber trip.

As a doctor and HM, I agree. People do not seem to know when to stay home with their newborns and small children anymore. I have seen just-born infants in Starbucks. It is influenza season and we have many admitted in our hospital right now with the flu and flu like illnesses. A two week old baby with a high fever requires a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to rule out meningitis. Please don't take the risk with your baby.

Anonymous wrote:I took my best friend because her HM couldn't be bothered to take her (or to say good bye at all actually, HM was gone when she got up on her last morning). Guess who ended her year on a better note? Me, who was taken to the aiport by her HM, her HD, five HC (one a 2 week old infant), granny & grandpa and a friend or her, who was taken by a friend and the 2-year old she was watching?

If you can't take her and can't have anyone she is close to take her at least arrange AND pay for an Uber/taxi/car service. If you want her to take the train and "pack light", you pay for the train ticket and shipping of the boxes she has to mail ahead because you don't want to take her and don't want to make arrangements for her to get to the airport with all her stuff (if you don't want to pay for shipping as soon as you have found out how much that will actually cost, be certain she doesn't want to either - for your convenience).

How difficult is it to just be a decent human being when it comes to hosting an AP? How would you want to be treated by a family you have lived with and worked for for a year? How would you want your child to be treated by a HF they lived with for a year?

I'm the PP with a newborn. This is definitely not normal and should NOT be an expectation.

Did you know what newborns with fevers need to go directly to the ER? Other families might not care about the risks of being out to large, public places like an airport. Our AP was perfectly fine with a paid for Uber trip.

I took my best friend because her HM couldn't be bothered to take her (or to say good bye at all actually, HM was gone when she got up on her last morning). Guess who ended her year on a better note? Me, who was taken to the aiport by her HM, her HD, five HC (one a 2 week old infant), granny & grandpa and a friend or her, who was taken by a friend and the 2-year old she was watching?

If you can't take her and can't have anyone she is close to take her at least arrange AND pay for an Uber/taxi/car service. If you want her to take the train and "pack light", you pay for the train ticket and shipping of the boxes she has to mail ahead because you don't want to take her and don't want to make arrangements for her to get to the airport with all her stuff (if you don't want to pay for shipping as soon as you have found out how much that will actually cost, be certain she doesn't want to either - for your convenience).

How difficult is it to just be a decent human being when it comes to hosting an AP? How would you want to be treated by a family you have lived with and worked for for a year? How would you want your child to be treated by a HF they lived with for a year?

It is very very expensive to ship boxes internationally.

I don’t care about traffic. It is so unkind not to send her off. And not to pay for an Uber at least. Wow.

I know this happens a lot because my au pair is frequently asked to talk APs to the airport. Happened today actually.

Oh, and with my gas.

We have called an uber for her. We agree with OP that battling rush hour traffic on a date and time the agency picked is not ideal. Also give her some extra cash for food. It's more than sufficient. As long as *you* are paying for transport.

Several of mine have secured rides with other au pairs to the airport or used taxi's.

If you can't do it, you can't do it.

It's not a requirement, but a nicety.

Uber is fine as long as you pay for it.

Ours left in summer and with two young kids and a newborn, we did not pack everyone up to see her off at the airport. She was perfectly fine with it and did not expect us to be dragging our newborn anywhere out.

OP— I do not have a job with the flexibility to take days off, particularly the day the agency assigned her to leave. Also, the idea of dealing with NYC traffic midday seems daunting. But probably a car service is the best way to go?

I think it's really cold to send her away in a taxi.

What is your agency? I believe Cultural Care requires the host family to provide the au pair transportation to the airport. I have always taken a couple of hours off to take ours to the airport for a proper send-off.

How would you like your child to be treated after they lived with a family in another country for a year? Take her to the airport.

Honestly, people usually take a few hours off and take their au pair to the airport. It seems really unkind to not even offer a car service.

Our current AP keeps asking me to bring her to the airport for the return trip home. I’m working that day, and suggested she try and pack as lightly as possible and try to send things ahead of time, and then take our local train to airport (there is a direct stop). Do most people pay for a car service or Uber for their AP to get to the airport? Also, any recommendations for prepaid luggage/ box shipping?