Christo is not my friend today.

Today Christo does not like his au-pair. Today Christo will not listen to his au-pair. Today Christo put Hannah in a bad mood.

We are in our third day and Tina is pressing me to teach him verbs and this and that but he often has extra lessons- taking us to 5pm or half 5 and then we have to go to the Speilplatz for half-an-hour and by the time we have got home this little five year old ( who is under pressure to be ahead of his time and to be expressive rather than passive) is knackered! And besides that who is this strange looking english girl anyway and why is she here again?- thats what he`s thinking.

All the mothers talk about me when I get to Kindergarten (the private one may I add)---- " Why would you employ an au-pair to teach your child english when she speaks no deutsch?"----- thats what all the kids say and all the mothers and sisters etc. He is embarssed of my Englishness and pretty much ignores me until we get home. He threatens to run out in the road when I wont give him sweets (sweets that he has been given by a friend but his mother says no no no no no so I have to aswell.) And until now I thought it was just a phase, just a getting to know me but today I took him to his English teacher.

Did I mention that the English teacher is black? Oh...well...Tina says its ok though ( I hope you all pick up on my sarcastic tone here.)

Anyway,Michelle says to me " hes very undisciplined this kid" and she gave me a few pointers, she was a bit like the American supernanny. I thought she was bloody wonderful, I mean she understood everyword i said! Thankgod! It was a relief to hear someone say what I had been thinking but Tina goes on and on about how great he is and how talented and perfect he is. So, as I`m drinking my 5th (?) coffee of the day it hits me. This family had a nanny of some kind before and its very unclear why she left. Why did she leave? Well I`ll tell you why, cos this kid never stops shouting or moving or complaining. He doesn`t listen to you when you say "no sweets," no infact he goes in your bag while you are in the toilet and eats 3! He also laughs in your face as he eats a chocolate you clearly stated wasn`t to be eaten. Because honestly? He knows I can`t really do a right lot; and well I wouldn`t yet. If I shout at him now surely thats our relationship dead and gone?

But today in the park when he wouldn`t comply with coming home for the 15th time,I sat him down and had a quiet word in English with him- because he got that I was cross and strangely he does understand. I felt myself cringing as I did the tragic desperate teacher move " I want us to be friends"
OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD.

Ive faced facts, they have employed a foreign english girl so she cant runaway so easily.

But who knows what Christo tomorrow will be like?

Love x