Au Pair bonding with child

[OfficialNikNak]

Hi,

I just moved to Spain to study and be an au pair. I've worked with children before as a tutor and baby-sat. Usually kids love me, generally because I love to play with them and hug them a lot.

This is my first time as an au pair (it's been about a week and a half) and the little girl (2 years old) I am to take care of, seems to really really dislike me.

The family is mostly interested in me speaking to her in English. But she won't let me get near her. As soon as I go to play with her, she screams at me, and runs to her grandmother. I've never had this much trouble with a child and don't know what to do. Right now, I'm more sweet with her than any other child, sometimes letting her get away with more than she should, but that doesn't work either.

She doesn't trust me at all. She won't let me feed her, bathe her or really even touch her. It doesn't help, that her grandmother "comes to her rescue" at the slightest appearance of agitation. And her grandmother doesn't reprimand her or anything when she screams at me. I don't know what to do, what should I do?

[OfficialNikNak]

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[OfficialNikNak]

I believe this is their first Au Pair. I haven't heard the grandmother badmouthing me. I'm just learning Spanish, so she corrects me alot, I don't know if that makes any difference when the child sees it.

I'm only going to be here 7 months, I want to have a good relationship with her, so as to make it pleasant for both of us.

[redneckmom]

GOOD LUCK  If this girl knows she doesn't have to like you then she just may not.  Has she had a lot of different people come and go away from her?  She may not want to be "rejected" again.  Is her grandmother badmouthing you in front of her?  I would be patient and speak with the parents about it.  It has only been a short time; maybe she will warm up to you once she sees that you are not going to do anything harmful or leave her.