What would you do with this au pair?

Sack. The whole point of an AP is to make life easier, not harder. If you wanted to deal with a stroppy teenager you'd be a foster carer.

Most of these foreign girls are absolutely dreadful. We now employ a village girl, on minimum wage, who speaks the lingo and knows her place. Problem solved.

You could sit down with her and explain to her clearly what isn't working out and what is, and that she has a week to change. However the reality is that although that may make you feel marginally better, matters probably won't improve much more. An AP with an attitude problem and disliking children is just not worth persevering with.

FWIW - I was in a similar position last year. We struggled along for many months with our useless AP. I was exhausted in the end constantly monitoring her, reminding her etc etc. The stress and atmosphere it caused wasn't worth it. When my new AP came for a trial weekend, she was so wonderful, I regretted not parting company sooner. Past advice on this board from these lovely experienced mumsnetters said that you'd know a good AP within the first week - and I'd wholeheartedly agree.

I agree she needs to go. Did you use an agency? If you did you need to talk to them as your AP has arrived not prepared to complete the job they are employed to do. Also they should provide another AP with no additional charge to you.
Your previous AP sounds very much like the three APs I have had or maybe I have been very fortunate. All of mine have last the entire of their contracts.

I agree with earlier posts now being on my 8th AP with the shortest duration being 24 hours she is not going to improve!!

I would book and pay for her flight and tell her the night before you will be taking her to the airport in the morning and have paid for her flight home.

I would be calm and pleasant and make it clear she is being dismissed for complete inability and unwillingness to perform her role. I would also pay her a weeks wages in lieu of notice and feel hugly relieved once you escort her into departures.

We've had to 'invest' more time with our new AP in some areas of looking after the children than we did with our AP from last year. Like Tavvy said, these girls are not professional nannies. But what you have described is a fundamental attitude problem - nothing that is likely to improve over time. I wouldn't waste another moment on her.

Erm, get rid. She is French. She only needs to go across the Channel where things are much better.

I wouldn't shed any tears tbh. Having spoken casually to a couple of aupairs, you think they made a huge commitment to come over - NOT. Those from relatively affluent Western Europe know very well if it does not work out they will just leave the family. They stay only if they want to/are wanted. They know that.

Get rid. Now. This one is taking the piss.

Was going to say the same as OneLieIn.
She clearly has the wrong attitude.

Aupairs are not nannies so I would not expect her to have a totally professional attitude (neither do some nannies) but if she has CHOSEN to come and work as an aupair then she should at least like children, make an effort with them and do her designated household tasks.

Can you bin her? What's the point

Get rid.

She sounds horrific, get rid

Send her back to France where evereything is better

GET RID!

I'm sure you can get an au pair with some childcare experience/desire to work with children as a minimum.

Asking about their view on discipline is a good interview question and if they say 'hit them'(!) say thanks for coming, but not in my house you don't!

If she doesn't do her jobs and isn't capable of watching the children, then is there much point in her being there?

Get rid

Goodness me. Sack her, she's crap.

you are so right Squiffy.
Give her 1 weeks notice to improve, the pay for her air fare home

Get. Rid. ASAP.

I have had a number of APs who usually last a year or so. This one would not last two weeks with me and I have learnt the hard way that if they are like this when they are trying to impress you (ie first few weeks) you will be in for a torrid time further down the line.

I think you were very lucky with your last au pair, given that many of them are not here because of any desire to work with children.
A lot of the things you describe with your current one are, I think, often par for the course: the ailments, the going on about France (which is probably homesickness), the lack of manners. These things are perhaps the problem with having someone who is little more than a child and who just fancied a jolly to england in your house.

The thing that I would consider a potential deal-breaker is the inability/unwillingness to look after your children. This covers not playing with them, not giving them tea etc, because being able to babysit cheerfully has to be the minimum job requirement. I'd be giving her a couple of weeks to shape up.

I think you are going to have to send her on her way - is she still in the trial period?