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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

nightmare with au pair and she has been here less than a week

86 replies

Fried · 26/08/2014 21:45

Please help me I just don't know what to do.

Au pair arrived on Wednesday evening. I collected her from the airport all fine. Let her rest on Thursday and Friday and paid her for the rest days. At the weekend I showed her around area and took her to Oxford Street and the Notting Hill carnival as she wanted to go.

She was meant to work today at 8 - 9 am but stayed in bed until 1 pm. She has not lifted a finger in 6 days. Tomorrow is her day off so she won't work then. We only see her when dinner is ready. She does not even put her plate in the dishwasher.

To be honest I just want her to leave. My children are fed up as we are wasting £100 per week on someone that does nothing and we can't really afford it.

Any ideas? I have asked her to get up. I sent her a detailed timetable before she accepted the job but now she is here she does nothing.

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Floralnomad · 26/08/2014 22:00

If you don't want to speak to her to find out what her problem is then just tell her its not working out and that she needs to leave - how much notice do you need to give her ?

Vitalstatistix · 26/08/2014 22:00

So tell her to shape up or ship out (probably in a more tactful way Grin ). It's not unreasonable to do that. I am not surprised you are cross. I'd be spitting feathers.

Original poster
Fried · 26/08/2014 21:58

She is not ill just relaxes and eating a lot. I don't want her to explain as she is lazy and I just want her to leave. I made it all very clear. No one gets £100 a week and a holiday in London.

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Vitalstatistix · 26/08/2014 21:55

tbh, I'd be asking her what the hell she thought she was playing at.

I think you may need to suggest that she leaves, if she isn't willing to do what she's with you to do. You want to do that, so what is stopping you?

Can I ask why you didn't knock on her door until she got up and told her that she needed to be doing her job?

Sounds like she thinks she's on holiday.

Original poster
Fried · 26/08/2014 21:55

She is 26 and I really did spell every thing out before I offered her the job.

I just want her to leave now as I can't cope with a fourth child.

OP posts:
hollie84 · 26/08/2014 21:54

This is very weird. I think you should ask her directly what's going on - maybe she's ill?

Messygirl · 26/08/2014 21:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Fried · 26/08/2014 21:53

No agency. Au pair world. I paid her for Thursday and Friday on Saturday (even though she did no work) and bought her a travel card for the week.

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Original poster
Fried · 26/08/2014 21:51

I was too busy to deal with it as we had to buy school uniforms. I gave her the benefit of the doubt hoping she would have done the dishwasher when we got back.

I told her last night that I needed her up at 8 am. Her English is excellent. I have a deadline on Monday so my daughter and my older son cooked dinner tonight even though au pair was meant to do it. My daughter asked her to get plates but she did not want to do that. Just wants to eat and go back to her room.

OP posts:
Laquila · 26/08/2014 21:48

Did you get her through an agency and can you ask them for advice? Have you paid her yet?

hollie84 · 26/08/2014 21:47

Did she definitely know she was meant to work today? Did you not knock on her door when she wasn't up by 8? What did she say to you?