Things that annoy you about your aupair...

I'm too busy chuckling to read all the posts.
Each to their own. We have 4 dc all under 12. Under 10 when dc 4 arrived. Couldn't wait to get rid of au pairs so I could be on mat leave and enjoy my family. Dh works away. So I come from a different perspective.
No au pair is going to do things the way you do. Ours always put stuff away in the wrong places. I appreciate not emptying the diswasher. My dh can't vacuum the way I do and again I appreciate au pairs just knowing where the vacuum lives!
Entertaining kids.. Dora the explorer. I work days when there's stuff on. I know I'm no play school mum! I do the odd craft, the odd park trip.. Mostly I sort the house around looking after the kids.

Ps having an au pair is not a first world problem. If I didn't have one I just couldn't work as a single mum. I would be on benefits.

I clicked on this thread because out of habit I click on all things au pair related. However, I really disliked the title. I think even if it was meant in jest it's rude.

The response to the OP though is insane. A lot of people here are mums. We should be finding ways to support one another and yet we do this.
It's really really sad. Good luck with your new arrival OP. I'm in awe of all people with more than one child. I'm scared of having anymore. I hope you have a bit of support over the next few weeks.

I feel very sorry for the children of those of you who think it's so selfish and lazy to hire help. What if your own children go on to make different parenting choices to you?
But I highly doubt your imagination could possibly stretch that far.

Glitter mud

I think parents should be able to do whatever they want to if it is beneficial to their family.

But starting a lighthearted thread slagging off/taking the piss out of an employee YOU interviewed and chose is a little bit off.

Have any childcare you like, change it when you like, sack who you like - but petty bitching about them after the fact doesn't reflect well, particularly when you used your judgement to choose them. What does that say about you? You chose an au pair for your three children who couldn't look after children or do house stuff the way you wanted. Winning decision there .

FWIW if we had room I would hire an au pair. I'd like to go back to working out of the house. My kids don't want to go to after school club and do lots of after-school activities. Someone who could walk them from A to B around the village and gift them s snack would be perfect.

Lazy and selfish? Wowee.

What annoys me about my au pair is that she doesn't exist.

The bitch.

Goodness me there are some shockingly unimaginative posters on here tonight!

I cannot imagine how ignorant you would have be to think that your way of doing childcare is the only acceptable way.

Do these posters have no friends? No family whose circumstances may differ from their own?

How sad it must be to live such a narrow life. How sad for the children.

Hmmm some very aggressive posts here. I too have a gazillion kids, work a billion hours and have re-thatched our roof whilst at least 10 months pregnant all without help. Hurrah for me!

On a serious note, I think PrintScreen is the voice of reason. Although I don't have au pair help I can see that my children's lives would be enhanced if I did. For example, I currently drag all three children out on a Monday night so that Child 1 can attend footie training. We have to stand on a barren pitch for an hour and a half to watch him (not worth going home). My other two children would love to stay indoors reading, running around or even just going to bed. Additionally whilst I'm trying to keep up with laundry, cooking, etc my children aren't getting the attention they would get if I had some help.

Occasionally my lovely next door neighbour's 17 year old son pops in. Whilst I get dinner, he shows the boys magic tricks or takes the youngest on the trampoline and tries to bounce him off. My children love him. Sometimes he gets dinner whilst I play snooker with child 1 or read to child 2 or play with child 3. Everyone benefits when he is at our house.

Op I completely understand, especially regarding your comment regarding not wanting to drag everyone out in the car. I think you've been unlucky with your au pair. I wish you much luck in your pregnancy and I'm also sending you a supportive hug. Try not to pay too much attention to the roof thatchers. Take care of yourself.

As someone who works as a nanny I can honestly say that none of the parents I have worked for are lazy or selfish. So I play with the toddler for an hour while the mum and baby sleep. Surely that means the mum has more energy to play later? I can tidy the toys and iron while mum feeds tthe baby so mum can enjoy some quality time with the toddler later.
She could have done it alone but was actually a more effective parent for having me around. How is it any different to, say, having her mum pop round now and again to help out?

And a mum who hires nanny because she wants to work? Some mums simply do not have the personality that suits being a SAHM and you cannot criticise that. It's not lazy. It's not selfish. It's better for the child that they have a fun, enthusiastic carer during the week and quality time with their parents at the weekend than a mum who is bored and grumpy all day everyday.

It's a choice and as long as it's made with EVERYONE'S best interests at heart then that's all that matters.

I have three kids only. Two in school. I work 21 hours. DH works pretty standard hours. I could totally choose to survive without an au pair. But I choose to have one because it enhances all our lives. I have reliable and flexible childcare in the home. If the kids are ill I have back-up. I feel supported so am more relaxed. I don't miss time with the baby because I have to clear up toys constantly etc. DH and I can have a social life again as babysitting is part of the package. Our life is more rounded so we are happier and more able to have fun with and enjoy the children. The kids have a older role model they adore. Each departing au pair becomes like a member of our extended family, regularly Skyping and visiting and making the kids feel part of a large clan. So don't look down your nose at me for my childcare choices, it's not about not being able to cope it's about making a choice to enhance my life and the life of my kids.

This thread is weird.
So anyone who uses a nanny, childminder,nursery is a lazy selfish parent?! Fuck that shit. If I could make life easier and less stressful of course I would.

I do however, look down on people who hire help as I think they are lazy, selfish parents. Sorry!

Thank you for your candor Two. I would like to point out however that some parents have no choice but to hire help. And even if it is a choice to hire help i think it is a valid one, but that is just my opinion so lets agree to disagree.

How odd

I have three children, one of whom has additional needs. He has never slept through the night. I had to quit my job to look after him full time as nursery couldnt cope with him. My dh works 60 hours a week and sometimes works away for weeks at a time. I didn't feel the need to hire help despite everything that we are going through at the minute, and whilst I'm not arrogant in thinking that everybody should do things the same as me, I do however, look down on people who hire help as I think they are lazy, selfish parents. Sorry!

Two it was a pretty nasty personal attack, actually.

OP I'm with you. That is all.

This is a totally honest question. Is this a joke thread? I feel naive.

Did mother Mary need an au pair

Well, this went well!!

I for one am up for hiring as much help as one requires. I have my 4 dcs and pregnancy 4 was hell.

Shock horror, ds goes to nursery 2 days a week so I can sleep do very important things.

So apparently I'm not allowed to say the word "cow" but it's ok for other people to say lazy fu**er???? Erm.....ok