I'm looking for some advice about our au pair (arrived late September). I've gone back to Uni for a year to do a full time masters and it's proving very full on. I've got 3 DCs (11, 9 and 6) and in term time she takes them to school and picks them up and then is at home with them until I get back at half 4 to 5ish. Holidays and half terms will be busier for her, although I've arranged some activities for the kids this half term (gym days, cinema outings with grandparents etc) so that she would never be in sole charge for a full day.
Au pair is pleasant and on the face of it willing but she seems to have a strange attitude to work. Yesterday I got back from Uni to find the kids parked in front of the telly (they are allowed to watch for half an hour after school so this in itself isn't necessarily an issue) with her upstairs, in her room with the door closed. I knew she wouldn't realise I was back so I stayed downstairs and she didn't come down for another hour! DD had gone up and asked her to help her with a powerpoint but she said she was too busy as she had to email her friend! This isn't on is it? I need to talk to her and tell her what we expect obviously (that when she's with the children, she's with the children, it's like any job) but I can't shake a very bad feeling that if she actually thought it was acceptable to do this she simply isn't the right person to be looking after my kids. I'm feeling tired and strung out, WWYD/say? TIA!