Is my au pair useless?

[winewithcakeplease]

AIBU to expect au pair to teach children more?

My main reason for hiring ap is to help my 2 ds (3 and 4yo) learn French. Ap KNOWS this 100%, she isn't here to improve her English, it's already perfect.

They haven't started speaking any more French at all and it's been almost a month! I want her to help them learn French vocabulary by looking at books and pointing at words etc. I know he has tried because since her being here two of our lovely French children's books have been ripped whilst she was with them! They seem to mainly be playing with Lego/ toys which is not what I want as they already know colours, shapes etc.

She needs to speak French even when telling then off- ds2 had accident and she didn't speak French at all throughout dealing with it!

I am really frustrated by all this and really questioning why I've even bothered to have au pair, should I be? Are my hopes too high? And if so, what can I do to make her do her job better!?

[winewithcakeplease]

To clarify, AP was hired on basis that she could improve- ok not teach- their French. I understand that AP's in places like France, Spain and Italy are hired and expected to help kids learn English.

Also we do have a live-in nanny (also responsible for 13 month old), lady who does ironing and two sets of grandparents nearby so au pair really isn't overwhelmed at all with any other duties. I've told her it's better if she leaves mealtimes to nanny and grandma to deal with and if kids are being at all difficult I expect nanny, not her to take charge.

I speak fluent French for work but I thought that a native French speaker would be even better now dc1 at school.

Is it really this uncommon to hope au pairs can be used as a great way to immerse kids in a language?

[maybebabybee]

Is it really this uncommon to hope au pairs can be used as a great way to immerse kids in a language?

No, but re-read your OP and try to take another look at how it came across.

[LIZS]

If you want to immerse your children you need to spend time in a French speaking country. An ap isn't going to be the same. I think you posted the same a few weeks ago. Could you buy some French books for her to read to them, Roald Dahl , Harry Potter, Asterix and tintin for example . That way they would hear her accent . Maybe she feels self conscious talking in her native tongue and getting blank looks back.

[SurlyCue]

Why are you telling children off for accidents? In french or otherwise.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

Manatee!

[Aixoise]

I presume the reason you are employing an au pair as opposed to a French tutor is that she is a lot cheaper? In that case, don't be so fucking tight and send them to French lessons. Having been am au pair myself at 16 and expected to teach two children of 4 and 9 French, I can tell you two things - your DC probably have no interest whatsoever in learning French, so it is probably very challenging for her to teach them anything, and secondly - you get what you pay for, and I would imagine that as you are probably paying her a pittance, she will have zero motivation anyway. Would have hated being your au pair, sorry.

[maybebabybee]

I do think it is quite hilarious that you have a full-time nanny and an au pair specifically to teach your kids french. Are you the Duchess of Cambridge?

[PelvicFloorClenchReminder]

I cannot believe your 3 and 4 year old can't even speak French yet. The poor things.

[Kayden]

Kate, is that you?!

[YouBastardSockBalls]

Why are you telling children off for accidents? In french or otherwise. confused

This was my first thought.
Plus, surely the pants butler should be sorting out accidents?

[YouBastardSockBalls]

You do have a pants butler?

[SurlyCue]

surely the pants butler should be sorting out accidents?



Isnt it normally the whipping boy that gets bollocked for little pweshus' misdemeanors?

[maybebabybee]

To be fair OP, I am picturing your DC on a therapists' sofa in 30 years time saying 'my au pair DIDN'T EVEN SPEAK FRENCH TO US!'

poor mites.

[CordeliaFoxx]

You've posted about this before and were told you were being unreasonable, did you think you'd get a different answer this time?

[meddie]

I so want a pants butler now.

[maybebabybee]

oh WAIT, are you the same poster who complained about your OP taking snacks from the kids' cupboard???

[GraysAnalogy]

To clarify, AP was hired on basis that she could improve- ok not teach- their French

If they don't speak French how is she supposed to improve it.

[maybebabybee]

*AP, not OP

[aquashiv]

She needs to speak French even when telling then off- ds2 had accident and she didn't speak French at all throughout dealing with it!

I can not imagine, as a parent, witnessing my child hurt and being more concerned that the au pair wasn't responding in French. Bonkers.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Yabvvu an Au Paire is not a teacher with proper teaching skills, but a student or you f person here to help you with the kids. Get a proper Frenxh teacher if you want them to learn French!

[tethersend]

Tu te fous de ma gueule?

[Passmethecrisps]

Op, I presume that you speak French to the children all the time if it is such a major issue?

How did you become fluent?

[brusselsproutwarning]

Hired to speak French to dc and she's not. Get rid.

[maybebabybee]

sorry I know this is off topic but if you have the money to hire an au pair to teach your children french alongside a live in nanny and a cleaner then goodness me....you have too much money.

[saintlyjimjams]

This is a piss take surely?

She's been there less than a month and you expect them to be communicating in French after she's pointed at a few pictures in a book?

No-one can be that naive.