House rules ?

[Alpha10]

We have a new au pair, she is so untidy, leaves her stuff everywhere. When she is on the phone she is on speaker phone, if she is cooking in the kitchen, she will have facetime/ Skype on, with her phone perched on the windowsill. I quietly spoke with her about not taking calls on speakerphone and FaceTime unless she is in her own room, and now she doesnt do it when I am around, however the kids have told me she does it when I am not around. She is quite moody and seems to take any direction as a reprimand. I think I will be moving on from her. We have had au pairs before and they were always respectful and we never felt the need to have 'house rules', but I think that from here on it is better to be clear. Do any of you have specific house rules that I could have a look at, in case I miss something.

I came on to reply about house rules, but honestly this sounds like a problematic au pair rather than a need for rules! The firm rules that I set out beforehand are around internet and overnight visitors. Our au pair guide specifies 'no overnight visitors without prior agreement' (eg: visiting friends, visiting boyfriend, visiting sister are all v welcome to stay over. Random one night stands, not so much.) and also sets out some stuff about using our internet connection: not using it for anything inappropriate.
I am not sure I can suggest anything helpful, really, sorry. If she takes any feedback as a reprimand then that sounds like it's time to find someone else.

In relation to phone/internet we have a house rule (and this is the rule for the dcs, me and dh) that no phones/screens a the table during meals. I also ask that au pairs are not on their phones/screens whilst in charge of the children (i.e. during their working hours).

Our rule is that "phone use must be kept to an absolute minimum when looking after the children, we do not allow any electronic devices upstairs or at the dinner table."

We have lots of others, I assume absolutely no knowledge/common sense at all with au pairs. I find just writing them down and having her read then when she first arrives reduces misunderstandings. Some of them benefit her - for example, not letting the children into her flat (or she'll never have any privacy) and calling if staying out overnight.

Thank you. She is leaving, think it suits her as well, I don't think au pair is for her. We now have found a second au pair, who seems lovely and has been an au pair before, so should know the drill. We have a start date, we interviewed her in person and she met the kids (already an au pair in our area), they like her, every thing set to go. I was speaking to her about some practicalities and out of the blue she said something to the effect of, 'we can be friends, go to lunch together and go to the shops together', aghhhhhh I don't want a friend ! Now I am wondering if I made a mistake, but she has already resigned her other family.

And there I was, wondering about house rules, grrrrr