Our au pair is sweet and the dcs like her but she just can't seem to stay on top of her responsibilities. I can't tell if we're asking an unfair amount (she's our first AP) or she is just incapable/lazy. She certainly lacks any common sense.
She has to be on duty 8-9am: get 1 dc dressed and walk to school. Then again 3-7pm: pick 1 dc up from school, help with reading, collect other dc (different school), oversee reading and homework, cook simple tea and clear up, get them into bath in time for us getting home, help them get their things ready for next day. Plus the dcs washing but no other housework.
Every day something slips. She struggles to be on duty on time, so we have to call her. Homework gets left at home not put back in bags, or not done. Washing gets done but not put away, or only some things get washed. Things get broken and she doesn't tell us. She let one dc tramp dog poo into the house and left me to clean the shoes. She never tidies except if asked directly, I.e. please put x away. We rarely use our babysitting hours but planned to tonight - I came home early to find dc still up (late), AP was on the phone, but she still hadn't found time to do their reading with them.
We've tried so many ways to help her:
A detailed guidebook we went through at the beginning, have been through again and highlighted areas where she wasn't quite getting it
Several friendly chats about where things were slipping - mostly being on time and laundry.
A week later a cross chat where I made it clear I was annoyed that I had to spend the weekend washing uniforms and bedding (amongst other things)
A one page summary of responsibilities so it's all in one place
A fridge whiteboard with the main tasks (for all of us so it's not singling her out) to tick off daily. Yesterday nothing was ticked off. Sometimes she ticks things without having done them or only half done.
They are not huge things in themselves but they do have big impacts (e.g. missing a train so ending up late for work, DCs having to wear dirty uniform to school, dcs going to bed late so tired in the morning), and it constantly puts us in the position of having to remind her/nag her, and getting irritated.
She's not with us for much longer and it is not really worth looking for someone else early, but can anyone suggest ways to give her (another) kick up the bum? Or do we just need to hugely lower expectations and fill the gaps ourselves?