So we've taken in a homeless au pair

[Millarkie]

who has only met our au pair a couple of times so isn't even a friend of hers...oh well, could be a huge mistake but couldn't see someone's daughter without a bed in a foreign land.
She has found a new host family but job starts in 10 days..not sure how long we will tolerate her here (cooking for 6 - arghhhh!) but hopefully she's honest and won't scare the children.
Wish us luck.
And if anyone near Cambridge is desperate for an au pair for the next 10 days CAT me

I think the au pair has been less than honest with everyone here. She is not at all concerned about her lack of job, totally taking the michael out of Millarkie's extreme kindness, and is from the sound of it an immature and conniving little madam! Any au pair with an ounce of decency would be kissing Millarkie's behind and begging to help with housework/children/etc as a show of gratitude for being rescued. Nope. This au pair is going to all night parties, running up huge internet bills, probably lying to her parents and Millarkie, and showing a scary lack of common courtesy to Millarkie's au pair too. I know she is someone's daughter but I would throw her out at this point, definitely by Sunday! Millarkie you have gone above and beyond and it is obvious that the au pair has taken you for a complete ride. Can you talk to her mother/the previous family? I would at this point get rid asap if only to cover your own back, who knows what she will tell the next family, or what she has told her own parents. Either way she sounds a really huge and slightly unhinged PITA.

Dh is working from home today as wedecided last night that as long as our ap is happy with it we will ask the girl to leave today... Either to another -sucker- host or to the local youth hostel. She has cost us so much in e cess broadband fees that we might as well have paid for her flight home. Have photographed her mums address from the label on her luggage so might send her a note in my best german!

Good! I hope she leaves without any major issues. Definitely write to her mum, maybe send a photocopy of the broadband bill and ask for reimbursement along with a bill for her board and lodging LOL.

Very sensible decision! Hope all goes ok!

My sympathies. Just hang onto the thought you will surely go to heaven for this.

God, I am so glad we don't have to have APs any more. We only ever had two we actually liked. All the others gave us the runaround without even realising they were doing it. they were all too often lazy, spoilt young women. What a generation we have brought up!

I would concur with the point that they are great at sob stories. I have had many APs from other families around my kitchen table over the years, trying to win my sympathies, and 9 times out of 10 it is pretty much down to their own awful behaviour, when I have probed a bit.

Boffmonster - I couldnt agree more about the stories coming out!

I spoke to my agency again this morning who are getting more confused in dealing with our soon to depart au pair. I honestly think that she expects to be treated like royalty whereever she goes. With the attitude of whoever gets her should feel very lucky. And she is doing them a favour.

Erm no, you are entering into paid work. There will be an element of compromise with this particular type of paid work, more so than any other job you may have previously held, because you both live and work in your new home. The bottom line is that while the host family need to make you feel welcome and included, you also need to make a real effort to fit in and adapt to your new environment.

Why would you au pair if you werent willing to adapt, compromise and be respectful?

She has left the house. No doubt I have a room to fumigate and bed linen to boil but she is gone. Dh dropped her in town but is ignoring my questions of where she's staying next.. that's why he did the deed, I would be worrying about where she was going.
In defence of au pairs in general, I have had 2 fantastic au pairs, have been priveledged to have them share our lives for a while. We also had one who was not such a great fit for our family but she tried hard.

Just had a phone call from a local host mum. Her ap brought stinky ap home with her with a 'i don't know why they asked me to leave' story. They know us and that there would be a reason so told her she couldn't stay so she's off to her new host family tonight. Wonder how long that will last!

LOL at Millarkie!!! Sadly for stinky AP I think Karma will be her only friend the next few days.