You people get what you pay for. And by the way why are you complaining many of you are not too clean yourselves? Maybe the AP saw how you do things and she is only following you. I have been a nanny for many, many years and no one can call me a slob, the way I carry myself and my car said everything about me. A matter of fact I carry myself better than some of the mothers I see and smell awesome as well. And if I happened to go to anyone's home and I am thirsty I wouldn't take a glass of water from them if their house is filthy. This go back to what you people want, do you want someone who will care for your children and your home, and car as she would her own belongings? Or do you want to pay less salary to people whom you really don't know of their habits? You get what you pay for therefore stop complaining.....you go and clean the car with all the money you have saved from hiring a responsible nanny?

Anonymous wrote:

Yep - this happened to me. AP needed me to drive her and her friends at 5:30am to the metro on a Saturday morning to go out of town. I did it, but as I was driving around picking up her friends, I realized there was not enough gas left in the car to get to the metro and back. I stopped at a gas station on the way and made her pump/pay since I was paying her extra weekly for gas. The real kicker was this was all on my birthday.

Why in the world would you even do this?

I did it because it was part of the weekend AP class she was taking and they were going out of town that weekend for the trip portion.I was trying to follow the rules. I was responsible for transportation to the class.

Yep - this happened to me. AP needed me to drive her and her friends at 5:30am to the metro on a Saturday morning to go out of town. I did it, but as I was driving around picking up her friends, I realized there was not enough gas left in the car to get to the metro and back. I stopped at a gas station on the way and made her pump/pay since I was paying her extra weekly for gas. The real kicker was this was all on my birthday.

Why in the world would you even do this?

Different people have different definitions and tolerance for what is dirty or messy. It may be helpful to tell your AP the level of clean you are expecting, show her what is considered "clean" in your books and what still needs cleaning, give examples or clean with her once to show her what you mean. Also, since you don't use all your hours, set aside some dedicated time just for cleaning the car on a regular basis, like every Tuesday from 3-4pm is car cleaning time.

Anonymous wrote:Is this the norm with an au pair? Most of it is the au pair's stuff, not my children's trash. I am really annoyed about this especially because she works a lot of less hours since both children are at school.

Are your children used to leaving stuff where it doesn't belong?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to trashing my car, I give the au pair weekly $$ for gas but whenever I go to use the car, it's on empty or close to empty. From now on, I'll be putting gas in the car on a weekly basis.

Yep - this happened to me. AP needed me to drive her and her friends at 5:30am to the metro on a Saturday morning to go out of town. I did it, but as I was driving around picking up her friends, I realized there was not enough gas left in the car to get to the metro and back. I stopped at a gas station on the way and made her pump/pay since I was paying her extra weekly for gas. The real kicker was this was all on my birthday.

I don't think I would have been so generous with dragging myself out of bed on my birthday at 5:30am to be an uber service for my AP and her friends. Why did you get stuck doing it? There are things like taxi and uber. Even if it was not on my birthday, I expect my AP to be adults and figure out her own transportation. Would your AP be so generous to drive you and a group of your colleagues to the airport at 5:30am on her free time? I would have figured out a way to get to my destination on my own and not inconvenience anyone.

What is completely trashed mean?
To many it means different things.

This wouldn't happen with me. My AP has to clean out the car weekly, per our requirements, and wash once a month. The kids have to take their trash out.

Give her a supply of small garbage bags or grocery bags. When it is full, take it out.

Anonymous wrote:In addition to trashing my car, I give the au pair weekly $$ for gas but whenever I go to use the car, it's on empty or close to empty. From now on, I'll be putting gas in the car on a weekly basis.

Yep - this happened to me. AP needed me to drive her and her friends at 5:30am to the metro on a Saturday morning to go out of town. I did it, but as I was driving around picking up her friends, I realized there was not enough gas left in the car to get to the metro and back. I stopped at a gas station on the way and made her pump/pay since I was paying her extra weekly for gas. The real kicker was this was all on my birthday.

Anonymous wrote:I’m waiting for our resident angry Au Pair to write about the trashed car being some sort of artistic expression of an Au pair’s existential agnst and that you should be honored that she left her masterpiece of cold fries and Safeway receipts for you.

Lol

I’m waiting for our resident angry Au Pair to write about the trashed car being some sort of artistic expression of an Au pair’s existential agnst and that you should be honored that she left her masterpiece of cold fries and Safeway receipts for you.

In addition to trashing my car, I give the au pair weekly $$ for gas but whenever I go to use the car, it's on empty or close to empty. From now on, I'll be putting gas in the car on a weekly basis.

My car? I've shared my car with our AP for 8 years and never had this problem. Meanwhile, I did have a babysitter who always left crap in the car. Thankfully she only worked for us for 5 weeks. You have a slob. I would expect to see a similar pattern in the house? Agreed with the checklist approach.

I would be annoyed. Tell her not to leave trash in the car.

Next week give her a long check list and put hours onher schedule where it has to be cleaned before she can use it for personal reasons.
Yes, it's bothersome. We have an extra car and on the occasions when AP uses mine it's never returned clean.

Is this the norm with an au pair? Most of it is the au pair's stuff, not my children's trash. I am really annoyed about this especially because she works a lot of less hours since both children are at school.