Comments on: If you have a housecleaner, does s/he clean your Au Pair’s room? http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/ Helping Host Parents and Au Pairs build great relationships. Tue, 22 May 2012 09:09:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: helgalabelga http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-8171 helgalabelga Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:44:32 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-8171 We ask our cleaning lady to clean (not pick up!) the AP's bedroom and bathroom because we'd like our au pair to spend all of her energy on our son -- that's why we hired her in the first place! I am sure she wouldn't have objected to doing it herself either, since she's been in the military and is used to a great deal of scrubbing and cleaning. We ask our cleaning lady to clean (not pick up!) the AP’s bedroom and bathroom because we’d like our au pair to spend all of her energy on our son — that’s why we hired her in the first place! I am sure she wouldn’t have objected to doing it herself either, since she’s been in the military and is used to a great deal of scrubbing and cleaning.

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]]> By: Soccer Mom http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-6351 Soccer Mom Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:42:31 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-6351 I do think chithu's HF is in a different league (in terms of affluence) than most HFs. I had a cleaner before I had an AP, so the cleaner was not cleaning the vacant AP room and unused AP bathroom at the time. I don't think continuing to exclude her area from what we pay the cleaners to do weekly sends a msg that she is not part of the family, I think it more says that part of her responsibilities while living with us is to clean her area - where she has an extreme amount of privacy. Even when she works 45 hours per week, she still has waaaaaaaaaay more free time than I do. She is supposed to have more free time than I have, I am the mom so I do what she does for work, in my free time when I'm not working, that is part of the agreement. Also part of the agreement is that she is responsible for maintaining her room/living area and I still think she gets a pretty good deal. I do think including her room and bathroom would send the msg that we don't expect her to get her hands dirty at all, and a few of our 6 APs already had an aversion to that.............. I do think chithu’s HF is in a different league (in terms of affluence) than most HFs. I had a cleaner before I had an AP, so the cleaner was not cleaning the vacant AP room and unused AP bathroom at the time. I don’t think continuing to exclude her area from what we pay the cleaners to do weekly sends a msg that she is not part of the family, I think it more says that part of her responsibilities while living with us is to clean her area – where she has an extreme amount of privacy. Even when she works 45 hours per week, she still has waaaaaaaaaay more free time than I do. She is supposed to have more free time than I have, I am the mom so I do what she does for work, in my free time when I’m not working, that is part of the agreement. Also part of the agreement is that she is responsible for maintaining her room/living area and I still think she gets a pretty good deal. I do think including her room and bathroom would send the msg that we don’t expect her to get her hands dirty at all, and a few of our 6 APs already had an aversion to that…………..

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]]> By: au pair http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-6326 au pair Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:11:59 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-6326 I have my own bedroom, and a bathroom in the basement. However the basement, and sometimes bathroom is used by the kids and other guests. There is a cleaning lady that comes in fortnightly and does the vacuuming, scrubbing etc, but I tidy mine and the kid's areas in order for this to happen. I am very tidy but also do other chores, so it is nice that there is a cleaning lady coming fortnightly to do the main cleaning. I always make sure my area is tidy, dusted and has clean towels, and the bins go out etc I have my own bedroom, and a bathroom in the basement. However the basement, and sometimes bathroom is used by the kids and other guests. There is a cleaning lady that comes in fortnightly and does the vacuuming, scrubbing etc, but I tidy mine and the kid’s areas in order for this to happen. I am very tidy but also do other chores, so it is nice that there is a cleaning lady coming fortnightly to do the main cleaning. I always make sure my area is tidy, dusted and has clean towels, and the bins go out etc

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]]> By: ex ap http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-5284 ex ap Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:17:32 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-5284 Dear Aussie mom, i totally agree with you, all host moms should see it this way. an au pair should be an adult looking after your children (she should still feel part of the family even if you dont like it) its her own task to clean her room and everything that the kids touch, wear or sleep in. her room should be her proud (her thrown or whatever) its her space just let her know that you wont go in there because its her space and you dont want to be an intruder. DONT CLEAN THE AU PAIR ROOM, thats the beginning of creating your problems, next she will want her own car, cell phone, bonus each week. Treat your au pair by the book! TRUST me you will want to! Dear Aussie mom, i totally agree with you, all host moms should see it this way. an au pair should be an adult looking after your children (she should still feel part of the family even if you dont like it) its her own task to clean her room and everything that the kids touch, wear or sleep in. her room should be her proud (her thrown or whatever) its her space just let her know that you wont go in there because its her space and you dont want to be an intruder. DONT CLEAN THE AU PAIR ROOM, thats the beginning of creating your problems, next she will want her own car, cell phone, bonus each week. Treat your au pair by the book! TRUST me you will want to!

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]]> By: chithu http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-5246 chithu Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:37:16 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-5246 my host parents have an housekeeper who comes thrice a week. i live in this huge 3-storey house, and she cleans one floor each day. i live in the 3rd floor attic, and she changes my sheets and cleans my bathroom once a week. by this, i don't mean that she picks up things and decluttters - she cleans the wash basin, toilet and the shower room, and vacuums the carpet. It is I who keeps my room clean every day. I love my room and i make sure i do not have clutter or mess on the floor. my host family arranged it so and told me that childcare is my main responsiblity. they said i am the nanny who looks after children, and the housekeepr is the proffessional who looks after the house. it takes real generosity and warmth to say this to the au pair, and I am lucky that I have such good HP. i believe the housekeeper is paid a round amount every week, and is not going to get paid less if she skips any one area (for eg. my room). I have worked as au pair in 3 places in the last 1.5 years in London, and I have never been asked to do any heavy cleaning of my "domain". But if I have been asked to, I wouldn't have said no. As long as there is no crazy attitude from HP who tries to save money by pennypinching from the au pair, I have no problem cleaning my bathroom or vaccuming my carpet. I had an au pair friend who was asked to dry her clothes on the garden (as if London has a proper summer) and not use the dryer to save electricity, yet her host family went to Barbados every year and drank wine every day after dinner. It is this sort of attitude that really makes au pairs feel miserable! and yes, i do think that it is plain horrible that the au pair's room alone can be excluded from cleaning. such deals can build resentment and only sour the whole r'ship. i am not judging anybody. yes, there are princesses out there and it is real unfortunate that such au pairs taint the whole crowd and makes things difficult for efficient au pairs. but if one wants to be authorative and "teach" the au pair to be responsible etc etc, then you will only end up with a child/princess/sulky teen to take care of! my host parents have an housekeeper who comes thrice a week. i live in this huge 3-storey house, and she cleans one floor each day. i live in the 3rd floor attic, and she changes my sheets and cleans my bathroom once a week. by this, i don’t mean that she picks up things and decluttters – she cleans the wash basin, toilet and the shower room, and vacuums the carpet.

It is I who keeps my room clean every day. I love my room and i make sure i do not have clutter or mess on the floor. my host family arranged it so and told me that childcare is my main responsiblity. they said i am the nanny who looks after children, and the housekeepr is the proffessional who looks after the house. it takes real generosity and warmth to say this to the au pair, and I am lucky that I have such good HP. i believe the housekeeper is paid a round amount every week, and is not going to get paid less if she skips any one area (for eg. my room).

I have worked as au pair in 3 places in the last 1.5 years in London, and I have never been asked to do any heavy cleaning of my “domain”. But if I have been asked to, I wouldn’t have said no. As long as there is no crazy attitude from HP who tries to save money by pennypinching from the au pair, I have no problem cleaning my bathroom or vaccuming my carpet. I had an au pair friend who was asked to dry her clothes on the garden (as if London has a proper summer) and not use the dryer to save electricity, yet her host family went to Barbados every year and drank wine every day after dinner. It is this sort of attitude that really makes au pairs feel miserable!

and yes, i do think that it is plain horrible that the au pair’s room alone can be excluded from cleaning. such deals can build resentment and only sour the whole r’ship. i am not judging anybody. yes, there are princesses out there and it is real unfortunate that such au pairs taint the whole crowd and makes things difficult for efficient au pairs. but if one wants to be authorative and “teach” the au pair to be responsible etc etc, then you will only end up with a child/princess/sulky teen to take care of!

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]]> By: JJ http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-4994 JJ Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:12:28 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-4994 I totally disagree. Just in case this wasn't clear upthread, it seems like those of us who do have the au pair's room cleaned do it out of a desire to care for the house, not a desire to coddle our au pairs. It's a way to make sure the au pair's room is clean and presentable on a regular basis so that we're not left with a mess and a damaged room at the end of a year-long stay. Both my au pairs have actually been very neat people so this hasn't been an issue, but it's a good expectation for us to send upfront. If I have to declutter every two weeks, so does she. End of story. I totally disagree. Just in case this wasn’t clear upthread, it seems like those of us who do have the au pair’s room cleaned do it out of a desire to care for the house, not a desire to coddle our au pairs. It’s a way to make sure the au pair’s room is clean and presentable on a regular basis so that we’re not left with a mess and a damaged room at the end of a year-long stay.

Both my au pairs have actually been very neat people so this hasn’t been an issue, but it’s a good expectation for us to send upfront. If I have to declutter every two weeks, so does she. End of story.

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]]> By: anonmom http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-4991 anonmom Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:13:27 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-4991 Our cleaning people have a hard enough time cleaning our house biweekly- it's a mess!! With kids, their activities and 2 parents working full time, it is hard enough for us to tidy before cleaning comes. SO, the entire area where the au pair 'lives', her room and the den area, are not cleaned by the cleaning people. I have always felt that their room is theirs, and they are entitled to their privacy. And, lastly the cost to me would be prohibitive! Our cleaning people have a hard enough time cleaning our house biweekly- it’s a mess!! With kids, their activities and 2 parents working full time, it is hard enough for us to tidy before cleaning comes. SO, the entire area where the au pair ‘lives’, her room and the den area, are not cleaned by the cleaning people. I have always felt that their room is theirs, and they are entitled to their privacy. And, lastly the cost to me would be prohibitive!

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]]> By: Busy Mom http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-4989 Busy Mom Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:01:02 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-4989 Well said, My 2 Cents. I agree and have never had my cleaning service clean my au pair (and before than nanny's) room. They do clean the batroom because it is used by other guests. Well said, My 2 Cents. I agree and have never had my cleaning service clean my au pair (and before than nanny’s) room. They do clean the batroom because it is used by other guests.

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]]> By: aussie mum http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-4982 aussie mum Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:54:22 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-4982 Oh for goodness sakes!....I have an aupair because I need help....the thought of using the cleaning lady's time to clean up after the aupair is outrageous!....no wonder some of these girls turn out the way they do because they get mollie coddled. They are adults....they are quite capable of cleaning their own rooms and thus setting a good example for our children....if you pay your cleaning lady to clean your AP's room, sorry mums, but YOU HAVE CREATED YOUR OWN PRINCESS! Oh for goodness sakes!….I have an aupair because I need help….the thought of using the cleaning lady’s time to clean up after the aupair is outrageous!….no wonder some of these girls turn out the way they do because they get mollie coddled. They are adults….they are quite capable of cleaning their own rooms and thus setting a good example for our children….if you pay your cleaning lady to clean your AP’s room, sorry mums, but YOU HAVE CREATED YOUR OWN PRINCESS!

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]]> By: 'sota gal http://AuPairMom.com/if-you-have-a-housecleaner-does-she-clean-your-au-pairs-room/2009/12/14/celiaharquail/comment-page-1/#comment-4950 'sota gal Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:00:55 +0000 http://AuPairMom.com/?p=2284#comment-4950 Our cleaning service cleans our AP's bedroom and bathroom with no exceptions. The bathroom is also the guest bath and her bedroom and bathroom are down a private hall, it is still visible to our guests. I am also a huge neat freak...but I expect the same of my AP's that I do of myself and my kids. Beds made, things picked up, room tidy, no food/dishes in BR, tell me about spills on carpets ASAP. I also inspect on occasion to make sure that things aren't being damaged. Another reason for insisting that her room is tidy is that she will take our girls in there to hang out once in a while. The change of scenery is a great novelty when you have two cranky 3 year olds on your hands but not so great if they are tripping over/getting into all of your stuff. Our cleaning service cleans our AP’s bedroom and bathroom with no exceptions. The bathroom is also the guest bath and her bedroom and bathroom are down a private hall, it is still visible to our guests. I am also a huge neat freak…but I expect the same of my AP’s that I do of myself and my kids. Beds made, things picked up, room tidy, no food/dishes in BR, tell me about spills on carpets ASAP. I also inspect on occasion to make sure that things aren’t being damaged. Another reason for insisting that her room is tidy is that she will take our girls in there to hang out once in a while. The change of scenery is a great novelty when you have two cranky 3 year olds on your hands but not so great if they are tripping over/getting into all of your stuff.

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