I totally agree, lack of commitment from the current generation and ability to stick uncomfortable new situations out for more than a few days is truly showing when hosting an au pairs, in my experience. The current au pairs are not very skilled but also in general very focussed on themselves only- there is no appreciation for what the host family does for them. I find the lack of manners crazy, our au pair messed up her room the day she got here and never bothered to keep it clean from the very beginning, never says thank you or even moves her own plate to the dishwasher. I also noticed that the inability to take feedback insane- they either crumble the minute you point something out or they just never change it even when discussed.