All About Life Without Maids

[2ppaamm]

clarabella:

I enjoyed reading this thread. We have many indefatigable parents here!

:salute:

We don't have a maid either. In fact we've never had one and by now we're frightened by the amount of energy it takes to find a good one... Initially we had no choice; we were working/studying overseas when our two older kids were very young; couldn't afford domestic help. We got so used to doing everything ourselves, plus we're both very picky people - I'm sure any maid would be driven nuts by my demands!

Anyway, our solution: get EVERYONE to help out. With three kids and 8000 sq feet to take care of, I'd die of exhaustion if I have to do everything myself.
I'm very lazy by nature, so my first basic rule is: everyone has to tidy/pack up whenever they're done with something. Don't start accumulating clutter in the first place, it is painful to have to clean, then maintain. So we don't leave newspapers, books, toys etc lying around the house. We clear the dining table immediately when done with meals and don't wait to wash up.

It's not difficult to cultivate the habit with young children; you just have to be consistent in showing them where to keep, and in reinforcing the habit. Even when our kids were babies, we taught them to keep their toys away when done, by showing them where to drop their balls/blocks/etc in the respective storage boxes. When they were toddling around, we pasted photographs of the various types of toys on the boxes, so they knew where to go. I think the key is to make sure you have sufficient storage space that is accessible.

I'm very kiam-siap too so cannot bear to purchase iRobots or a dishwasher. So other than a washer and a dryer (which I cannot live without), we don't have other fun gadgets, hehe. We get the kids to make their beds, vaccum and mop their own rooms, do their own laundry, help with dishes, clean their own bathrooms (gotta supervise though) and take turns with the common areas. Sometimes we even all cook together; everyone is in charge of something: washing rice and vegs, cracking eggs, etc etc. Aiyoh, I think we're like an assembly line!

One thing for sure, Clarabelle, your kids will grow up to be great! I wished I had that vision earlier. My kids could not even walk over the table and get a drink when we had helpers! Ridiculous!

Yep, now I do a lot of what you shared. Much tougher than just looking to the maid to clean stuff up. But I know this is life skills that will benefit them for a long, long time. :udawoman:

[pineapple tarts]

I am a FTWM with 2 primary school children. I dimissed my maid prematurally & was left without one for 2 months. I have to wake up at 5a.m. to cook lunch, tingkat dinner & do housework. By the time i sit down it is already 11:30p.m.... I really aged a lot thot the good thing is I shed 5kgs. I have to admit that I cannot live without one, at least for now. :stupid: With all the maid nonsense, I pray for soonest maidless day

[flim]

i'm a sahm mom with 1 girl. we have been maidless since may last year and so far so good, thanks to my irobot... until i fractured my foot in nov.


thank goodness my mom is a sahm too, so i flew her fr indonesia to help me out i'm so blessed i still have a mom who can help me although she doesn't live in sgp.

i try to lighten the load for my mom by arranging for a part-time helper to come weekly to help out with cleaning bathrooms, fans, ironing, vacuuming etc. the helper is actually a husband and wife 'team'. they work for 2 hrs for $60. before this, i tried engaging another help, a lady, who worked for 4 hrs for $40, but i find that the husband/wife helper can complete more work than her. do lemme know if you guys need their contact.

[sleepy]

flim:

i'm a sahm mom with 1 girl. we have been maidless since may last year and so far so good, thanks to my irobot...

yes yes, irobot is a wonderful invention, indispensable!

I've not employed a maid before. Used to have a part time cleaner lady to help out with ironing & mopping when kids were much younger. Now I expect everyone to chip in to help. Always tell my kids I'm 'mummy your highness', not mummy the maid, don't expect me to do everything. I get very irriated when they demand me to do simple task like take the cake out from the fridge :x Why can't you do it yourself??!!

[mathsparks]

2ppaamm:

Hm... do you have pets?


I think for your case, mathsparks, go get a part timer. Where do you stay? I may be able to get mine to hop over, I've only used her once, so not sure she's good or not. I think you've got to enjoy rather than slog to keep clean...

Only a terrapin...but it belongs to my girl.so that's her job. Will seek help here again for part-timers if I can finally bear to let my helper go. Not that, I'm that close to her, just that I cant bear to do all those housework.

Thanks for the offer.

[3Boys]

Respect from me ladies! Full marks! :salute:


I think about life w/o a maid now and it sends a shiver down my spine. Thankfully my present one (1st and only) still quite ok, shudder the day she turns bad-apple....

[2ppaamm]

flim:

i'm a sahm mom with 1 girl. we have been maidless since may last year and so far so good, thanks to my irobot... until i fractured my foot in nov.


thank goodness my mom is a sahm too, so i flew her fr indonesia to help me out i'm so blessed i still have a mom who can help me although she doesn't live in sgp.

i try to lighten the load for my mom by arranging for a part-time helper to come weekly to help out with cleaning bathrooms, fans, ironing, vacuuming etc. the helper is actually a husband and wife 'team'. they work for 2 hrs for $60. before this, i tried engaging another help, a lady, who worked for 4 hrs for $40, but i find that the husband/wife helper can complete more work than her. do lemme know if you guys need their contact.

Yes, I would like to know about this couple. I need someone to clean my windows and change the bedsheets. Preferably someone really strong!

[Joy]

I am able to cope with housework when everything is structure.However, when there is sudden disrupt in schedule, as in something unusaul pop up, I go hay wire…any advice how to cope when such situation arise?thanks

[2ppaamm]

Joy:

I am able to cope with housework when everything is structure.However, when there is sudden disrupt in schedule, as in something unusaul pop up, I go hay wire...any advice how to cope when such situation arise?thanks

If the hay wire is nothing serious, then let it lapse. I'd prioritize and do what is important - priority is always kids. House cleanliness, plants, animals even friends etc can wait.

[Joy]

Today my schedule goes hay wire as dd makes me waited one hour outside her school as she conveniently not telling me that she is going to stay back in school to decorate her classroom.I plan to pick her up at a certain time and also the schedule for the whole day and she disrupted my day by making me looking for her round and round the school area.

2ppaamm:

Joy:

I am able to cope with housework when everything is structure.However, when there is sudden disrupt in schedule, as in something unusaul pop up, I go hay wire...any advice how to cope when such situation arise?thanks

If the hay wire is nothing serious, then let it lapse. I'd prioritize and do what is important - priority is always kids. House cleanliness, plants, animals even friends etc can wait.