All About Full-Time Maids

[nms1]

Notksmum:

hi all,


I am exploring setting a set of guidelines on mobile phone use for my helper. Anyone can share theirs? I listed the following categories in my draft now but still refining.

1. Purchase: To only purchase the make and model decided by us, the employers. [Objective: We do not wish for our helper to carry one with picture/video/smartphone functions to protect our privacy].

My view is that you don't really have the right to tell her what she can & can't buy. Yes, there are privacy concerns but there you just have to trust her.

2. Maintenance & Upkeep: To take care of the mobile phone at all times. Any repair or replacement cost/expense shall be borne entirely by her. To purchase top up cards at her own expense. [Objective: This is set so that it is clear she is not to come to us or ask us to pay for the repair or replacement phone. To send a clear signal that she also has to be clear that she is not to loan money from us to support her phone calls.]

Goes without saying. If she claims she has a true emergency & her card has run out then call her bluff and let her use the home phone

3. Use: To use only once a week and on off days. To surrender the phone to us for safekeeping after each use. [Objective: This is so she will not be distracted when taking care of our baby and to limt her use to once a week to call home is pretty reasonable; this is so that she will not be phone hogging at night making her suffering from sleep deprivation].

I think this is too extreme. She should be allowed to use it during her free time. If you want to take it away from her during the day you can try but she may just buy another phone. My maid has her phone all the time; she does send SMSs during the day but it is not excessive.I was stricter with my previous maids when the children were younger and needed closer supervision but I never held the phone.

Other Grave rules:
1. She is not to possess another mobile phone without our knowledge.
2. She is not to use the mobile phone to engage in any illegal activities or moonlighting.

If she breaks any of the grave rules, she will be sent home.

Any more rules I should add in? Appreciate the advice.

[POA Teacher]

Can me wicked, heartless, slave-driver or whatever.

But I find that some of you here really spoil your maids.
eg Why do you bring up questions about how much should you pay for the maid’s phone usage? For me the answer is Zero.
The FDW is using the phone for PERSONAL use, it’s not my responsibility to pay for her personal expenses.

My maid uses my land-line to make and receive calls to/ from her friends here. To call back home, she uses a card (which SHE buys)+ my line. When her relatives back home want to contact her, they usually call my hp (and hang up after it rings). Then she calls then.

[Notksmum]

hi all,


Thanks for contributing your different views. I have a slightly better idea how to manage this.

[dasalo]

Anna Ng:

There is no problem giving her a phone but based on her performance, my 2.5 years old son always sick , twice a month, lousy cooking, lousy housework etc... i don think she deserves to have a smartphone...

Strange, but it seems they are smart with smartphones but are never smart at what they are supposed to do. :gloomy:

[KSmom8]

dasalo:

Anna Ng:

There is no problem giving her a phone but based on her performance, my 2.5 years old son always sick , twice a month, lousy cooking, lousy housework etc... i don think she deserves to have a smartphone...

Strange, but it seems they are smart with smartphones but are never smart at what they are supposed to do. :gloomy:

:hi5: :goodpost:

[KSmom8]

When I fetch DS from kindergarten, I see maids chatting on the mobile and crossing the roads with the employers' children. At playgrounds, I see maids on phones, not paying any attention to the children that they are supposed to look after. :yikes:

[Coolkidsrock2]

This is the same for maids bringing kids to the swimming pools.


My mum witnessed a kid smashing into the wall when he lost control while scooting. The kid fell onto the ground, dazed. Maid was talking with her friends.

I had also witnessed a maid with a toddler in the supermarket trolley while she was looking at clothes. The supermarket is in a shopping complex so maid was window shopping after her marketing. Toddler was standing on the small foldable section while the maid was engrossed with putting pieces after pieces of cloths on herself and talking to her friends. It was so dangerous but not sure if the maid ever know it.

Handphones have widen their social circle at the expense of their work performance,

[st2]

This phone thing is like an addiction and we are trying ways and means to manage the maids/addicts…they would hide in the toilet, scheme etc…need to connect with the whole world all the time…

[moonee]

Notksmum:

hi all,


Thanks for contributing your different views. I have a slightly better idea how to manage this.

I feel that ur terms are very reasonable as there are maids that cant control themselves like mine and go on talking for hours. Well, like the saying goes different folks diffferent strokes so adjustments can be made depending on the responsibility and maturity of the maid.

[Notksmum]

hi all,


Thanks for the views. I may adjust the frequency of use if my maid shows maturity. I know there is no way not to provide a mobile phone because so many other maids out there have one. So what I am trying to do is to mitigate the risk as far as possible.

So far my maid is ok (maybe still under loan period). She does her work fast and takes gd care of DS (so far). One thing for sure is she do need to work for her family back home. Her financial committment is very high. We will see how things go. If really she goes errant, then send her home. Will not send to agent as I dont wanna pass to another employer.

haiz… its all abt LUCK.