All About Life Without Maids

[Picolo]

Hi all,


I'm very glad to chance upon this thread! It gives me inspirations to go without a maid, probably after 4 years. My 3 kids are in lower pri and k1, and I need to work, drive some of them to schools, buy groceries, drive kids to attend swimming & piano lessons.. so it is not easy to cope without someone to do the housework and the cooking. However, I enjoy bringing the kids out (for a swim, picnic, science ctr, etc) on my own, without the maid. It's so much better for bonding, and much more fun.
:love:

[b2b3m4]

I have 3 kids, 1, 4 and 6yr and i must say i totally enjoy the times without a maid. I have gone maidless ever since i was preggy with the 3rd one. Life was tough initially esp trying to cope with 2 young tods, pregnancy then new born. It is a lot beta now. The youngest can walk on her own and play with the sisters.

Ya, my tods are required to put away their toys, plates, clothes etc. They dress themselves and comb, tie their hair in the morning. The older ones will always help to care for the younger ones like help the youngest to wear her shoes, the oldest will help the middle one to tie her hair. I still need to nag everyday to get them to pack off their dirty laundry, pack their toys and bags.
However, their teacher feedback that they are very well behaved and helpful children. I’m just so glad that i sent the maids off packing.
Yes, life is quite hectic, esp for a kiasu mum who puts her children in many clasees. But one just have to find a comfort level for everybody. E.g neatness at home, time for relaxation, energy to do cook and chores.

[Luanee]

Yeah I can join this club too!!


Got a full time maid since 7yrs ago when dd1 was 1yo. After changing a few along the years, finally decided to do without one when the last 3 gave so much problems.

I am a FTWM with 8yo and 3yo dds currently. Adjusting to life without a maid is not that bad since my dds usually stick with us rather than the maids whenever we are around anyway. Just have to close one eye with regards to housework haha.. Must also add points to DH for helping quite a lot

[Lucianna]

Hi Hi,


Recently i sacked my maid (too many problems with new & ex-spore maids, new maid normally think that they come here for holiday, old maid will think they are smart). Been having maid for the past few years.. life w/o a maid really terrible. House in the mess but im used to it after 3weeks. Everyday rushing back juz to get dinner for my P4 son. Only weekend i can mop n sweep the floor. Every two days i will wash & iron our clothes.

In fact w/o maid is sooo good. So many privacy. As long as u dont mind hse in d mess shld b alrite.

We, working mum shld learn how to bear wif it, i believed one day we will be able to make it! Is a matter of time to adjust.

WE CAN MAKE IT! yeah yeah!

Cheers!

NatTif Mummy:

Hi all,
Thanks for suggestions & concern. My gals are 13 & 10, both very pampered by the maid for the past yrs. I am slowly adjusting, organising, planning & fastening my pace. Right now, I want to go thru this 'withdrawal syndrome' phase first by oursleves before considering of tingkat meal & part time maid. All of us at home need to be more independent & responsible, that's one reason why I am not hiring another.

[wildboys]

It's almost a year since we went maidless. :celebrate: With two preschoolers at home, it's inevitable have to close many eyes to some of the mess. It's almost a one-woman show for me because many times my in law and my hb still think there is a maid at home (yah, the maid is me, somemore is free). finish the last piece of food and just leave the the empty wrapper or container on the table?? :x :x :x BUT, I still prefer to be maidless! I have learnt how to manage a household in more effective ways and also cooked much much better nowdays. Plus. no way for me to handle BOTH in law and maid problems at home!!! Downside is becoming more aunty too.

[MintyMin]

I wan to go maidless soon too…


After reading frm the 1st post to the very recent one, all the more am determine not to have anymore maid after my current (getting bolder as if she is employer, sigh).

I have 3 kids, 5, 3 & 1yr, am a FTWM with a DH tat refuse to help out wif housewrk or kids, if he does… i guess it will be consider SPECIAL… sigh…

My 2 olders kids r in Full Day childcare juz next blk, and currently my maid is at hm wif my younger together wif mum visiting occasionally to spot check maid…

Mum does the marketing everyday, coz she prefer freshness of food for my kids… N i do marketing on saturdays/sundays…

wonder hw possible is it for me to b maidless, if i haf a DH who totally waits to b served… guess he is my biggest challenge.

As for my kids, they are quite gd at keeping toys after play esp my DD1, though he grumbles if sisters doesnt want to keep, but still help me to do so…

N all the gadgets you ppl get r super ex… wonder when i can afford since am in financial woes…

Like is sad… but i hope to make the best out of it n have wonderful life wif my kids w/o maid who gossips, give black face n haf time to read newspapers n no time to give me a fully clean hm…

[nonKiasu]

celtricia:

I wan to go maidless soon too..


After reading frm the 1st post to the very recent one, all the more am determine not to have anymore maid after my current (getting bolder as if she is employer, sigh).

I have 3 kids, 5, 3 & 1yr, am a FTWM with a DH tat refuse to help out wif housewrk or kids, if he does.. i guess it will be consider SPECIAL.. sigh..

My 2 olders kids r in Full Day childcare juz next blk, and currently my maid is at hm wif my younger together wif mum visiting occasionally to spot check maid..

Mum does the marketing everyday, coz she prefer freshness of food for my kids.. N i do marketing on saturdays/sundays..

wonder hw possible is it for me to b maidless, if i haf a DH who totally waits to b served.. guess he is my biggest challenge.

As for my kids, they are quite gd at keeping toys after play esp my DD1, though he grumbles if sisters doesnt want to keep, but still help me to do so..

N all the gadgets you ppl get r super ex.. wonder when i can afford since am in financial woes..

Like is sad.. but i hope to make the best out of it n have wonderful life wif my kids w/o maid who gossips, give black face n haf time to read newspapers n no time to give me a fully clean hm...

Your DH is exactly like mine! So frust. My DH don't even wash his own cup! Employing maid is more of serving him than helping me bec maid's problem is my problem! So my long term strategy is to train my DSs to do housework. The good thing abt childcare is that they really train our kids to do everything themselves and we just need to add on. My 5-yr old triplets can wash their own dishes. In the evening, DSs help me to mop the floor. I squeeze the mop and they have fun walking around with the mop. Yes, I make it a fun time and limit it to only 20 min. If too long, it will not be fun anymore. With an irobot to vacuum in the morning while DSs is in kindergarten, my floor is deem clean whole day. As for laundry, I need to collect only my DH ones which can be anywhere in the house! Furst! I do the laundry after DSs go to bed at 8pm and collect them from the bamboo only next evening when we need to bathe. So don't time and effort to fold the clothes, towel, etc. I don't iron any clothes bec only my DH's office clothes need to be iron and I am not his maid. So, celtricia, it may be possible if we close both eyes on our DHs mess. I sometimes ask my DSs to nag at their daddy or better still, clear the mess of their daddy e.g wash the cup.
The initial weeks w/o maid is tough but will get use to it soon. In fact, before my maid left, just thinking abt life w/o maid is scary since I have maid for 5 good years. But in the end, what I enjoy is privacy.
All the best in trying out without a maid

[janet88]

My hubby is the one who manages the finances. Having a maid = levy + salary + food + 6 months doc checkup.


If the maid does what she is employed to do, I believe any employer would continue to have a maid, but if she shows black face, has an attitude problem, tells lies and gives problems, why should we have to pay so much to have a maid ?

I can’t afford to have a maid, bcos I can’t afford to feed her. With my last Filipino maid, she ate so much rice that I have to buy a cheaper brand. Now that we don’t have a maid, my PUB bill has dropped as well as my grocery expenditure. My hubby also helps out with the household chores, the kids and we don’t quarrel over a maid (the maid gives problems and I get stressed etc etc etc).

[nonKiasu]

janet_lee88:

My hubby is the one who manages the finances. Having a maid = levy + salary + food + 6 months doc checkup.


If the maid does what she is employed to do, I believe any employer would continue to have a maid, but if she shows black face, has an attitude problem, tells lies and gives problems, why should we have to pay so much to have a maid ?

I can't afford to have a maid, bcos I can't afford to feed her. With my last Filipino maid, she ate so much rice that I have to buy a cheaper brand. Now that we don't have a maid, my PUB bill has dropped as well as my grocery expenditure. My hubby also helps out with the household chores, the kids and we don't quarrel over a maid (the maid gives problems and I get stressed etc etc etc).

Ha, ha. Same here. We bought 25kg rice, giant brand! Now, we can eat organic brown rice (2kg) on alternate days.
Yes, I also got stress up from maid, driving me crazy. Yes, they are ex partly bec I may need to pay for my own mental treatment if things continue in this way.

[MintyMin]

nonKiasu:

Your DH is exactly like mine! So frust. My DH don't even wash his own cup! Employing maid is more of serving him than helping me bec maid's problem is my problem! So my long term strategy is to train my DSs to do housework. The good thing abt childcare is that they really train our kids to do everything themselves and we just need to add on. My 5-yr old triplets can wash their own dishes. In the evening, DSs help me to mop the floor. I squeeze the mop and they have fun walking around with the mop. Yes, I make it a fun time and limit it to only 20 min. If too long, it will not be fun anymore. With an irobot to vacuum in the morning while DSs is in kindergarten, my floor is deem clean whole day. As for laundry, I need to collect only my DH ones which can be anywhere in the house! Furst! I do the laundry after DSs go to bed at 8pm and collect them from the bamboo only next evening when we need to bathe. So don't time and effort to fold the clothes, towel, etc. I don't iron any clothes bec only my DH's office clothes need to be iron and I am not his maid. So, celtricia, it may be possible if we close both eyes on our DHs mess. I sometimes ask my DSs to nag at their daddy or better still, clear the mess of their daddy e.g wash the cup.

The initial weeks w/o maid is tough but will get use to it soon. In fact, before my maid left, just thinking abt life w/o maid is scary since I have maid for 5 good years. But in the end, what I enjoy is privacy.
All the best in trying out without a maid

nonKiasu, ya manz.. my DH clothes is everywhere too... tings he take, he'll juz leave it where he last is.. seriously can't stand it.. My son who is same age as ur DSs loves to use the small vacuum to vacuum the flr whenever he sees dirts, hair, crumbs.

Once my youngest reached 18mths, i'll have my maid to go, whh is in august. I can't wait. Though my mum n aunts told me to reconsider as it will be huge amount of wrk if am gg to be still wrking n wif no maid, to do all the hsewrk by myself will tired me out.. whh b4 i read all the postings in this thread, i seriously doubt if am capable..

HEre will b the place where i will find all motivation and encouragement to go maidless n haf a clean n tidy home..