Who just started having maid at home w kids without adults?

[snowman.022851697]

My mum leaves the maid to care for my sis during the day. We have a cctv but switched the lights off. She was never told about the cctv, but doesnt do odd things, except yakking on our HOUSE phone allllll day long, no wonderour 4 handsets always run outta battery… i do not trust maids, but my mum does… cctv is still nevertheless used… 1 in liv’g room and one in their bedroom. There used to be one in mine but i got annoyed as i didn’t like the feeling of being "spied" on - i found it in a secluded spot, and my maid doesn’ really go into my room so there’s no point… just wasting electricity bills…

[Swit Cuppies]

Hi…a newbie here…


I have a helper and i leave my 2 kids with her while my hubby and me goes out to work. I understand and aware that this is a tough decision to make but we have no choice as we both do not have any mums anymore and other siblings are already so tied up with their own family. Called my home a few times a day to make all is well. The only thing we learn to make her keep on her toes is that we never inform her when we are coming home, when we are on leave, and others… If she knows the timing and our schedule, she will slack in between and god knows what will happen at home

[thinking]

Hi Swit Cuppies


How old are your kids?

[hquek]

Swit Cuppies:

The only thing we learn to make her keep on her toes is that we never inform her when we are coming home, when we are on leave, and others.. If she knows the timing and our schedule, she will slack in between and god knows what will happen at home

oh don't bank on that. Very soon, she'll learn to read your cues (like when you discuss holiday plans), and also learn your habits (what time to what time safe).

But yes, as much as possible keep her in the dark. I honestly don't see why she has to know so much.

[DesertWind]

I did. Recently my maid told me she left the stove fire on and rushed off to fetch my kid from school. Almost there than remembered she did not switch off the fire! Yikes! Quickly fetch and rushed back thank goodness there was no fire, only the pot was burnt!


When she told me, I said good thing she decided to tell me otherwise I would have thought everything was OK and that she can do no wrong. But actually she may be keeping a lot of things from me.

If possible, do not leave your kids alone with a maid.
:celebrate:

[Swit Cuppies]

thinking:

Hi Swit Cuppies


How old are your kids?

My kids are 3 and 2 yrs old..

[Swit Cuppies]

hquek:

Swit Cuppies:

The only thing we learn to make her keep on her toes is that we never inform her when we are coming home, when we are on leave, and others.. If she knows the timing and our schedule, she will slack in between and god knows what will happen at home

oh don't bank on that. Very soon, she'll learn to read your cues (like when you discuss holiday plans), and also learn your habits (what time to what time safe).

But yes, as much as possible keep her in the dark. I honestly don't see why she has to know so much.

lol..its so so true..
But as my hubby's work schedule is hectic so he pops back home as and when he likes
Hence due to that she is unable to keep track of it..

[janet88]

Maids have to be kept in the dark, so that they cannot plan anything. But they are an intelligent lot…after a while, they will roughly know.

They are DOMESTIC maids & absolutely have no need to know so much. Oh yes, don’t tell your kids either bcos maids are good at extracting info from them, esp the younger ones.

[zhizunbao]

mrswongtuition:

thinking:

Hi Mrs Wong


How much does a CCTV cost? How does it work?Do you let your maid know that u have CCTV?
My boys are in lower primary. And I'm getting ready to go back to working life....

There are many different types and price depends on what you want.

You can get cheap internet cameras which work with your wireless internet system at home for viewing from office but downside is there's no recording unless you record on your computer (need to leave it on). Price range from $200 - 600 per camera. Recommended brand: D-Link.

Or you can get those proper CCTV with recording function. Cheap sets from China can cost around $600 (with 2 camera and installation). From Korea it's more reliable but slightly more expensive. My hubs is selling these machines so we know which are good and which are not These might require some cable works, depending on where you want to install them.
You can choose pure recording only or you can choose those with internet viewing (newest model is iPhone compatible). Mostly go by motion sensor (only record when motion detected).

I do not let the maids know that there's CCTV. The CCTV was in 3 main areas: Kitchen, Living/Dining Room, Bedroom (my son's - mine's locked). We did remind them NOT to change in the bedroom. Only can change in the toilet.

My current maid is very good, so we installed it to watch the main door only.
My previous maid, the CCTV caught her stealing food & money. & she accused us of abuse when we sent her back to agency (she ran off with help from other maids to go to embassy). Embassy called us to investigate and we had ready proof - CCTV footage of her wrong doings & footage of normal daily life at home.

I have friends who install and they switch it off once they are home for privacy. It's up to you. I'm too lazy to do that so we leave it running 24/7.

HI Ms Wong,
I'm thinking to install camera at home before maid coming. As we are out for work at day and kid in childcare and only maid at home, occasionally will let kid stay at home when sick. We'll inform main about CCTV as we only need them to deter maid's misconduct. We guess recording is important and real time internet viewing is optional (but don't mind if insignificant price difference).Any recommendation? Thanks

[peapot]

Actually I m one of those who leave my gal to the maid since she was 8mths old. Now my gal is 8 and still cared for by maid without any adult at home. No-inlaws and my parents too old to care for my gal so no choice. IT’s really heng suai, I guess.

During these years I have changed 4maids.

I have installed CCTV at home so perhaps it could have help. A good maid would be very concerned that there is a CCTV at home but a lousy maid doesn’t care if there are 10 cameras around.

I think it really depends on yourself whether "ne fan de xia ma" and also whether circumstances force you to take this route.