All About Full-Time Maids

[omgmum]

And one more question: How do you make sure your maids stay sane? Let them watch TV? Let them read? Take them out with you most of the time?


I thought of getting a small TV for the maid to let her watch after she’s done for the day. Cos I don’t want to always take her out with us, and I want her to be able to relax at the end of the day as well. I’m more than willing to borrow books for them but am worried that like my current maid, the next one may not be into reading, or be very literate.

And anyone knows if there are any tagalog stations in singapore? My maid lost interest in the radio after a few days cos there are no tagalog stations.

[Rivevae]

Admummy:

oh yeah, forget to add on, when we confronted her about her \"vanity\" (i.e. changing clothes frequently)..she explained to us that the previous family she worked for is very concerned about appearances and will want her to look \"presentable\" wherever she is...so we put of message across that in Singapore it is different, T-shirt bermudas will do (unless going to special places) and only change once when bathe or dirty...from what i gathered the jakarta family that she work for could be someone reputable? no wonder she so good at table manner and can eat so elegantly...

Maids working for rich Indon family don't get to eat with the employers on the same table. Agree they need to look neat and presentable but not \"flowery/fashionable\". Make a trip to Taka and you will see them tagging behind well-groomed Indon family.

As for me, I make it very clear to my maid on what should be an appropriate dressing for the \"job\". No low collar or tight fitting mid waist shirt, no low waist pants and no nightgown while working (my friend used to have a maid that walks around in bright red translucent gown when the man of the household is at home. This maid has been stealing her sexy lingerie too). They can dress up in fashion by all means when they go out during off days but definitely not during work.

Bottomline, we need to be very explicit upfront with the maid or it'll be hard to manage them later on - no rule no chenghu (gov)

[kaka]

omgmum:

parents, need your input here. How often did you let your maids call home during the loan period? And how long each time? How much do you actually spend on their calls home?

Hi Omgmum, wah, you are very generous. My maid bears all expenses to call - whether friends or home. She said she bought a pre-paid card $18 that include some data usage, thus able to communicate with family through facebook. On her off day, which is once a month, she would go to internet cafe to skype with family, like $4/hr. She has never asked to use our home phone and I leave it as it is.

[Rivevae]

p.s. I hv transitioned frm looking for a capable maid to be happy to settle with one that has the right attitude and a good heart for my DS. Nevermind if she doesn’t cook well or slow or make mistake being absent-minded (like the one I hv now). No need flowery words to 3-ka me and my family. By looking at my DS’s joyful / emotionally-disturb look, I will know if I have a sincere maid or not. To me, that’s the most important of all to bring me peace.

[kaka]

omgmum:

And one more question: How do you make sure your maids stay sane? Let them watch TV? Let them read? Take them out with you most of the time?

For me, I really do nothing. Sometimes I saw her read newspaper, reader digest etc She sings to herself sometimes, switch on her handphone music when she is working at times, talk to my children (cos I dont really like to small talk with her). The only thing I am conscious of doing is to approve her off day whenever she wants, once a month. Oh, I gave her some cook books to read so she can learn to cook better for us and she is improving..

I think if your maid knows you are trying very hard, either she appreciates it or she can give you more attitutes problem

[verykiasu2010]

Funx3:

verykiasu2010:

eh, most of the maids are very good actresses too

Thought Only Mummies Will Comment on this aspect ....
Why U Say So?
Got Specific Incidents?

if you read backward a couple of pages you would realise how i recently packed off the maid balik kampong

[nms1]

omgmum:

parents, need your input here. How often did you let your maids call home during the loan period? And how long each time? How much do you actually spend on their calls home?


I bought a sim card for the maid and let her use about 5 to 6 times the first 2 weeks for sms as advised by the agent, and let her call back using prepaid card as well once a month. Too infrequent? At first I thought of letting her use it everyday after work but I realised that i would prob end up with a huge bill every month. So now it's sms every week, call once a month and once loan is over, she will pay her own bills every and will get her phone every day.

I told her that she can write back as frequently as she wants to, but apparently writing letters isn't in fashion anymore.

I've always had a transfer maid so I've never had to deal with this but I would say that a phone call once a week would be about right with a couple of SMSs in between. Alternatively you could decide how much you are willing to pay then give her a prepaid card to use as she wants; once it's finished she has to wait until the next month.

[nms1]

omgmum:

And one more question: How do you make sure your maids stay sane? Let them watch TV? Let them read? Take them out with you most of the time?


I thought of getting a small TV for the maid to let her watch after she's done for the day. Cos I don't want to always take her out with us, and I want her to be able to relax at the end of the day as well. I'm more than willing to borrow books for them but am worried that like my current maid, the next one may not be into reading, or be very literate.

And anyone knows if there are any tagalog stations in singapore? My maid lost interest in the radio after a few days cos there are no tagalog stations.

I don't do much to be honest! She has a radio in her room but she doesn't seem to listen to it much. She's usually on her hp in the evening. My previous maids used to read Tagalog romance novels which they seemed to share with their friends. She will read bits of the newspaper when she has a few spare minutes during the day and will sometimes sit with the children to watch TV for 5 or 10 minutes if I'm busy in the evening.

[Lynn2010]

Hi Admummy,

If i were you, i would put my foot down and sack her regardless what your hubby say. Tell your hubby that you are the one who needs assistance so he should leave it to you to decide if she is capable of helping you.
If your helper is already like that in the beginning, i do not think she is a good maid that can help you in the long run.
I learned from experience: Your new maid: set rules right from Day 1. On all my maids first day, I spend half hr to 1 hr to tell them MY RULES. Then i show them around my house. I tell them if they are not serious in working, i will not use them (means sack loh). In fact, during the interview, i would have told them this.
Eg. No handphone during the day until after they complete their work after 8pm or 9pm. I give them a timetable. These are just some examples.

[Breadandmuffins]

Hi omgmum

My maid gets to go downstairs with the kids everyday and it is where she mixed around and chit chat with other maids. At night, she also chats on hp (at her own expense) She knows the neighborhood more than me! I don’t bring her out often.I will bring out all four kids together sometimes to parks etc. We normally leave her at home to be away from the kids for a while to get some chores done at her own time.

on her off days, she has activities like sports competition once in a few months, also got some gatherings. That probably keep her going for so long.