All About Full-Time Maids

[nms1]

Anna Ng:

To be honest, I don like my new maid and to the extent I no wish to talk to her. Basically, her attitude is not bad, willing to learn, housework quite good, take care of my children - above average, cooking skill – very lousy but I still got to eat and “can eat”, Hygiene – use spoon and no folk, so she used hand, already talked to her few times and she keeps on forget, these few days did not eat together so not sure whether she remember or not. The stressful part is regarding “packing”. She got to pack stuffs for my elder and second to childcare centre or school, like towel, water bottle, uniform etc, pack my breast pump so that I can use it during office day. She also got to remember when is my children’s tuition, piano, ballet classes and bring the children there (all nearby only). I have made a table for her, what to pack, tuition venue, tuition time etc and she keep on forget. So, every day when I go home, I still need to check their bag and my bag to make sure all the stuffs are inside. So far I think only 1 or 2 days she did the correct packing.

Last week I did told her no need to prepare my breakfast on Mon, Wed and Fri as I am going to office very early, she forgot and every day the breakfast still on my table. Yesterday I told her to cook potato with chicken, but when I went back home, she cooked veggie with chicken. Then the standards answer “maam, sorry I forgot!”
I am so stress as every day I got to nag nag nag and remind her what to do next day “tomorrow need to change bedsheet”, “tomorrow hand wash sir’s clothes”, “ tomorrow ---“, “tomorrow ---“,
Any suggestion?

It sounds like she has a lot to remember and maybe isn't used to being so organised.

I would suggest that to start off with you give her a timetable for everything so that she knows what her daily tasks are then what housework needs to be done each day e.g. Monday- change bedsheets, Tues - clean bathroom, Wed - change towels etc. Include the times that the children need to leave/be picked up etc if relevant. It's a pain to do as it will take you some time to list down everything but then she has no excuse and it will all be clear. We all forget things sometimes so try to make it as easy as possible for her.

[Anna Ng]

i got timetable for her as i know it’s not easy to remember all this things especially she is new maid in Singapore. But seem like not working. I am trying to close one eye, however this forgetful affected me as i need to back up her like double checking what she did. Furthermore my 1 year old boy still yet to accepted her so he will stick on me when i am at home. It’s ok as this is mother job to play and take care of our children, but i need a helping hand for housework and others as i only have 1-2 hours at night with the children only.

Intend to talk to her and seem any improvement.

[TheKiasu]

Maids, they land you a whole lot of trouble if you don’t treat them well.


But also must be strict if needed, so that they will work hard and not slack.

THey also need off times, and rest, so I think should have proper rest for them in the night at least 1 - 2 hours without disturbing them at all after they finish the housework basically.

Can get them some books, magazines to read in those spare times. They are humans too, need rest and care.

[Peace Charlie]

I gave my 1 mth old maid every sat to use her hp for 2 hrs, fri n sat my kids slept wif us. n yet she still gave me attitude… I told her nicely that things have to be done the way i want as there’s a reason for all these stuff yet she made me repeated five to six times n ask me to listen to her… What would u gals do? she like to do chores half way n leave it when u ask her she say she’s doing it halfway n yet leave till u remind her several times till i have to yell then she’ll get it all done…is she testing my patience…now agent say give them one week they will look for a replacement for me since last week have not heard any news…they told d maid to wait for 1 week she can go back to the agent n yet silly maid thinks 1 week will go back how can normally it takes 3 wks for a new maid to come…really problematic …thinks its so fun changing employer…b4 i could reject her she reject us should fine them not us our $$$ flies away jus like tat…so MAD!

[peapot]

my maid is not renewing her contract. So I m out looking for a new maid. Any recommendation of a reliable maid agency that don’t charged an arm and a leg?

[Anna Ng]

Yesterday we gave feedback and review to my maid and I told her directly that we not satisfy with her. This morning when I wake up I can saw my house was tidier up and organized. She was preparing breakfast, then I told her we are going out for breakfast no need to prepare, she replied that baby is sleeping (baby sleep with me and I only pass to us when he wake up around 7am) so she preparing lunch. Then I said I just wake up not even have breakfast if u cook now then all the dishes will turn cold. So I asked her to prepare like cut, slide etc but don cook first. Guess what? After I came back fr church around 12.30pm, she already cook dinner as she claimed that “baby is sleeping” so she faster do whatever she needs to do. What can I say? I guess “stone” is still “stone”.

[peapot]

Anna, I think your maid does not have any experience that’s why she is doing all the wrong things at the wrong time. That’s why experience counts.

[Anna Ng]

peapot: i guess you r right and hope u r right too. We are willing to give her a chance as overall her attitude is consider good. We need to hasten up her learning process as time not at our side. Yesterday we commented that her cooking is lousy and we cannot believe that she is mother of 3, she admitted that normally her hubby is the one who cooks at home (more good life than me). By chance my hubby meet the agent just now, the agent asked us to bring her back to agency and they will talk to her. How your think? i worry we overdo and she may feel more stress.

[Anna Ng]

peapot:

my maid is not renewing her contract. So I m out looking for a new maid. Any recommendation of a reliable maid agency that don't charged an arm and a leg?

Dear Peapot, i won say my agent is good but just share my exp. My 2nd maid worked for me for a week then requested to transfer. By right (the contract we signed), we suppose to pay $10/day lodging fee, but the agent wavied (of course upon request, not auto one). We paid extra $100 for my second maid as she is experience maid, the agent also refund to us. We also requested to waive $40 work permit fee for my 3rd maid but not sucessful.

[The Little Cheng Mommy]

My helper had her off day yesterday and she came back at 10+ pm! She’s been with us for half a year and she knows that we expect her to be home by 9pm on off days. She went out with my mom’s helper, who was able to reach home at 8pm from Lucky Plaza to Bukit Panjang. Mine claimed that she ‘took the wrong train’ which caused her to take 2hr+ to reach home (Orchard to Tiong Bahru). The best part was, I called her on her mobile when she was at Outram Park station & expected her to reach home in 15 mins. She had the cheek to still buy Mac fries (for snacks) and reached 30 mins later. She’s really testing our limits. She had 2 previous employers, but she claimed work was too hectic for her so she left. We signed her as we urgently needed an experience maid to replace our then Indonesian one (who claimed to work in Saudi for 3 years but didnt even know how to wipe table properly and can’t speak English despite teaching her for 4 months). Our house so small, we seldom cook, the place is dusty I also close one eye since her main duty is to look aft my sons (baby sleeps with her on some nights) and light cleaning (in fact I have to always clean after her). Most of the week she and baby go to my MIL house (there’s also a helper there. My mil says she goes there like guest like that, people cook lunch/dinner for her, she reads newspaper, watch TV). I’m also always home to look after the kids so she can do housework. She doesn’t need to wash car. No need to clean windows. Never even ask her to clean the fridge (to preserve my frozen breastmilk better). Like that still wants to push our limits. Recently I also feel that whenever I’m near her, she’ll always make sounds like having flu or touching her head as if feeling unwell. 1.5 week finish one packet of 3-in-1 Nescafe (30 sticks). I drink 1 cup/day, she drinks 2-3 cups/day.


When she first started work, we told her she can use phone, but only at night after work and must let us know once she buys a phone. She secretly got one and tried to hide it from us. I kept quiet for a month even though I saw her using. But the last draws were when I find her constantly sms-ing while holding the phone DIRECTLY ON TOP of my son’s head. Then when she saw me walking into living room, she tried to hide it by placing it ON my SON’S HEAD and used her hands to cover the phone. I told her phones are BAD for infants with all the radiation and stuff. I told her to use the phone only after she put my son in the cot not when carrying him.
I can’t understand why all these helpers these days are like this. They come here like for holidays like that . My first maid really doted on my 1st borne and cleaned very well, but was always on the phone NON-STOP day and past mid-night. So we didn’t re-contract her. When we are lenient to them, they just like to take us for granted. Sometimes I feel that my current maid thinks we can’t go on without her as she used to be the only one who could feed my baby (he could only be dream fed). Yesterday my hubby hinted to her that we can cope even without her. And today, as I’m writing now, I do feel that my bedroom is slightly tidier then it normally is. Or maybe it’s just my imagination? Haha.