cool_hi:

pirate:

[quote=\"st2\"]pirate,



If housework and taking care of old folks and children full time were so easy, there would be more stay at home moms or dads than dual income families where at least one spouse only earns enough for a net gain of less than $500 per month after factoring in the expenses of employing a FDW, childcare, transport to and from work and lunch money.

Kindly do spare a thought for such families+mummies, who are working very hard for that net gain of less than $500, their net gain may be just $500 now..but by hanging on to that job and at same time managing kids, their studis, household & problematic maid, they can try to work hard for a promotion with pay rise?? for a year end bonus??
IT MAY NOT be because they don't want to face and handle their own kids...seriously, I find it insulting to these mummies, to say something like this..
also, they may have to hang on to their jobs, hoping that when kids are older, and can look after themselves, they can stop relying on domestic helpers and still have a job to support their families??by then, the NET gain will not be just $500 per month!! but if they were quit their jobs now and be SAHM for say 5years, they most likely will have a lot of problems finding a job, plus suffer lots of pay cut, due to long periods of not working!!!?

Like for me, my eldest child is only p3, but I now have no choice but to 'force' her to grow up and stay at home ALONE for a number of hours, before I rush home..if she is younger,like p1, this option is not possible at all!

As for respect, I believe majority employers do have for their helpers..
But respect also has to be earned..
For e.g., I respect all colleagues at workplace..but comparatively, I will respect a coffee auntie more, whose job may be simple but she does her role and responsibilities diligently, keep pantry clean, provide nice coffee for everyone..compared to a fellow colleague who laze on her job, does not follow up on her job and leave loads of shit for other colleagues to clear..
I would respect the coffee auntie more..
I let my helper go back for 1 week,3rd time in 15mths! This time, her reason is, she wants to attend her church's 100th year anniversary celebration:) Many friends were surprised that I acceded to her request as they found her reasons lame..I just smiled at their reactions:)
I RESPECTED my helper, I RESPECTED her reason as a SISTER in CHRIST..
I did not question her further, just choose to trust her..
But she did not come back as promised..
I still RESPECT her decision..though it led us to weeks of urgent problems, till now..

As for work load, ever since years ago(10years? 20 years?), hasn't it been more or less the same? why now complain??
& for now,it's much easier for some of them, coz some parents like my cousin(couple both in US banks), who has the means, also send both young kids to infantcare, helper only does housework..minimal/no cooking...have off days, high pay..good life enough?? yet, been changing maids every 6mths,coz the 'free' /'easy' life is not appreciated, end up, have bgr problems!! invite men to employers house when no one at home in day time..
sigh..many many other real life examples, will not go into them...

some like to compare their welfare to normal work condition huh?
ok, when we get a job offer to go overseas, if the pay is lower than working in s'pore, we won't accept right??
then if we do accept and go over, leaving our family behind, after 1-3 days, can we shed some tears and tell our company, 'sorry, I miss my kids so much that I have to quit this job..but thanks for your kind offer..pls book and pay for my air ticket home tomorrow!! oh ya!! no ..I don't owe your company any monetary compensation..& I don't owe u any words of apology..'
Can any company accept this??
If have, please tell me..I 1st one to apply, since can get higher pay,but just anyhow try try with no real cost/responsibility..
MY point is: no matter who the person is, what job he/she does, even a cleaning lady at foodcourt, I also respect and thank them and also remind my kids to thank them, as their job allow us to have a clean table to enjoy our meals..thus, even if is just a manual job, the key criteria is responsibility..
U know what are your job responsibilities, u accept the job, u do it with responsibility, u earn respect..no matter what job u hold..
No boss promised a bed of roses..
It is not right to come with a mentality, just to try your luck to see whether u strike jackport, and land in a family with little or no work to do & get paid..

I took a long time to think whether to post this..but thought I need to speak up for some mummies here..& bring out certain point of views which some mummies whom actually NOT employing any domestic helper AT ALL, and yet keep siding them :? not prick by same needle, u don't know the pain!!

This will be my last post on this topic..especially SA1 is coming, & my child's form teacher is on 1 month MC! All 3 subjects been taught by relief teachers(3rd relief teacher now!), & my helper chose this time to 'play' us out, really bad timing!! but I don't blame her..she has her right to make her choice..I RESPECT her choice and still thank her for her past 3yrs+ help..
hope we survive through SA1

(NB: I am NOT an employer who met with errant domestic helper..
my 1st is Indo, stole $ after 8mths, 2nd mynmar work 2years, 3rd(last) mynmar 3.5yr, count myself lucky actually..but decided to go maidless as I don't dare to employ as I don't think I will be so lucky anymore..it is a big big gamble to employ !! worse case scenario, I will stop work, though my monthly NET GAIN is much more than $500...)

Hope no flaming..Even if there is, I will not respond anymore..
especially, this topic of employing domestic helper does not concern me anymore..
& I have other more important & urgent matters to attend to-SA1 exam, amidst my job, household chores etc etc ..

All the Best to All mummies who been working hard for their kiddos and families! Jia You!
(oh ya! If I totally stop work and be SAHM, if I still remember, I will try to update here, whether I can cope/how I cope/whether I enjoy my role etc, after 6months into a cleaner-cum-chef-teacher-cum-discipline mistress-cum-whatsoever role:)[/quote]All I can say is... :goodpost: I think you brought up some key and important points.

All the best ya... If you need any assistance in school work, can always pm me. Jia you Jia you.

12mum:

pirate:

In my opinion, one FDW is not enough manpower to do all the housework, and take care of old folks and/or young children full time.

FDWs deserve no less respect than anybody else. :salute:

This I totally agree with you.

I totally agree with you on these points too. I suppose the whole issue arises because the landscape has shifted tremendously where nowadays, some FDW may have advantage of the ease of transfer to different employers to test out different employers until they are very satisfied, plus agents being able to profit from the transfer exercise as they earn new agency/admin fees.

Like what I have mentioned, with great power comes great responsibilities. In other words, with more liberty given by employers, FDW should also exercise more self control. Like for example, went down to pick girl from school bus but end up using the handphone until she forgets to pick my daughter from her school bus should be a 'no-no' as it does posed safety issue... What if my young girl is picked up by other people? Chat on the hp (although using hands free gadgets) while cooking, chat on the hp until past midnight everyday, etc. i don't control, but I do hope my FDW do exercise some form of self control.
:please:

I have been reading the posts here... Sad to say, employers are now left at the mercy of maids and employment agencies.


Yes, to ensure that the bad bugs do not get passed to other employers, the right thing to do is to send the maid back home for those with bad attitude and lousy track records. However, for those with outstanding loan, sending then home would means that they employers need to bear the full loan amount themselves. Maybe some need policy/insurance coverage where employers can claim for such damages when it's the maid who wants to go home?

:goodpost:


Let me also share my story. In total, I have taken 3 transfer maids from the same agency recently.

First maid (lasted 3 days)
- 1st day followed me home, in the car already tell me she wants to go home. But I spoke to her and she then seems fine. Second day, she again told me she wanted to go home so I asked the agent for help. Help came and I thought it was then ok. Third day, she cried and said that she wants to go home because she missed her son. The breaking point was when she told me seeing my daughter reminds her so much of her son and that she cannot continue to work in Singapore.

Second maid who brought the bed bugs to my home (I was her 3rd employer in 4 months)
- she was okay, in fact I was quite happy with her work. After working for me for 2 months, she started to say she wants to go back to agent and she wants to change employer. On hindsight, her employment records really shows that she will change employer every 2 months.
- brought her back to agent for counseling and she stayed with me for another 3 months.


Third maid (I was also her 3rd employer)
- Now into her 11th month with me. Throughout these period, she is ok and most importantly, my kids like her... However, I must say that she will once every 1-2 month, give me new challenges...
A) talking to the Bangalore workers and even had one coming to outside my house talking to her
B) requested for day off and hp (although before I engaged her we have agreed that I will compensate her on the off days). Threatened to go back to agent when her wish was not granted.
C) disappeared from my home for 2 hours in Feb this year and said she went downstairs to talk to her friend. I went to search around the neighborhood but could not find her.
D) she got her hp and end up, her hp followed her wherever she goes throughout the day. Many nights as observed, she will use her handphone until past midnight. Spoke to her about this and warned that if she does not control herself, I will keep her phone during day time.
E) last week, she went to fetch my 6 years old girl from bus stop... Ended up, my girl came home on her own because my maid was nowhere in sight. My maid was talking on the phone until she forgot about my girl!

Latest incident now is, she talked on the phone while working last evening at 7pm. When I queried her repeatedly... She told me she was talking to her boyfriend. Apparently they started dating since last Dec. Omg... I almost fainted. She then tell me she wants to go home although contract still has 1 year 1 month plus to go.

Goodness, I think in the eyes of MOM, I am now a 'famous' employer now as I will be getting my fourth maid within 1.5 years.

Somehow, I missed my earlier maids, both stayed with me for a much longer time, and they were great! The first stayed for 4 years and after that went Hk (I helped to write her a recommendation letter and her new employer in Hk then called me for a reference), the second one stayed with me for 5 years. Actually both of them were also transferred maid and back then, their reasons were more genuine.

Nowadays, with maids able to change their employers so easily, is there anything to protect the employers? We had to end up buying new insurance, pay admin charge for the transfer ($100 each time we change maid), take leave to train new maid, pay for maid's lodging in the agent house pending transfer... etc.

I don't mind giving more benefits to the maid, but 'with great power comes great responsiblilty'. With the change in perks, maybe employers could also be better safeguard?

Some suggestions include :
1) If the maid is preg and needs to be send back to their home country, airfares and new costs to hire a new maid could be covered by authorities/insurance/agencies? :please:

2) if maid keep changing employers (unless it is really true that employers ill-treat their maid), perhaps a limit should be set on all maid on the number of transfer they are allowed within 2 years of work
- this way, it can prevent maids from having the mindset that they can change employer until they are happy or whenever they free like it. This way, agencies cannot profit from such behaviors too as agency now charge fees both to the maid and employers. Currently, for maid who wants to change employer, agency will charge the maid 1-2 month salary for their placement fee. For the employers, although it's free agency fee, but still for every transfer, employers must pay admin fees of about $100 plus purchase new insurance

:?: :imdrowning: I am tired already. :gloomy:

Bed bugs??? Sounds very familar. I once took a transfer maid from United and ended up having to hire a pest company to do a through clean up at home which cost us a bomb (clean up fees plus change mattress)



In total, I have taken 3 transfer maids from United Channel.

First maid (lasted 3 days)
- 1st day followed me home, in the car already tell me she wants to go home. But I spoke to her and she then seems fine. Second day, she again told me she wanted to go home so I asked the agent for help. Help came and I thought it was then ok. Third day, she cried and said that she wants to go home because she missed her son. The breaking point was when she told me seeing my daughter reminds her so much of her son and that she cannot continue to work in Singapore.

Second maid who brought the bed bugs to my home (I was her 3rd employer in 4 months)
- she was okay, in fact I was quite happy with her work. After working for me for 2 months, she started to say she wants to go back to agent and she wants to change employer. On hindsight, her employment records really shows that she will change employer every 2 months.
- brought her back to agent for counseling and she stayed with me for another 3 months.

Third maid (I was also her 3rd employer)
- Now into her 11th month with me. Throughout these period, she is ok and most importantly, my kids like her... However, I must say that she will once every 1-2 month, give me new challenges...
A) talking to the Bangalore workers and even had one coming to outside my house talking to her
B) requested for day off and hp (although before I engaged her we have agreed that I will compensate her on the off days). Threatened to go back to agent when her wish was not granted.
C) disappeared from my home for 2 hours in Feb this year and said she went downstairs to talk to her friend. I went to search around the neighborhood but could not find her.
D) she got her hp and end up, her hp followed her wherever she goes throughout the day. Many nights as observed, she will use her handphone until past midnight. Spoke to her about this and warned that if she does not control herself, I will keep her phone during day time.
E) last week, she went to fetch my 6 years old girl from bus stop... Ended up, my girl came home on her own because my maid was nowhere in sight. My maid was talking on the phone until she forgot about my girl!

Latest incident now is, she talked on the phone while working last evening at 7pm. When I queried her repeatedly... She told me she was talking to her boyfriend. Apparently they started dating since last Dec. Omg... I almost fainted. She then tell me she wants to go home although contract still has 1 year 1 month plus to go.

Goodness, this agency has made me a 'famous' employer now as I will be getting my fourth maid within 1.5 years.

Somehow, I missed my earlier maids, both stayed with me for a much longer time! The first stayed for 4 years, the second one stayed for 5 years.

Nowadays, with maids able to change their employers so easily, is there anything to protect the employers? We had to end up buying new insurance, pay admin charge for the transfer ($100 each time we change maid), take leave to train new maid... etc.

I don't mind giving more benefits to the maid, but 'with great power comes great responsiblilty'. With the change in perks, maybe employers could also be better safeguard?

Some suggestions include :
1) If the maid is preg and needs to be send back to their home country, airfares and new costs to hire a new maid could be covered by authorities/insurance/agencies? :please:

2) if maid keep changing employers (unless it is really true that employers ill-treat their maid), perhaps a limit should be set on all maid on the number of transfer they are allowed within 2 years of work
- this way, it can prevent maids from having the mindset that they can change employer until they are happy or whenever they free like it. This way, agencies cannot profit from such behaviors too as agency now charge fees both to the maid and employers. Currently, for maid who wants to change employer, agency will charge the maid 1-2 month salary for their placement fee. For the employers, although it's free agency fee, but still for every transfer, employers must pay admin fees of about $100 plus purchase new insurance

Hi good morning... ;). My girl is in P1 Inno. Any parents with kids from the class?

Good morning. Anyone know the URL for purchasing of school books online?

blitzneo:

Iluvmygals:

You are right that competition comes from everywhere...so a school exam alone is never a good guage of how well a kid is performing. It is always comparative. One year of easy paper should not get parents all too worried. At the same time, I am sure a lot of parents here supplement the school exams with practise paper from other schools exam. That is good enough to help guage how well your kid is doing.


The question for the new principal is what is her plan and vision for the school, in terms of academic excellence, CCA achievements, students behavior/values, etc. Let her show us her plan. This year's PSLE performance is not her doing...it's the previous principal's.

if the parent discover that CF exam paper is much easier than other school and the school is happy with it, will the parent worry and send kids to more tuitions and do more assignment paper ??? will this shift the responsibility toward the parent and less on the school ???

I would suggest you speak or email to the school on your concerns so that you could hear the other side of the story and/or seeks clarification to better address your queries.

Hopefully such unhappiness has not 'roll-on' or caused your kids any unhappy/negative feeling because a happy child will usually lead to better performance and happier primary school years experience.

However, all play and no work is also a No-No. Some form of moderated 'Stress and Pressure' is still necessary to prepare our kids for life. :rahrah:

Imp75:

On the badminton and soccer, I am guessing due to lack of space, the school could not start these two new CCAs. The hall is used by the TT team while the indoor sports hall is used by the wushu team. There is no more space for a soccer field after they erected the school extensions.

Agree... I believe if space and staff deployment is not of a concern, most schools will not reject proposal to start new CCA.

Good morning... any parents with kids going to P1 Inno next year?