ACS is one of the schools participating in the Nat’l Science Challenge to be aired on TV5 every Tues @6:30pm. Surely a good time to connect our DS going P1 next year on it.
Latest posts made by Rivevae
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RE: Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
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RE: All About Full-Time Maids
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.
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RE: All About Full-Time Maids
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) -
RE: All About Full-Time Maids
Admummy:
Admummy, you have done the right thing to make this matter transparent to your maid. Just an assurance it would be better to minute it in writing and make her sign and fill her portion of acknowledgement and commitment. Hope things turn out well for you.:thankyou: all who responded to my post...here's some update:
Had a heart to heart talk with her tog with hubby....told her that i am not satisfied with her performance since she is not fulfilling her duty as stated in the contract. Told her that she cannot cook, take care of my children (esp no. 3) and I don't feel her presence is helping me in anyway.
She was quite \"shocked\" (sort of like wake-up-call) and kancheong, requested us to give her another chance. Told us that she is happy working for us, will try her best to learn cooking and bond with the kids...I told her if she is not happy with me, i can always let her go since I am the BOSS here (thks to pointers from mummies, got to let her know I am the boss NOT my hubby...so here it goes, establishing my status here)...she immediately said no, m'am nice and said she want to continue with us since she need the money...She appeared quite sincere and geneuine...maybe she is too insensitive to feel that her performance is not \"up-to-standard\" until this meeting...
I am tired of the agony of reselecting maid and numerous trip to the maid agency...besides, i am not confident that the next one who comes along will be better...actually to be fair to hubby, he is not really \"siding\" her...in fact, he said if the maid is causing alot of unhappiness to me, he respect my decision to let go of her...However, he highlighted to me that I should not compare her with the earlier maid who has worked for us for 4yrs. This one is relatively young (although biodata stated 23 yrs old, she could be under 20)...Being young, she may not be as thoughtful, considerate and sensible than the previous one (married with kid and 27)...She is like any youngster out there, carefree, straight-thinking, impulsive, etc, hence she needs more \"pushing\" and must give clear, direct instruction... Should not expect her to take initiative or take for granted that she will consider safety of kids (e.g. like the toilet incident where she left my kid alone). well, i think what my hubby said make sense. so fine, my conclusion is to give her another chance..
After the meeting, i can see a lot of initiative from her, she will try to play with no. 3, try to take over no. 3 when i'm busy, etc. He seems to be a little receptive of her...of course, \"warnings\" from mummies about bb's \"gut\" feeling about not so nice people do make sense...so i will pay extra attention and make sure no harm is done to my kids...
i hope my decision is right :xedfingers: ...in any case, i have another 4.5mths to decide whether to change her i.e. free replacement within 6 mths.... -
RE: All About Full-Time Maids
omgmum:
Yep - make sure your agent tells her that upfront. For those whose contract is under your DH's name, make sure your DH sets the stage right by telling the maid that it's the lady of the household that decides her employment.hquek,
Yeah, I think their mentality is that the male is the boss of the house. I was the one who talked to the maid all along so I assume that she knows that I'm her boss. Her work permit is also under my name. But maybe she doesn't know that. So for the next one, I think I have to tell her very clearly that I'm her boss and will pay her the money and not my husband! -
RE: Advice needed on mentally unsound maid
1amber:
Agree....that's why I never get too sentimental about what to do with the maid - send back or transfer - other than just return to the agent and let them handle at their discretion. Just so you know, any maids you deem \"unfit\" / \"lousy\" and choose to send back at your own expense will be \"recycled\" somewhere, here in SG or other parts of the world. I have hired a very very lazy maid and returned to agent after she's with us for 1 month. Guess what - my relative's maid bumped onto her just recently and she told her she's now with her 5th employer, all within a span of 1 year!!!!peapot:
I feel that sometimes maid choose to act \"crazy\" so that the employer will transfer them out or sent them home. Such acting allows the maid to go off without any need for them to pay and they can still achieve their objective.
My previous maid told me she was 'taught' this tactic by experienced maids... -
RE: All About Full-Time Maids
Dear mothers, just a piece of advice – never never tolerate a stranger at the expense of your own children’s wellbeing. They are too precious for you to even compromise with a substandard maid for convenience sake (trouble / uncertain to look for another “better” one). Tell it to your DH - if he entrusts you with all the household chores, then they should not interfere but to trust and leave you to resolve such domestic issue. I am saying this stemming from my own (bad) experiences.
FYI, “street smart” maids tend to bully SAHM when the man of the household is not around. More so if the employer is under your DH’s name. They also like to act dumb so they don’t have to work alot. “Hot tempered/fierce-looking/unloving” maids have a high tendency of bullying / controlling young children by threats, pinches, privilege-deprivation & etc. These are some I believe we have encountered / heard more than enough.
So my basic rule is - wait no further to fire them when I pick up any tell tale signs cos the longer I hv them the more my DS & I will suffer. Also, always trust your children’s instinct - they are very sensitive towards people’s inner character and there is always a reason for them to dislike/fear someone. If money (extra agent fees/air fares) can solve the problem, let it be. After all nothing is more valuable than your children. That’s why I make it clear to my DH if he dares to interfere (sides the maid / chin-chye lah / lun lah), I will pack up and leave with my DS as he’s just doing me/DS injustice to bear with a maid I am uncomfortable with, all day long (how much does he know about her if he only faces her 1-2 hr in the evening on weekdays??).
Just my 2cent’s worth. -
RE: Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
Dear Osakachan,MTS & Chatty, thanks so much for the valuable insights into the MT in ACSJ. Indeed I’m much relieved aft hearing this. I’ve been trying to get DS to “love” the language but to no avail until he has a great kindergarten teacher in the past 1 yr who is really patient with non-Chinese speaking kids like him and at least gets him to appreciate the language more than before. In fact I took the wrong start by putting him in a Chinese-major kindy 2 years back hoping to brush up his mandarin and it turned out to be a total flop (that’s why I’m steering clear of SAP school). Too much of a yelling doesn’t help a kid to enjoy the learning process either. Thanks again for the assurance. Really can’t wait to start him at ACSJ this Jan!
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RE: Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
MummyThreeStreams:
Hi MTS, thanks for the insights. Glad I've made the right choice Life is after all not just about marks. How's the school's chinese language teaching? My son is very bad with it (knows very few chinese vocabularies) and concern if the teachers are patient with pupils like him... I've heard of teachers from other schools, esp those native Chinese tend to shout at children...Welcome JJLM, windie, rivevae and all those who will be joining ACJS next year!
DS1 is in P1 and we are enjoying it. So far school has been relaxed, giving the boys lots of time to play and do non-academic stuff. DS1 has a great bunch of teachers too. His form teacher, especially, has been very nurturing. But she's no push over. I salute anyone who can handle 30 boys in an enclosed space! -
RE: [Bukit Timah] Primary Schools
NonKiasuDad:
God has a plan for everyone. He knows what's best for every child. There is no good or bad school, but a right match.Strange to praise God in such a situation. If God was kind to your friend, he must have been very \"unkind\" to the others who did not get in. Sorry, can't resist
Anyway, congrats to everyone who got in and those who did not, never mind. Not much difference in primary level, there is still the more important secondary level to shoot for.
Cheers!