Ok, so hubb and I have succumbed to hiring a foreign domestic worker whom we used to simply address as maid. probably due to respect and humanity, they are now more commonly known as 'helpers' rather than 'maids'.
anyway, these domestic helpers have never been a familiar thing to me. my parents don't have them, my neighbours don't have them, my relatives don't have them, my friends' family (as far as I know) don't have them. the closest encounter was probably only the time when granny was still around and cousin min's family hired one to help look after her. that's all.
most of the colleagues in my 1st dept don't have them. I think many in my 2nd dept do have them, but becuz I never tot of having 1, it was seldom a topic that was discussed upon. and then in this current dept, more and more colleagues are hiring one.... cuz of having kid/more kids!!
yes. so u got it. if it's not for my 2nd boy, I don't think we will consider the option of hiring a helper.
so far, myself and hubb have been doing the chores on our own (also thanks to MIL for taking care of rayous on some nights so we can still work on some chores on those nights). laundry will be in the washing machine and washed throughout the night. then we will hang them in the morning before going to work and on weekends morning. vaccumm, mop, toilets, rubbish clearing, washing of milk bottles, bathing rayous will be done by hubb. cooking and washing up of plates and utensils and other care for rayous ie changing diaper, cutting nails etc will be by me. then we will also get those adhoc cleaners once in a while to come do the more detailed cleaning. erm.. then more tedious chore like bedsheet changing will be done... once in a long while. haha.
ok la, actually except for laundry and the other things that have to be done regularly (eg washing milk bottles), the rest of the things I leave it to hubb to do as and when he likes la. as working parents, by the time we reached home already freaked tired and late. and during wkends, it's difficult to do the chores w rayous around. 1 of us have to entertain him, while the other chop chop do whatever chore that is required to be done. else, it is to wait until he sleeps then we can do. but then, when he sleeps, we feel like sleeping too!!!
so the floor don't actually get vaccummed and mopped frequently. many areas are also in a mess and we just closed 1 eye lo. what to do?
and when I do not get enough help, who kenna? hubb lo. like when I need help in handling rayous and he's away doing some other chores, I will flare at him already..
yeah. so, can u imagine how it will go with 2 kids? basically each take care of 1 kid will do liao. all housework will be put to a halt. then u can slowly work on them when the whole world sleeps, and then u no need to sleep liao.
w 1 more kid, the chores will be very much more one ok! laundry will double, have to start washing the whole basin of milk bottles and breast pump accessories, more items to clean and keep. and how about outings? each carry 1 kid and how about the many many many barangs???
grrrr. 想到都怕. and young babies can be sooo demanding. I definitely do not want to suffer from depression and also do not want to flare at hubb or anybody else.
so, I think, getting a helper will be a possible solution. and that was how we settled on one.
we went to nation maid agency. initially I wanted a Myanmar helper cuz I tot they are simpler and easier to handle. I also wanted a new maid, so we can teach her from scratch. we interviewed a few face-to-face and also over the webcam, but the communication really cannot make it. their understanding is really v limited. initially I was still ok and there was 1 which I quite like. but after thinking, I think communication is a big problem la. think about it, if I shout from my room to ask her to bring me a towel, and she doesn't even know what a towel is, then how??????? is it I must go out and show her what a towel is and hopefully she remembers and next time she knows? is it for every item I must do the same, show her and pray she remembers? wahhh...like that super nightmare isint it?
ok, so no Myanmar helpers. no bing bing either, becuz I think they are too smart for me already. so left indon le lo. face-to-face interviewed a few indons transfer maids, but all soooo fierce looking leh. really! they looked like they will slaughter me anytime.
haii.
so, went home, looked thru the bio-data of the helpers who are still in their home country. came across this one who scored quite good points for all the survey sections, apparently English is ok, can cook etc.
so we interviewed her via webcam and ok la, she can understand me much better than the Burmese. and she has worked in sg before - 1st time for a few months, 2nd and 3rd time both 1yr plus. after that she went back indon and now wants to come back to work again. so not that bad la.
and so, we settled for her le loh. 35yo, single. agency fee, insurance, work permit etc etc worked out to be about $2K. then have to fork out $3k+ upfront for her loan (which will be repaid to us via her monthly salary). then monthly salary $550, payable after the $3k+ has been fully nett off.
after a good wait of about 1.5mths, she's finally coming tmr. haha. quite excited, but also scare at the same time. afterall, it's a total stranger who will (hopefully) stay for a long period of time. and it's also our 1st time handling a foreign domestic worker. I think most importantly is to manage our expectations, don't ask for the sky, be patient, be nice but not too nice and 將心比心. Oh oh, and learn to trust.. though it will not be easy... umm..
heard of the many horror maid stories. but also heard of positive ones. hopefully mine will be the latter one bah.
the things we prepared for her.. ok la, only 1 of the cabinet is for her, the other is for rayous and baby.
later still gotta go out and buy mattress, mattress covers etc.. umm..
and of cuz, also prepared many brush ah, pails ah, detergents etc etc for her to get her work done. LOL. we have also done up a timetable for her to follow. woahh.
ok, good luck.
hopefully for the better ok!!
