Rose, my girl also teething now. I rather give her pacifier to "bite" and soothe herself, than some toys. She will spit out when she is sleeping. Dun think it is the right time to wean off. Anyway, I also need pacifier so that she will guai guai and sit in car seat and fall asleep.
Panda, why don't you sit down and talk to yr maid? I also dun hv it funny with yr maid's comments. Abit out of her duty to laugh or question you. Like what u say, yr parents spoilt her. My dad see her so young come singapore and work, say pitiful blah-blah. Keep offering her food (worst was peanuts or ice cream as snacks) though we already had lunch/dinner, or before hari raya, asked me a few times if I got buy new clothings for her. I got so mad and told dad my mum already bought 4 new t-shirts and my sis bought 1. Me leh? Chinese new year also didn't buy new clothes until now. I felt bad to tell my dad off, but I had no choice. Imagine my maid only do housework and prepare food for dinner, her employer looks aft baby and cook dinner. Yet, she gets more attention fr my parents, i got so mad.
Once, I caught my maid talking to my cousin regarding "her dream".... I got pissed. Over next few days, i keep finding fault with her work for not listening to instructions. Finally questioned her why she was so talkative with my cousin! Since like to talk so much, I will send her back to indonesia so that she can continue to talk there! I took out her bag and kinda chased her out. Since that incident, I restrict her talking to anyone except me, sir, nai-nai, ah ma and mam Ka-Ka (my sis). I dun let her talk to my dad unless my dad talk to her. I feel the one to one talk with her really works as I let off whatever things I am unhappy abt her and she is clearer in my expectations.
Apart from these small issues, she is slow and cannot communicate well in English. But she is v well-mannered, dun ask for handphone or off-days unlike Filipino maids. I am also nice to her. Let her call home once every 2 to 3 weeks and I pay for her Singtel top-up unlike her previous employers. Before hari raya, I also send a small box of new stationery for her younger sister. Her birthday was last week, i also bought a small cake for her. She ate for breakfast over next few days. She was so happy......