jazzcy, when she first came, I let her call hme to bao ping an.... I've told her at the beginning tat I will try to let her call hme once a mth... Quite ke lian nt to talk to her family members leh... Bt I told her she has to hold her emotions when she call back, or else it will affect her work esp she's taking care of A. She promised me she will nt cry... I hv the say when she can call back, & I limit her to talk betwn 10 - 15mins... Which was y i wan to b the one to buy the card, so tat she will nt use tat against me tat I m forbidding her to do something which she paid w/ her own $$.
Letters, will lah, slowly bah.... bt for the initial period, I will let her call first lor. Buy call cards frm those ah beng shops, u get better value. like 8.50 for 10 value. She def will miss home. Depending on how adaptable she is. Some will overcome the homesick v fast, bt some will take awhile. Tats y @ the initial period, we always talk to her. She told me to gv her more hsework, so tat she will nt hv so much time to think abt hme. ha ha ha... tats y she asked to cook lor.
My helper is a single mum. Her gal is only 9mths old.. so I can understand her feelings... It's bcos of earning more $$ for her gal, tats y she decided to cme to work as a housekeeper.
Mine is 330 + 20. If she gets no off will then b 350. Likewise if w/ off then will b 330. Bt she's told me verbally tat she prob will nt want an off-day. Cos we always pyscho her, saying go out spend $$, everything so exp.. hw to save $$ for her child? LOL... + we go out we also usually will bring her along, we shop she also can window shop while jagaring A, so y still want off day?
Yes, we eat 2gether. B it at our hse, mum hse or PIL hse. & we dun make her sit behind & eat alone. Unless she is the first to eat (so tat I can enjoy my meal slowly), then I will scoop up some for her to eat frm tat separated bowl. If she's the last fw to eat, then she will just sit tare & eat w/ whoever still eating. My PILs & mum are fine w/ tat.
Anyway, nwadays our dining table is more for display only. LOL... cos we all eat in the kitchen & we stand & eat... easier & faster mah... @ 1st she took a stool out, ask me sit, I said nvm lah.. I stand & eat is easier.. so I told her she can sit.
Even when we go out, we eat 2gether, but I've asked her to eat faster so tat she can help to jagar. If nt, if she eats the same pace as us, & A sits beside me, then might as well call me a maid instead, while my maid enjoys her feast.
I know some ppl will draw a v clear line. Bt we r fine w/ most of the things... & she can also eat anything & everything on the table, unless we specify. During CNY, when we had steamboat, I also gave her scallops, roast goose, roast pork, & anything I can find frm the pot.
I've even seen cases like they all go out, & while they are enjoying the food they hv, the maid wil b running ard w/ the kids. When u ask them, they say they already tapao for the maid earlier already. For me, if I can afford, everybody will get to eat together. If nt the most we hv simple & cheaper meal. We've bn to Sizzler & she also get to hv a main course + salad bar. If u feel the pinch, then maybe u can share your main w/ her. Or maybe when you order for your child, take some for her cos kids can't really eat much also. Afterall, I think maids deserve to b treated like a human.
There was once when my mum even told me off y we need to discriminate her to sit on the flr, whether if we r on/ nt on the sofa? I told my mum, it's respect. Hw can it b employers sit on the flr & she sit on sofa???????
It's just diff practice frm diff families... Jazzcy, I guess it really depends on hw u see it. You can listen to feedback and suggestions, but ultimately, u & ur hb shld b the one to decide, nt others decide for you. usually I pluck watever I think is logical, rather than wats the common practice.
I've stressed to my parents, we can treat her nice but cannot overboard. Can chit chat bt no showing of internet stuff to her. There was once I was watching some video clips on net, A was w/ me, & she was w/ A in the rm. She watched bt I was ok, cos I did not on it deliberately for her. My sis once logged into Friendster & searched for her, got a scolding frm me. I said I dun want her to think she can do all the same things as us.
U c the difference?
Garfield, there such thing as jap bread & French loaves mah... ha ha ha...
