Advise on Baby & Maid Exps

Kristen, I can't help laughing..as I understand while reading your post..

My maid also run out of toilet, just wrap with a bath towel, even after I teach her how to use shower..she forget how to on..so can't shower..

Today, after dinner, I realise.. why the food in container is not serve.. maid told me she dont know how to open the cover
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Chop garlic..I did once, to show her(peel off the skin,then chop)..but she chop with the skin on.

She is afraid of dead fish.. can't touch, so end up, I clean,cut and fried the fish.

My hubby tot we should label all the things at home..not for my kids to learn but for the maid...

Aiyo,..my hubby said like we are opening a maid training center, but not receiving money instead we pay maid.

Now, I can't imagine..if I'm not home..
 


After hearing all stories about maids, it really make one thinks hard to employ a full time live-in maid.

I have recently changed 3 maids in a row of one year, now I crossing my finger that the 4th maid that I'm having now for 3 weeks will be good.

I would says getting a maid is 80% luck and 20% homework. The homework you need to do is to insists a phone interview with the maid (if she is new) and face to face interview with a transfer maid.

Transfer maid maybe good, they are transfer due to some problems with their previous employee. During interview, dun take their stories by face value, you need to ask question that test on their response, attitude, ability to understand. Try repeating question to see whether they are irritated by your question?? Use your instinct and intelligent to check whether the maid fit into your requirement.

Phone interview is mostly used to check whether the maid can understand and answer your question. Try not to ask a YES NO question. Call a second time if required, because sometime the maid are nervous and cannot answer properly.
 
Nellu,
Can I chk wf u if urs is a Indo or Fil maid?Which agent u got the maid from?how old is she?Is she fresh maid?

Kristen,Jo,
I actuali plan to get Myanmar maid from JLK.After hearing ur stories,i changed my mind.Beta stick to Indo.But I've hired 2 indo maids,turned out to be quite bad,bcoz they've attitude prob.Another thing abt Indo maid,i realise they always wannna to be "pampered".They wanna u to show concern on them,which i find it irritating bcoz i expect them to work independently.
 
Kristen,
Thanks for sharing. Your maid is so shocking. I got a new Indonesian maid without any experience working as a maid before, she has no such problems like your Myanmar maid. Looks like Myanmar villages are not the same as Indonesia.

It is the responsibility of the maid agency to give us maids who are properly trained, who have touched real household appliances before, and who have been taught the correct way to behave. That's why we are paying the agency fees ! I would not tolerate a maid like yours.

Apple,
I almost always employ experienced maids. Out of 8 maids I hired before, only 1 maid is without any experience. At that time I have another experienced maid at home to train her.

I have no patience to train new maids at all. My current maid has worked for her previous employer for 6 years, and she is a very good maid. Even though her job scope is very different now, she is still doing well.

One important thing I noticed is that she still keeps in contact with her ex-employer, who lives in Pasir Panjang. She still visits her ex-employer during Chinese New Year. This shows that she has a very good relationship with her ex-employer.

If I ever need to hire another maid, I will still go for an experienced maid, and I will ask her about her ex-employer. I would not hire any maid who say anything bad about her ex-employers. If she cannot have a good working relationship with her ex-employer, chances are she will not work well under me too.
 
Like Tamarind, I also prefer experienced maid. I don't mind paying a little more to save my breath from training them and having to handle a baby, it helps that the maid is not too timid to ask for help if emergency situation arise. Like if my baby choke on food..

My current maid ran away when she was with her 2nd employer. Before I hired her, I asked the agent to let me speak to her 1st employer whom she has worked for 3 years. She's been with me 8.5 months now. So far still ok.

I think it is good to ask to speak with their previous employer if possible. I think it helps in some ways although things are still different in different households.
 
avocado,
actually i had good experience with JLK. the lady boss will train the maid herself for 2 weeks after they come to SG, so my maid know all the electrical stuff. she also allow phone interviews so you can gauge if the maid is communicable.
 
I have spoken to many friends regarding myanmar maid and found out that myanmar maid that comes to singapore, has no prior training or experience as they are not allow to work overseas....no training centre being set up in their country as well....

I only managed to hear one case that is good....My friend who is station in bangkok now, has a mayanmar maid that worked with her has prior experience in bkk. They are the run away maid from bkk and worked there and gained the experience. They will return to myanmar after that and they cannot go else where cos no passport....
 
Me too. Most of my maids are experienced maid, but I had quite a no. of different problems with them. Not because they cannot work but working for a totally different jobscope makes them "run".

I had a maid who worked 6 yrs for the same employer, big house, taking care of children in their teens. Came to my house, the running of to and fro my mil's house, makes her tired out. Also, we use to rest by 9pm and wakes up at 7pm, while at my place she sleeps at 10.30pm and wakes up by 6.30pm. But her housework is really no. 1. Very clean and hygiene and alot of initiatives on that, but childcare kind of sucks. She requested for transfer cause she don't like to go mil's house.

Another experience maid from saudi. Small size but very strong and hardworking. Too hardworking and too much initiatives that she broke our wall fan and cook dinner without asking me what I want. But again for housework, she is very good too.

Then another ex-sin 6 yrs maid, she came 2 weeks she asked for transfer, same reason, she don't want to go mil's house.

I realised all these experience maid seldom wants to go to another house. And I learn my lesson not to get those who work in terrace or landed if you are staying in HDB, cause they don't like to feel constantly being watched.

And I also agree that interview is a must. To find out her attitude, her expectations, her english standard (don't be deceive by phil maid, some of them don't speak english), her knowledge on housework, cooking and childcare.
 
Something to share here.....

<font color="0000ff">The following passage does not represent my views on the matter but the logic looks acceptable.</font>

There are several simple reasons why many Singaporean employers are reluctant to give their maids a day off.

You see, if the maid runs away, the government will fine the employer $5,000. If the maid commits a crime such as shoplifting, the government will fine the employer $5,000.

If the maid is caught having sex with someone, the government will fine the employer $5,000. If the maid gets pregnant, the government will also fine the employer $5,000.

If you didn't know any of the above, then either you do not employ a maid, or you didn't read the small print of the Manpower Ministry's work permit conditions.

Many employers are afraid that if their maid has a day off and gets into trouble, the employer will not only have to solve the trouble, but also have to fork out $5,000 as a free gift to the government.

Intuitively, this smacks of gross unfairness. The employer gets punished not for something he did, but for something that somebody else (the maid) did. Furthermore, once the maid leaves the employer's residence, the employer has no way of monitoring where the maid goes and what she does
there.

We may draw a curious parallel with Mas Selamat's
escape, and PM Lee's determined, if muddled, defence of Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng in Parliament. Mas Selamat ran away. But PM Lee said that Wong Kan Seng was not at fault and should not be punished in any way. The
reason being that Wong Kan Seng personally did not do anything which allowed Mas Selamat to escape.

Strangely, if your maid runs away, it IS your fault and you SHOULD be punished. Even if you did not personally do anything to let her run away (apart from giving her a day off).

Similarly, if your maid becomes pregnant, it IS your fault and you SHOULD be punished. Even if you did not personally do anything to make her pregnant.

Oh well. What can I say? Maids are not terrorists. But then you are not Wong Kan Seng. So the rules remain stacked against you. Wong Kan Seng gets off lightly, but you won't. Even if his lapse has far greater, and graver,
implications than yours.

Your runaway maid wouldn't blow up Changi Airport, would she?
 
I have questions to ask re maid off day.

1. Do you check her belongings before and after she comes back?
2. Do you record how she spend her money?

I have some problems here, I dont really check how much money I have and sometimes its all over the house. Because its small amount of money here and there, I dont really get v uptight. But having said that, it gives maids opportunities to steal money gradually. My thought is that if I record how the maid spent her money, then if there is any extra money she has, it shows very clearly its not hers.

Before I spoke to my agent, I am v firm this is what I will do. BUT, after i spoke to the agent, he bluntly told me that, if i implement this, it is likely the maid wont work long for me!

I actually dont find anything wrong with this. A black and white proof shows all! But I am concerned what the agent is saying.

The other reasons that I find myself in this "awkward" position, is that I found that my maid did several things behind my back on 2 different occasions. She knew i would not be happy but yet she did it. Although minor issues, I really mind it becos I dont see why she cannot tell me first before she did it. For example, detouring to buy her own things (with her red packet money) without asking permission after she sent my son to childcare. Because my son's childcare is quite a distance from hse, she had to take 2 buses. I dont really understand why she did this and I am concerned she will do more things later on w/o my knowledge. The thought of this really scares me.

Thanks
 
Babycutie - of cos that makes sense! Did you write it? I really love to give maid an off day as she deserves it but provided she is not easily influenced by other maids, and she wont go around and thinks she is likened by men!

I just got to know one of my ex-maids (a real hardworking but "gondu" maid, looks v decent) got send back by her 2nd employer without finishing her 2 yr contract. Why? She gets to know men and likes to chat non stop to these men. She must be thinking, she has men to woo her! If men is so important, I am sure there are enough men in their country!
 
babycutie
That ariticle is very well written.. I don give my maid off day too. I don even give her the freedom to go buy her own things, i'll buy for her instead. There was one occassion that she urgently need to buy clothes-softener for herself as she run out of it (cos she likes her clothes to smell nice of softener, which my household don have, so i let her use her own money to buy for herself), i let her go downstairs alone to buy, but i told her i only give her 10mins and has to be back home within 10mins.

Ya, i admit she totally has no freedom when working for me, but what to do.. If i give her freedom and anything happens to her, i'll be in trouble.. that's how the system works here. But i tried to compensate her by other means, eg. today is her birthday, i've ordered a cake for her. I brought brochures for her to choose her own cake design. Also bought a present for her. We also try to bring her out with us to resturants whenever we go out for family gatherings and she gets to eat 'good food' with us (sit together with us) without needing to feed the kids, cos we always ensured kids are pre-fed first before we bring them outside makan.

Eileen
My maid also always mention guys wink wink at her! omg! .. hua(1)-chi(1) .. she likes to smile at people when she's outside .. there was once, she told my MIL, on the way to fetch my kid with my MIL, that one guy wink at her. Guess what my MIL replied? MIL replied "He winked at me too!" .. haha . .

Well, bobian, she's staying with us and we don want her to get into trouble and causes problems for us..
 
PinkTweet,

I don't give my maid any off day either. I also don't give her any freedom to go and buy her own things. I get her to write down what she needs and I will get it for her.

I don't allow her to keep any money as well. After getting the things she needs, I will record down and get her to sign on the expenditure sheet.

Like you, my maid also has no freedom working for me. I don't allow her because I don't want to create trouble for myself. I don't have the spare time to solve her trouble. My master bedroom is always lock when hb and me leave for work. If I reach home before 7pm during working days, she will have to sweep and mop my bedroom floor when I have finish my bath and is having my dinner at that time. If not, she do not need to sweep and mop if I comes back after 7pm.

I set this timing because she has to put my boy to sleep after 7pm.

This will cut down one more place for the maid to steal (if she has plan for that) since most of our important stuff are kept in the bedroom.

Hmm.. maybe I can consider buying a small cake for my maid on her birthday. Although she still make stupid mistakes at times.
 
Actually, from what I observed, my Myanmar maid has good attitude. She told me last night that she wants to do the things in the house such as cleaning but she does not know HOW to do it. She is also very confused by the different type of detergents we have here. For them, they only have 2 types - body and clothes. So, I think they are keen to work but just that they are SOOOOO inexperience and have not been exposed to so many things in her country that they cannot perform. One thing for sure is that I will not allow her to handle my DD and the stove without supervision. I can only train her in hsework for now and really hope she can familarise with our routines soon.

My hubby and I agree to see how is her performance after 1 month (provided I still have the patience to train)with us and decide whether to keep her or transfer her out. At least, we are giving both parties a chance to work things out. I will then blast at the agent for giving me such an untrained maid
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Jo,

Yours is a graduate, right? I thought graduates are more exposed and English level is better? Mine is just secondary level and talking to her and makes sure she understands requires a lot of effort. She is really the "kampong" type and very poor. Her clothes are mostly from donations such as from S'pore.
 
One things I realised, if we put all the household work and childcare to our maid, what will our maid becomes?

They will becomes the mother of our child, the chef in our kitchen and the housekeeper in our house. Like us, they are also humman, cannot expect them to be superwomen and be good in everything. Most of them are young and inexperience, and with the mere salary they got, really cannot expect too much from them.

With this 4th maid I have, I made some adjustment. I will help out in some of the cleaning, like washing baby bottle, putting cloth in the laundry and hang it if it is too late for her (after 11pm) and I do the cooking and some washing(only weekend cooks). As for childcare, it will be taken care by childcare, my mother, me and my stupid one. So, my child remains close with the family.

Though there is more work for me than before, (last time I will let the maid do everything in the house, other than childcare)but I feel better in control and because I do this everyday, I know where is not clean or wash probably then I will fine tune with the maid and correct her.

It not easy training a maid, I do this bit by bit and gradually (cannot humtum everything, they cannot remember one). Demo to her myself and explain to her why it should be done this way...I also will not asked her to do additional unneccssary work just because she finishes cleaning and "nothing to do"...

And most importantly, close one eyes if see things not done in your way. Try not to get angry when correcting her later. Respect her most importantly.

I learned this art of treating the maid during the 3 months break when i have to do everything on my own without a maid, and it is not easy. We cannot 100% rely on the maid, can only see her as someone who is helping to reduce our burden of household work or some childcare duties.

They are to help and NOT REPLACE us...
 
BTW, my maid is from Myanmar. She not very smart, and she do things slowly (v slow). We have some communication problem, but this can be solved if you are patient enough to explain and show. I insist her to bring a dictionary when she comes.
 
Eileen,
I'm not surprised the agent said that to you. He probably thought you were crazy...hahaha like he thought I'm mad with my tight tight stringent selection criteria...kekeke...

but i dun see anything wrong with the recording of the expenditure. are you holding on to her cash for her? I'm implementing this with my new maid now. She gets $20 allowance for the months she's paying back the loan. I've asked her if she was ok with me holding on to it. I explained to her that I didn't want any misunderstanding of missing money, whether it's hers or mine. She was ok with it so we are going with that. You ask your maid and see if she's agreeable with that lor. I try to put it as nicely as i can...

Avocado,
my new maid is fresh Fil maid. Age 27. She is a college grad from Ilo Ilo. Her English is pretty good and learns things quite fast. I can PM you the agent contact if you want.
 
Apple,
agree with you. Unless you are working really late then you have no choice but to let the maid do everything. I'm now SAHM with maid. I told her right from day one that her main priority is housework + food prep (not the actual cooking), and that she has to relieve me as and when necessary. It really did help that she is young and learns fast. I didn't have to spend alot of time in the last few days teaching her how to manage the cleaning. Her time management is still not quite there yet so I do help a little here and there like taking the laundry out from the machine, wash the feeding equipment, etc. aft a few days, she does get the idea w/o me telling her outrightly. so she speeds up...

i definitely still limit her child care duties because i don't want to be replaced even though my boy is super sticky to me....still...
 
Yes, graduate..but don't know what type of standard. Always with dictionary..which is better than nothing.

Ya, attitude is good..no black face..but really mountain turtle. my previous maid..I dont dare to tell her off,she will give me black face and throw tantrum... so now, I keep on giving instructions, tell maid what to do all the time..repeat many times for a questions.. now too the extreme lor.. haiz..

Her data also fake..when I asked,she only work 2mths with ex employer with 1baby, and the employer handle the baby...her data state,4children..
 
Some advice on getting a maid:

1)Agency fee: <$200 to be reasonable
Avoid agency fee of $0, free to get one but very costly to return one. Might have porblem getting refund on your placement fees.

2)Which agency you go also dosen't matter, but you can do a quick filtering via MOM website on the really lousy one. It is the maid that you going to hire counts. So, interview and select your maid carefully. Get info from a few agency...compare their term and condition then you can know what you can bargain for service?

3)Placement fee < 7 to 8months, too much loan, the maid will have little motivation to work, or btw why should they work so so long for nothing?

4)Before signing agreedment, can negiotate that food/lodging in the contract to be $0 in case you have to return maid to agency (as some charge $5 or $10 per day...)Do not sign on SPOT, bring home read then sign! Any question, ASK!

5)Unlimited replacement is preferred. However, nowsday with the medical insurace that employer has to pay, the replacement of maid becomes costly.

6)Check the cost you may have to pay in case issue when maid cannot comes due to some reason or if they failed > 3 times in a row for the MCQ test

7)Dun believed too much on the biodata and their local work experience...(coz no way to track until you hire them)

8)Buy your own for the maid medical insurance. Like that you can get the details of the in-principal approval form from agent which is required for the insurance. You can also have some choice in buying your own. (v easy, just call insurace agent and check)

9)LAst and most importantly, request interview/phone interview with maids and make your requirement clearly with maid and agent, so no confusing later. By making call, you can also determine whether the maid is in the training center or not, but sometimes they can also give excuse why they are not...Please don't ask YES/NO and single answer question.

Any more list to add?
 
Apple Low - how many kids you have? I have 2, one 3 yrs plus and another one 1 yrs plus. Ideally I like to manage the 2 kids myself on the weekends but I realised its not that possible. So we each take one kid. At times, relieving each other. With my current maid who is pretty acceptable to my std, I now tend to have naps over the wkend with my kids. And if one of them wakes up earlier, i leave him to the maid when i continue to nap. My current workplc is 1.5hrs journey from home and therefore I am desperate for enough sleep. My maid nvr complains but sometimes I feel bad abt it - not towards her, but to my younger boy...

For those with more than 2 kids at young age, do you get hands on with 2 kids? I am thinking once my elder boy gets more sensible and independant, I would then take over the younger one. By then, i may really give up on having a maid! haha

Nellu - welcome home! When he made that comment, i was really thinking, what is the world becoming? I am already v flexible, I thought! And especially the part where I decided to keep the maid at my own house (with no supervision) - what else does the maid wants, right? I would say to her bluntly, u want "money" or "freedom". The thing is that there are so many employers in our country that are laxed and no expectations and then it spoils market...Also some employers really do NO housework and NO cooking - until they are so dependant on the maid and therefore they dont control the maid. Till today, I am still doing marketing early morning on Sat/Sun on my own! But when i see those maids get together in the market, chat and chat, I dont know what to say....
 
mummies
need some advice .
My mom has problem with my Myanmar maid and she keeps saying she cannot continue to work for us once her contract expires.
she says she always behaves differently in front of her and us.
My maid also has some attitude problem but in term of housework and child care she is doing them fine.
I have talked to her several times and she says my mom always picked on her. They both have different stories to tell.
Should I get a new maid or just keep her?
 
Apple,
I dunno if what u have in mind is good. Its precisely i does all these chores myself b4 since young as well as after marriage. I find myself in more deep shit.
Hb always says, for me, ignorance is bliss. I cook, iron, wash and sweep on top of my job b4 my baby came along. My mum suggested me getting a maid after my baby was born so that there someone to help to care for baby n help me out wif the chores so that i can spend more time wif my baby.

In the end, i got more angry becos
1. The maid wan to do it their ways or cut corners. N they can't get away wif it bcos i can tell
2. They can't do it to the speed or standard
3. In the end, i do it all by myself or the maid just feign that she dun understand n she knows mdm will do it

All my maids need not cook, does housework only on weekends when we bring all the kids out. The chores are still done in a big mess. Laudry stinks. Clothes looked as if it was nvr ironed. Kitchen dirty after her own cooking on weekends.Babies cared for all by myself the moment i am home. They nvr need to sleep with my kids.
In fact i find those maids who do things on their own, which run their own time table have a better relationship wif their employers. My colleague can put up wif her maid n let her take care of her 4 kids wif no problems. To her, at least the chores get done, the child is picked up from school n the children gets dinner. Doesn't matter that maid run out wif kids to shopping malls during school hols.

So sometimes, i feel to have a good relationship wif maid. Its best to close both eyes.. Otherwise, its tough.
 
B2B3M4,
I get what u meant.My neighbours' maids r all "long service award".I notice that their employers don't reali bother what they do,so long as the chores r done &amp; their children r fed.I always see the maid throws the clothes+floor mats into the washing m/c.The maid oso "taste" the food as she do the cooking.So the whole family eat her saliva.I oso saw the maid let the child picked up the food fr. the floor n ate.

i can't stand it when my ex-maid always prepared the food w/o washing the hands.

And I find Indo-maid likes to be pampered.They seem to be more "delicate" compared to Phil.Work a bit more like wanna die.

Emma,
I tink u shld get rid of ur maid.I believe what ur mum said bcoz maids like to "act".My ex indo-maid acted very "demure" when my hb was ard...talked softly..My hb noticed that.I sent her back after 2weeks.

Jo,
I feel it is useless to look at biodata.To me,i don't trust biodata anymore.Interview oso useless.When i interviewed my 1st maid 3x thru phone,she was very ok.But she is "different" after worked wf my fr 1wk.She agreed not to hv h/phone during interview.But her face turned black when i asked her to give me her h/phone n no mood to work.

Kristen,
Can I chk wf u which agent that u got ur Myanmar maid from?

Apple,
I agree wf u tat we shldn't let the maid handles everything.When my ex maid was ard,i did the impt chores such as washing milk bottles.Understand her hygiene level is "not" there,so i rather do it myself.But at times,they might oso tak u for granted coz they know someone will do it if i purposely don't do it properly...biw,which agent did u get ur Myanmar maid from?

Ivy,
Ya,i like JLK svr but their pool of maids r very limited.They keep sending me the same old biodata leh...
 
Eileen10, I have only one 4yrs old girl.

B2B3M4, I also start to have maid when my girl was 4 months old. But, I insist that I take care of her when I'm home. I still remembered to make milk for her 3 times in the wee hours and then go to work the next morning! (Of course I dozed off during work...:|)

My current maid is the 4th maid I have in a year, but in total, she is my number 7th maid. The longest maid finishes her contract, and the shortest range between 1.5 months to 8months
 
B2B3M4
i agree with you regarding a very hands-on mdm. A hands-on mdm will be more fussy as her standard of cleaniness is higher and near perfect .. Also, u mentioned your husband says "ignorance is bliss" .. haha .. Before marriage, i seldom do housework at home and after marriage, me and hubby has to co-share housework .. i also no need to cook cos daily dinner, including weekend lunches, are all settled at MIL's place... After giving birth and before have maid, hubby takes over all housework and i only need to take care of kids. I'm a FTWM. After birth of my 2nd kid, we get a maid for my MIL, who is looking after my 2 kids during the day. So, quite true, ignorance is bliss. Don know means no need to do so much .. kekekekeek ..
 
<font color="0000ff">Regarding what babycutie posted
I want to point out that MOM does <u>not</u> fine the employer $5000 if the maid have sex. Even if the maid is pregnant, so long as the employer sends her back to her own country, MOM will <u>not</u> fine the employer.

If the maid commits a crime, the employer also does not lose the $5000 bond. But the maid loan of $2000 might be gone since the agency may not refund.

If the maid runs away, if she is found within a period of time (I think 30 days) the employer also does not need to lose $5000. But there are cases of maids who disappeared to geylang and never found again, and some employers did lose their $5000.

My maid has 1 off day for the past 2 years with no problem. She now has 2 off days a month. I think it is perfectly fine. I think a happy maid is a maid who will perform well in her job. I never ask her what she does on her off day. If I cannot trust a maid, I will not hire a maid.</font>

Apple Low,
I totally agree with you that the maid is only here to help, not to replace us. That is why I think that maids should never take up the sole responsibility of caring for a baby or child when the mother is at work. The maid cannot take the place of the mother.

Like you, I also help out with housework, even though I am working full time. I actually do all the washing and drying of me and my hubby's clothes and bedsheets. I do not let the maid touch any of my personal stuff at all. Many mommies think that having a maid means losing all their privacy, but it does not have to be that way at all.
 
Today, just receive a letter from MOM, frequent apply WP(>4 per 12mths). Means employer cant manage well the FDW. Thus MOM, will consider my future application
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Hmm..what to say..really lucky.
 
My agency told me that even if the maid breaks the contract, employer has to PAY for her airfares - even in the contract terms the maid has to pay for her own airfares if she is the one who quits. My agency damned uselesss. I think some mummies oso had similar experience with them - they currently feature a local auntie celebrity endorsing their service.

My maid wanted to call her friend (apparently some Phil workg in a local agency here for help on air-tickets) coz i told her she wanted to quit so i hv to deduct the airfare from her salary. Then she start to break down and cry and wail. Wah piang! In the end, i told her I would chip in and help pay part of her air-fare - only then she quieten down. Frankly, i am skeptical of her story regarding her mom having stroke and being hospitalized and needing her salary to pay off her bills. Either I am hardened or what coz the same story gets cooked in different fashion many times over lost its originality.
 
Little Fly - yah man, when they cry, it is as if they are dying ah?! My maid recently cried cos i voiced up my unhappiness as she went out w/o my permission, wah she cried like maciam going to die - constantly shook head, and jumped! Crazy, I thought.

As for her airticket, i was told by my agent to safekeep some money for 3 mths amounting to abt $500, so that can buy her the ticket if she calls it quit. And sorry, if she wants to quit, she has to bear the consequences. I dont understand some of them, after they finish their loan (like my maid), wants to call it quits! She thinks she come here for holidays? Or she takes it as a threat? Fed-up!
 
Avocado,

I sent the message to you again. Actually, it will be good to interview the maid, at least you get to know how the maid response to your question and can know their attitude.

All my past maid were interview by me before. Though that cannot guarantee whether we will get a perfect one, but at least not the lousier one.

I also agree that a hands-on mum is a little more fussy and have high expectation. But, now I learn to be less fussy after the 3 months period of no-maid around to help. But, as a hands-on mum, there are advantage, we will be able to demo and explain to maid why things should be done this way and can correct them when there is a mistake. Of course, we must try not to be angry if the things has to be explained three times.

Little Fly,

It is a good will if you want to pay the airticket for your maid who has no complete her contract. I have a transfer maid who works 8 months with me and she pay her own ticket to go home. My good will part is not sending her to the agency who will charge them double more for sending them to airport. Bcos of that, I have to engage another agency to get a maid.

For people who worried about the $5000, just pay a different of $50 or less to get the waiver insurance, your liability is only $250 if anything happens...
 
Avocado,
Glad u understand wat i mean.
My past maids favourite phase...

Scenario 1
Me :Why the kitchen cabinets got all these oil stains?
Maid :I got clean but cannot come out.
Me : *take cloth, wipe wif some strenght, everything comes out* Happens for clothings, pots etc

Scenario 2
Me : Why the living room so dusty wif so much hairs flying around
Maid : I haven't sweep today.
Me : Think i stupid is it. The dust so thick, like never sweep for years

Scenario 3
Me : why the kids' stuff all not packed yet? (morning rushing kids to CC)
Maid : I very busy so haven pack.
Me : what have u done since u wake up in the morning
Maid : I make milk n .....
Me : ya.. what else???
Maid : *Keep quiet*
SAme thing wif "i got no time to wash my clothes", "I got no time for this n that..."

Scenario 4
Me : whole day in kitchen preparing food for my child's b-day
Me : Dun wash this wok yet. I still need it (I cook half way n went out to check on the kids. There's these clear prawn stock in the wok which i plan to use to cook another dish)
Maid : *wash up the exact same wok i told her not to wash*
Me : why u wash the wok, didn't i said not to clean
Maid : Not hot already, so i wash lor.....

Scenario 5
Me : why are u making tea with luke warm water
Maid : so that its not so hot, then sir can drink
We nvr taught her that, she just wan to be lazy as she bolied the water late, so no freshly boiled water.
We also caught maids a number of times using water that is still in the process of boiling to make milk for my child.

Its bcos we r such hands-on, such things doesn't escapes us. It stresses the maid, and it definitely stresses me.
 
Tamarind,

Actually when there is a live-in maid, we will have to scarific some privacy. For example, my hubby cannot go topless in the house anymore.
 
B2B3M4,

I used to have some issue with maid, like the following:

Scenario 1
1)Water cold in vaccum flask, why you haven't change the hot water yet? Told you to check every 2 days -> Now I do this my own, not big effort anyway

2)Why the floor so dusty? ->Now I bought a magic clean mop, anyhow broom also very clean. Save effort in brooming

3)Why the mirror so much water mark? -> I also bought magic cloth and demo to maid and if they dunno, I also not angry, just show them to use CLEAN water with magic cloth and asked them do again. (I already repeated >4 times with my current maid, now she fully understand how to clean so to not repeat the work again..
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4)Breakfast -> We have simple breadfast, my hubby make tea/coffee in the morning and afternoong in weekend. He make a better coffee/tea, so Nen Zhe Duo Lao... Weekend, he also make coffee/tea for maid if he is making for us, Just another cup to show appreciation...not much effort though.

5)Milk/Baby bath -> So important for baby, DIY lah....then no headache and fustration

6)Cloth->I also iron my own sometimes. Just a little exercise for me, if not I get too fat also. I lose 2kg during the 3months period, and I like my current size now...
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The dry cloth I aslo fold my own, but my maid also fold but still not to my standard. I haven't have the time to teach her all yet and she also dunno where to keep the cloth, always mix up. I got v angry with last 3 maid when they mix up my cloth. So now I DIY first and see how later...
 
Apple,
These are the small things the maid helps me which is within her means. Anything more than that, preparing meals (including hers) and even feeding the kids are way beyond them.

I have 2 kids, 2 and 4yrs. MAybe that explain why u have more time n avenue to do all these. Hb is oso always away, so it just me n the maid.

Anyway there's no point getting expensive or complicatied tools for the maids bcos
1. They dunno how to use it.. my maid tells me to get a normal mop n broom. SHe doesn't know how to use this Magic mop stuff
2. They spoilt it after a weeks. To expensive to keep replacing the whole Magic mop

Eh.. if the maid dun make the milk, then who makes the milk when u are at work? Honestly, that it the whole purpose of getting the maid. To help wif the babysitting when i am at work. When i am at home, obviously i will take care of my kids' issues.

At least yours is cloth, i need to tidy up the food stuff n all (groceries, perishable, clean the fish n chicken, pack vegetables, monitor expiry dates) including her meals. I think that is even more impt than the cloths.

Anyway, like wat u say. All these chores are no big effort. I just sent my kids to CC n settle the chores on my own. I feel happier and more carefree.

Great that the maid is of help to u. For me, it brings me more heartache than help.
 
hey, B2B3M4, I know what you mean and indeed having 2 young kids, dont really let you have extra time, as much as you like to be hands on! Your situation is v similar to mine as in me and maid only at home with 2 kids. In fact we do not have any spare hands! I got a colleague who do not understand and said to me once that, "wah you have maid, no problem lah, you can sit there and watch TV after work" - as if this really can happen! You know, now i try to save time by bathing 2 boys together every evening.

I want to ask you, how are you coping over the weekend when you are maidless now. Can your 4 yr old feed him/herself? I am now making plans in the event i am going maidless, but the moment i thought about feeding 2 kids one after another for meals, i want to faint! My older boy 3 yrs old usually take a damn long time to eat - so you can imagine if I have to do the feeding for 2 kids by myself for 2 solid meals a day! Now I feed the older one and the maid feeds the younger one which takes max 30 mins.
 
Hi

I would like to feedback on my unhappy experience wth Nation Maid Agency.

Firstly, I chose Nation Maid Agency is because I was impressed by the advertisement in the media showcasing celebrity Ms Chen Xiang Yun.

I had applied for a domestic help and fetched the maid Ms Erni home on 22.9.07 .

Unfortunately she is unable to perform the basic house-work or take care of my elderly

A month later, on 28.10.07, I went to the agency to request for a new replacement, and paid for the course fees for the new domestic help.

I was informed by the staff Ms Connie that it will takes about 4 to 6 weeks for the new replacement maid to arrive, reason being she was not issued a passport.


The present maid, Ms Ernie's performance slackens day by day .

On 10.11.07 , I called the agency and spoke to Ms Shangna (poor customer service). She suggested that I re-select another domestic help holding a passport if I need her service urgently and the lead time is around 2 to 3 weeks.

On 12.11.07, I received an approval letter from MOM and following, I send Ms Ernie back to the agency on 15.11.07.


I contacted Ms Shangna to check on the status of the new maid replacement and she claimed that the maid had arrived but she did not passed the entry test.

Ms Shangna called me to inform that I need to re- select another replacement.

I am very disappointed with their service and it is time consuming and a waste of money, be cause I still need to continue paying the levy fees although I do not have the service of the maid .

Left with no choice , I re-selected for another replacement and was told by Ms Shangna that I have to wait for another 3 to 4 weeks.
 
Way, poor you. I think you can forget about Nation as I've heard alot of bad comments. Also, I personally has been to Nation twice and they have never once get back to me before. If you are urgently looking for someone, can consider those transfer maid. Some are not that bad.

Eileen, even if I got maid, when I'm home, I usually get both my kids to sit down with me to eat. But if my hub is not around, I will usually feed both of them first before I take my share. I can tell you both my kids are not easy to feed. My now 6yo son, he only eat fast when it's something he likes like fried chicken wing, macoronic and cheese, luncheon meat. If I cook porridge with fish and vege, he'll take more than an hr to finish half a bowl. My girl also fussy eater, sometimes I get so tired that I feel like tying her down and fixing her head, so that she won't turn away when I feed her. hahahaah..... But I survived lah. So I'm sure you all can do it too.
 
hey, my encounter with Nation Yishun branch is quite good leh .. good service, including follow-up services from the girl there .. she keeps me posted on the development of my application, eg. when my maid arrived singapore, completed training, etc .. i think its service standard is not consistent across branches, and it depends a lot on the individual person manning the branch.
 
B2B3M4

True, with two kids to take care it is tougher.

I think I'm in a better situation that my mum also help to look after the kids after she comes back from childcare center. My maid will go to my mum house during the day and come back with me after I have dinner at mum house.

Way &amp; PinkTweet,

I think dun need to go so expensive maid agency, I think at the end they all are almost the same. The maid you hire is what it counts, and all the maids come to Singapore go thr the same procedure, so a expensive one might not give you good maid and a cheaper one might not give you losy maid.

I pay only <$150 for the agent fee and my maid loan is 7.5 months and she still has $30 every months. Take away the $30, her loan is actually about 7 month.
 
Well, my girl also v fuzzy eater, Last time I took 1.5 hrs to feed her. I feed until my hand trembles, and she still has that porridge in her mouth. She is like hamster, keep food in the mouth. But she has since improved.
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, now it takes max 30mins to 1hr to feed her....
 
eileen10 - ur agent sounds rather decent. In hindsight, i shld hv withheld some of her money to save for air ticket. Yes, she is a drama queen, crying and wailing on the floor. She asked for $100 as pocket money after her loan finishes. When i told her off for not cleaning properly, she would sulk the whole day and not greet my parents/ family members.

PinkTweet, Way, did u check the termination clause of Nation? I just found out that they did not specify a penalty clause that the maid has to pay for her airticket if she terminates the contract prematurely. Instead, if the employer chose to terminate the contract for any reason, then the employer has to bear all costs of repriation.

Mummies - does ur maid contract stipulates in writing that the maid has to pay for her own air fare back if she breaks the contract pre-maturely?
 
wayway,
I have posted your review here. Please refresh the page and scroll down. Thanks !

http://singaporemaidagencyreviews.blogspot.com/2008/02/nation.html


Apple Low,
My maid mostly stays in the kitchen to do her work. She is not allowed to enter any bedroom without permission. She mops the floor when we are away at work. When she has nothing to do, she will stay in her own room(bomb shelter) or in the kitchen. She does not appear unless we call her. So I feel very comfortable with my current maid.
 
Apple,
you are definitely in a better situation. Some of us like Eileen and myself do not get much parental support for childcare. So things are really tough. I have only one kid but as it is, it can be tough especially since my boy is really active and is crawling and learning to walk now. I was maidless just before CNY this year till last week. I decided to hire again because of the amount of attention my son needed, the lack of parental support and my deteriorating health (lost a lot of weight in that last few months).

and like what Tamarind says, if we restrict the maid's access to our rooms, you'll have some privacy. My maid also stays mainly in the kitchen to do her work. And she only has permission to enter the bedrooms for cleaning, for which she has to inform me before entering. This is my houserule. She also does not chat or appear unnecessarily.
 
Nellu, Tamarind,

Somehow, I find it wierd when both write "She does not appear unless we call her" To me it is like she can only be outside the room if she has things to do, if not she better stay in her room.

Maid also like us, she has feeling and needs to talk and interact. It will be good if once a while, talk to her. Like me, I'm v curious about Mynammar people, how they live and what they do. Or just talking about her family is good. I don't like to be always lonely, so I think the maid also feels the same way. They are just normal people like us.
 


Apple Low,
You misunderstood me. I do talk to my maid when I am in the kitchen. My mother is often in the kitchen so the 2 of them has lots to talk about. My maid told my mother a lot about her family. Even my 3 year old boy likes to go to the kitchen to talk to my maid. When I am working, she has to stay in the living room to look after my kids and play with them. My maid actually almost has no time to stay in her room at all because she is always busy working. When I return from work and take over the kids, she will go back to the kitchen to work. She knows that I want to spend quality time with my kids and I don't need her to be around.

I actually did <u>not</u> have a houserule for my maid that says "Do not appear unless I call you". She takes the initiative to stay out of my sight because she knows how to respect my privacy. I guess it is her training during her past 6 years working for her ex-employer who knows how to train a maid well.

I am very happy with my current maid. I dislike maids who do not know their place. Even when we are working, we don't appear in front of the manager or director's office unless we are called right ? This is the way I manage my maid : an employer-employee relationship. My maid is also happy to work for me, and she has just renewed another 2 years with me.

My maid once told me that her ex-employer like us, are also cantonese, and she said she thinks that all cantonese are nice people
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Although I think that is absolutely not true, I am delighted to hear her saying that.
 

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