glitterjitters
New Member
I was introduced to confinement nanny Josephine Wong Ming Ming (a.k.a. Joey) as she had experience with twins and had good reviews. I contacted her and eventually engaged her for the period of 2 March to 29 March 2025. My review as follows:
1) Character: Too nosy for her own good, likes to hide the truth
- Was partially responsible/an accomplice for losing the hospital tag of my second twin. This is the name tag that the hospital attaches to the ankle of all newborns. She knew that parents want to keep these but she did not treat it with care. While my husband and I were out, she cut the tag off without our permission to bathe my LO and apparently handed it to my mother. Fast forward a few hours, I realised it was no longer on my baby's ankle and asked for it. No one could find it. The worst part is she had to cheek to blame me and my husband (who were not at home at the time of the incident) saying we were might have been the ones who threw it away. She brushed it off by saying the most important is the baby is safe. Of course I know that, but the tag also holds great significance to us. She even made snide remarks at us when we went to take out the trash the day after, asking whether we accidentally threw away anything (said it in mandarin 'you mei you luan diu'?). I do not know why she thinks she has the right to remove our belongings.
- Opened things she was not given access to. On the above incident of the tag, she instructed my mother to go to the DB cabinet to get the scissors, as if it was her house. We did not once tell her where the scissors were, and did not show her the DB. She just assumed free access because she saw us open it before. She also helped herself to things in the storeroom instead of asking us for the stuff we kept in there.
- Used our ceramic knives for chopping and chipped the knife. Instead of telling us, she put the chipped knife back in the holder. Only after we discovered it then she claimed that she meant to tell us.
- Burnt our brand new stainless steel pots and pans, did not tell us.
- Placed burning hot pot in the sink, burning a mark on it. Also did not inform us.
2) Caring for babies: mediocre
- Was aware of some guidelines e.g. feeding amounts but did not adhere to them. She quickly increased the amount of milk given in a short period of time and even let the babies overdrink their recommended amount. Since they were twins, she sometimes also gave one leftover milk from the other. As a result the volume of milk given varied greatly.
- Other than that, took care of the babies as per job description.
- Sometimes will sleep through some alarms at night.
3) Cleanliness and hygiene: bad, has no common sense
- While accumulating a laundry load, she stuffed the wet baby bath towels in a paper bag. I only found out days after she started this practice and told her not to do so as the towels will get moldy.
- Does terrible job of cleaning up after herself. The sink will be dirty after she cooks, with food bits left behind. The kitchen was left oily, the dishes were never 100% clean.
- She asked for the sink insert as a holding area for baby bottles, but she used that same insert as a temporary trash holding place.
- Does not manage the food inventory well. She bought potatoes and other dried food stuff and placed them in the kitchen cabinet. Few days before her last day, I discovered them growing mold and had to throw the whole lot away, and thereafter disinfect the whole cabinet.
- At the end of the day, my husband and I are always the ones cleaning up the kitchen.
- I do not know for what reason she placed her dentures in a plastic container in the cupboard of my bathroom. The water in the container leaked in the cabinet. As usual I had to discover it. By then some items were already growing mold.
4) Cooking for mommy: pros and cons
- Can accommodate to your requirements and customise menus (e.g. frequency of traditional confinement food, herbal dishes etc.)
- Can cook additional portions for your family members.
- Tasty but too oily. We found out the new bottle of oil was finished after a week.
- Because of her inability to clean up well after herself (see pt 3), we told her to stop cooking after the second week.
Over the course of the month we did discuss with her multiple times on the expectation of maintaining the things she used as our house was newly renovated. However, nothing improved and after her one month stay, we already had to replace a few items.
I also did not feel well rested as I had to constantly clean and worry about the state of the house.
Overall will not recommend unless you can accept someone with her nosy character, and someone as disrespectful of your house and belongings.
1) Character: Too nosy for her own good, likes to hide the truth
- Was partially responsible/an accomplice for losing the hospital tag of my second twin. This is the name tag that the hospital attaches to the ankle of all newborns. She knew that parents want to keep these but she did not treat it with care. While my husband and I were out, she cut the tag off without our permission to bathe my LO and apparently handed it to my mother. Fast forward a few hours, I realised it was no longer on my baby's ankle and asked for it. No one could find it. The worst part is she had to cheek to blame me and my husband (who were not at home at the time of the incident) saying we were might have been the ones who threw it away. She brushed it off by saying the most important is the baby is safe. Of course I know that, but the tag also holds great significance to us. She even made snide remarks at us when we went to take out the trash the day after, asking whether we accidentally threw away anything (said it in mandarin 'you mei you luan diu'?). I do not know why she thinks she has the right to remove our belongings.
- Opened things she was not given access to. On the above incident of the tag, she instructed my mother to go to the DB cabinet to get the scissors, as if it was her house. We did not once tell her where the scissors were, and did not show her the DB. She just assumed free access because she saw us open it before. She also helped herself to things in the storeroom instead of asking us for the stuff we kept in there.
- Used our ceramic knives for chopping and chipped the knife. Instead of telling us, she put the chipped knife back in the holder. Only after we discovered it then she claimed that she meant to tell us.
- Burnt our brand new stainless steel pots and pans, did not tell us.
- Placed burning hot pot in the sink, burning a mark on it. Also did not inform us.
2) Caring for babies: mediocre
- Was aware of some guidelines e.g. feeding amounts but did not adhere to them. She quickly increased the amount of milk given in a short period of time and even let the babies overdrink their recommended amount. Since they were twins, she sometimes also gave one leftover milk from the other. As a result the volume of milk given varied greatly.
- Other than that, took care of the babies as per job description.
- Sometimes will sleep through some alarms at night.
3) Cleanliness and hygiene: bad, has no common sense
- While accumulating a laundry load, she stuffed the wet baby bath towels in a paper bag. I only found out days after she started this practice and told her not to do so as the towels will get moldy.
- Does terrible job of cleaning up after herself. The sink will be dirty after she cooks, with food bits left behind. The kitchen was left oily, the dishes were never 100% clean.
- She asked for the sink insert as a holding area for baby bottles, but she used that same insert as a temporary trash holding place.
- Does not manage the food inventory well. She bought potatoes and other dried food stuff and placed them in the kitchen cabinet. Few days before her last day, I discovered them growing mold and had to throw the whole lot away, and thereafter disinfect the whole cabinet.
- At the end of the day, my husband and I are always the ones cleaning up the kitchen.
- I do not know for what reason she placed her dentures in a plastic container in the cupboard of my bathroom. The water in the container leaked in the cabinet. As usual I had to discover it. By then some items were already growing mold.
4) Cooking for mommy: pros and cons
- Can accommodate to your requirements and customise menus (e.g. frequency of traditional confinement food, herbal dishes etc.)
- Can cook additional portions for your family members.
- Tasty but too oily. We found out the new bottle of oil was finished after a week.
- Because of her inability to clean up well after herself (see pt 3), we told her to stop cooking after the second week.
Over the course of the month we did discuss with her multiple times on the expectation of maintaining the things she used as our house was newly renovated. However, nothing improved and after her one month stay, we already had to replace a few items.
I also did not feel well rested as I had to constantly clean and worry about the state of the house.
Overall will not recommend unless you can accept someone with her nosy character, and someone as disrespectful of your house and belongings.
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