Nobody from either side of my family has ever hired a maid. My Ahma (Chinese=maternal grandma) has 11 children and yet, she took care of them on her own, cooked and even helped my grandfather with the family business.
If I remember correctly, my late Grandma (paternal) was a housekeeper who helped out at several British houses because she could speak English. While my dad and his brothers were at babysitters’, she would still come home and cook great-tasting Eurasian dishes for the family.
My own Mum, a full-time then turned part-time working mother, also raised my sisters and I on her own without any hired help. My elder sister, a full-time working mother, is also juggling work, the household and raising her two kids all by herself.
With a strong stock of SuperMums ahead and afore me, I’m not sure if I should even hire a maid, especially as I’m a housewife now with only 1 kid.
In China, 3 categories of help are available depending on the time they commit: live-in, part-time (full-day/half-day) and freelance. The first lady would live in your home and essentially become an additional member of the family. She’s an ayi if she’s only cleaning but a baomu if she helps with the kids. Naturally, a baomu will demand a higher salary.
I currently have a freelance ayi who comes twice a week for 2 hours to help me with:
- wash 2 balconies (and 2 toilets) weekly – it’s VERY dusty here
- sweep & mop
- wash & hang the clothes with the washing machine
- chops garlic/onions or peels veggies
Last week, my friend gave me some good news – a highly-recommended baomu may be available because the family hiring her is moving. She finds the new location too far and wants to return home to feed her little girl.
She’s worked for a few Malaysian families and is dependable. Hubby and I discussed that we could have her coming 4 hours every day to help with more of the housework (cleaning, washing, food preparation and keep an eye on Lucas), while I:
- prepare our meals
- clean up after Lucas
- keep the house neat and less like a war zone
- have the energy to work on my part-time intere$t$
Hahaha had my hopes up too soon – the family has offered her a full-day’s contract if she makes the commute. This means she won’t be able to feed her little girl but both parties are gonna try it out first.
In our case, as we’re going home in Feb, we’ll continue with our Xiaomei first. She’s quite OK but she hasn’t given me her photocopy ID yet (even after 3 reminders) and frequently picks up Lucas when I tell her she doesn’t have to. Furthermore, she’s only available from 8.45 – 10.45 am as she cleans other homes and works in a factory in the afternoons.
I hope that the baomu will find that it’s better to go home and feed her little girl, then she can work with us and possibly, Lucas may have a playmate! If not, I may have to go the regular route of trying out baomus via an agency.
While we wait for anything to happen, my dear friend has just called me – she’s got the driver today and is gonna pick us for a lunch out and some shopping. Yipppeeee!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
hope that you can find a good baomu.
btw, you still want the body shop cream?
hey i just found out yr new site at my technorati! happy new year to you
HuiSia – thanks! I hope so too…no need the cream dear as I’ve just got my stash through someone. Bless u!
Babe – Nice to see you here! Happy New Year too and hope you’ll come again and again hehe
its always a good idea to snap up a good hired help if one is coming along your way. I grew up with a string of housekeepers. My mom has 8 of us and didnt have time for us. we were all kept busy with all day schooling and classes. In my case, my mom neglected us a lot, not that we are any worse for it. hee hee. but housekeepers are a bonus if they are good ones.
All Things Purple – I know and I’m praying *very hard* that we’ll find a good one and also I know how to keep her on! You knowlah…no experience, I might mess things up.