Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Maidless for 2 weeks oredi

It's been 2 weeks since our maid went back home. Good news is that she is coming back. I contacted her and asked if she is coming back, etc ... and yes, she is. This is good news cos it's tough to get a new maid and all the familarisation again, building trust ...e tc, it's alot of time and efforts.

During these 2 weeks, hubby and I had our ups and downs, fair share of WW3 but so far, we managed without any external help. I am on leave for 2 weeks to take care of #2 as I have my extended maternity leave to clear, which I have to clear it by Aug. Knowing that I am unable to find the time anymore to clear it, this is a great opportunity and afterall I do need the leave. It's a blessing that I delivered after the cut off date of 17 Aug to qualify for the new baby bonus scheme. It's a real blessing as I had initially wanted to go for my c-sect on 08082008.

Still trying to get my rest and hopefully when maid comes back, I can have more sleep. Work is getting heavier as well and there are alot of new learning opportunities, which I really like.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Maid had left for home ...

Yesterday, we sent my maid to the airport as she requested to go home due to her husband's illness. It was rather sad cos I have to take over that role, yet we are going to wait for her for 1 week to inform us if she is coming back at all.

In the initial days since last week, after she informed us that she needs to go back, she changed her tune from not sure if she is coming back to "Yes Sir, I will come back". She even checked with us what is ZQ's birthday so she can be back in time to celebrate with him.

Have not heard from her yet but by now, she should have reached her home.
Hope to hear from her soon .... at least an sms.

For me, I had been busy since we returned from the airport.
Wash up the kids, fed them and put them to sleep, expressing milk, washing bottles, pump, shower, dinner, shower #1, fed #2, pump again, put #1 to sleep , fed #2 again. busy all the until almost 2am.

By 4am, #1 asked for milk. At 5am, #2 cried for milk. At 6am, expressing BM.

Wonder how long this kind of lifestyle gonna last.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

ZQ and his ways of expression

Last evening, ZQ was playing alot on his bed and refusing to sleep.
At one point, he told me "Mama, I think i have too much grapes" so i had to ask him if he is having a tummy ache and if he wants to Da Bian. He then said he does.
Instead of just telling me direct that he wants to pass motion, he will use such phrases and hoping we can understand him.

During times when he wants to vomit, he'll say "Mama., I think I have too much milk." so we'll to guess what does too much milk mean.

Since our maid is going home today, i had been training and telling ZQ that auntie is going back to see his children. ZQ also knows that she is going home to see her "YeYe, Nai Nai, GuGu, Ge Ge, Di Di" ... cos that's the list he knows about family.

I told him "Auntie is going home to see her children" so mama will be the one to bathe you when he was asking me to bathe him .. next he said "Auntie, you go home ok?" cos he wants me to bathe him instead. Good thing he is not too sticky to the maid else i'd have a hard time. I hope he settles well with the idea of maid not being around.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Maidless days coming, too soon to be true

Last week, I noticed that maid looked abit distressed, unhappy, abnormal so I asked her what happened. She then told me that her husband had a stroke and now is unconscious in the hospital, in other words, in a coma.


Next, she said she wanted to go back home. So I woke hubby up and told him. Hubby then suggested to quickly send her home and get a temporary replacement maid until she comes back. However, there is no such thing as replacement maid for a month or two.


That was the start of processing her return and thinking of how to manage without her. Worst, is the finding of a new maid. It's a torturous process.


We asked my maid if she can confirm when she is returning back so we can get her a 2 way ticket and she can go back to settle her family. She said she is not sure as the in laws side might not release her and had demanded that she returns to take care of her husband.


We offered her a few solutions ... cos if she were to go back this time. Coming back to SG without any employer means she has to pay off another 6 months of salary to the agency. Or even if we reprocess her with a new contract, the costs would be $1000+.


She did consider and her final decision was to go home as she said that her SIL would be vv angry and not let her see her family if she does not go home ... and she says if she no longer have a family, what's the point of her working so hard in Singapore. Well, she's got a valid concern there. Also, she said if she were to take a 2 way ticket and she is unable to come back, then it's unfair to us. She really sounds so considerate and genuine.


However, after i spoke to her agent, I did doubt if her story is true as many maids had come up with unbelievable stories which often turns out to be untrue. This saddens singapore employers and sometimes questions the authencity of the story. Of course there is also the story from the agent which I hope not to be true - hopefully this is not a self deceiving thought. Afterall, we had been so good to her and do not see any reason of her not wainting to work for us. Furthermore, with her current situation, she would need employment to feed her family.


Hubby says that perhaps the agent make up a story to say that my maid is not coming back so she can earn the comission from us for introducing another maid. perhaps.


Nontheless for now, we just have to based on trust that she is indeed coming back if she can.

Had given her a week to reply to us once she is back before I process a new maid if she is not coming back. SO in the meantime, I had taken leave and gonna assume the role of a maid ... only that mine is temporary and i can choose not to do certain things and take short cuts.

Hope i will do fine.