maids, trouble?????

[tako]

I am thinking about getting a maid and was wondering if anyone has heard of troubles associated with maids?

[A must]

No troubles at all - they are all wonderful, kind, honest caring girls.  You can't go wrong.

[Maid]

Grrrrrhh!!!...
It's like asking if your car, dog, cat, or anything of that sort gives you trouble.

One thing I have learned -- if you decide to do one thing, then do it. If you don't know how, don't do it....

Grrrrrhhh!!!

[redd]

Tako

A maid is like everyone else. She is a woman and she can give her employer value for money - like your hairdresser or lawyer.

Some hairdressers are good and some are bad. Some lawyers fight for you and do their best because they take pride in what they do. Some lawyers break the law --- spending the money entrusted to them.

A maid can be a wonderful person to have around, if you are lucky to find an honest one. This is not to say that most are not honest. I think generally a foreign maid gives value for money.

Go ahead and hire one and enjoy the luxury and sleeping until 10 am or going to bed at 1 am or going to the movies or a party, etc., because you have  a maid who will attend to the children while you attend the dinner/dance/mahjong/bridge, etc.

[mine]

Would you like to get mine?

[Horsesh*t]

This question and its never-ending series are not gonna stop cracking like popcorn unless we have a section dedicated to "maids"! Pholks need to be more resourceful and browse back a bit more to get good answers. There are tons of threads way back with very informative replies to such lazy one liners. This annoying repetition and habit of thread creation on the mundane just because someone is lazy is getting on my nerves. If you want a good answer, do some work first. Don't just shoot off a hanging question and expect a solid reply. Instead, I'll give you the runs, a.k.a. dot com diarrhea. It's time horsie cracks his whip, kicks some lazy booty and teaches forum fartiquette.  

[lady_lou_lou]

GIDDY UP HORSIE!!

It's about time someone told them....

if i have to read another thread on maids.......

i'll SCREAM!!!!!!!!!

[lililu]

You will probably be screaming ever so often.  A maid post always attracts a lot of replies because it gives the self-righteous one the chance to show off her moral superiority by chiding the less thoughtful or humane employer.

It gives those who have been had by their maids or their agents a chance to vent their anger.

It gives some half-smart been-there-done-that an opportunity to show what little she knows.

I remember one snoot who used to say how well she treated her maid before she chided someone else.

I am surprised that so far no better-than-thou has shown up as often happens.

[Euro-Aussie]

Doesn't matter how well you 'screen' them, you can still get a bad one...  

My first maid was brilliant, in terms of personality, job dedication, cleanliness and honesty.  Unfortunately she had to go home to tend to her four kids.

The second was a miserable thief - although very nice at the interview - never got our stuff back and then she had to go back to Manila because her mother/father or both or whoever was ill.

Haven't had a maid since January and surprise, surprise - can cope quite well without as we have done before we came to Singapore ....  

[tako]

Thanks for the responses containing information in response to the posted question.  

I think people have lost site that this forum is for gathering information on all things regarding Singapore....NOT a social outlet.

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of garbage that comes through....people complaining about too many maid posts but then chasing the link?  Just ignore it champion and move on.....is it that hard?  

Also, each question about any topic should not have to be validated for the bleeding hearts with throw-away lines like 'morally I am unsure whether I should' etc etc  

I just want to measure up people who have had problems (thieving etc) with those that absolutley love it to make a decision.

I have just wasted 10 minutes of my time writing this,  and am now certain that all those long winded posts with no information of relevance are by sad and lonely people.

BM:- why don't you develope a real time chat room for these people so the rest of us can exchange information in peace.

[BoardManager]

tako,
We need sponsors!  

BM

[Well Said]

Tako for President!

[flying kiwi]

tako
Some practical advice from a long time expat who has had a lot of maids some good some average but none awful.
If you have kids take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some of the perks of expat living: having lunch or dinner with other half, going to the movies etc.
Research and dont take the first that comes along but by the same token go with your gut instinct.
The maid you have a funny feeling about when you first interview her no matter how good her references is probably not worth the hassles.
My current maid is a gem.  She was the first i interviewed and she seemed the right fit for my family and I have not been proved wrong.
Ignore the garbage and go with what you feel is right.

[a rosete]

getting a maid is i think not only a matter of choosing the "right one", but more on chemistry and "maid management". Different people have different standards, priorities and expectations...
Bringing in someone to stay with you, surely there will be problems (as we all know,any 2 people or more living in 1roof will always have problems). But it's also a question of which problems we can take and which ones we cant...If there is any maid agency who can say they can guarantee that their maids wont give any problems, they are lying! Just as we cant guarantee that our boyfriends can make a good husband nor our children will be the best no matter how good a parent we are, there will never be a way to guarantee a person...
I think it would be best if you sort out your priorities, and your requirements first before getting a maid. In this way you can minimize problems... Remember, there is no such thing as a perfect maid just as there is no perfect employer.

hope you can find the suitable maid for you...

[skank]

HUBBY'S PERSPECTIVE
I come from the states where nobody & I mean nobody would even think of having a live-in maid. Most people get is parttime housekeeper to do cleaning, laundry & ironing.

I think to most Americans having a another person living in the house is beyond the realm off contemplation.

But I was raised overseas as kids of expats half my life & sometimes we had help. In Africa we had a cleaning girl/washerwoman, a cook/food procurer, & a gardner. But there was no running water, extremely sporadic generated power after dark & no supermarkets, purchasing supplies was an almost full time occupation because of chronic shortages of everything due to the Biafran war. But when we were at home in the states our family always immediately fell right back into the American habit of taking care of our own life by ourselves.

Anyhow here in Singapore I like having a maid. It's affordable here. I like it more than my wife. I like it because my wife has time to do things other than run the household & she is more energetic & upbeat when I get home because she is free to pursue her interests & does so. If we don't have a maid I come home from work & have to occupy/watch the kids every moment while my wife prepares dinner. With a maid my wife & the maid can trade off on those two tasks & I can take a shower & depressurize from the work day for a short while before dinner. After dinner the advantages of a maid continue as my wife,myself & the kids can take a walk, go to the playground etc while the maid cleans up, w/o a maid once you get inolved in cleaning the kitchen seems you often get sidetracked & don't get out. On & On I think you get the picture

All that said it not that easy to get a good maid, try to be careful in choosing one & if she doesn't seem right she probably isn't so tell the agency to swop her out. Once you have maid that integrates w/your family it will really change your lifestyle. & Please remember most of these maids are supporting a large extended family back home with your wages.

If she works out & you treat her well & she is able to send money back home monthly on a regular basis don't worry you are doing a very good & positive thing by employing her. She has won the maid lottery & got a "good sir & mam" she will be very happy & so will you.