Part Time Help

[Taro]

I am due next month and am looking for hired hourly help. However, i am determined to do without a live-in maid just to avoid all the horror stories that i've heard of. I have checked out a few agencies that provide hired help on an hourly basis but am wondering whether there are other options out there that expat families are using.

We relocated from Tokyo to Singapore recently and i am surprised that it cost the same (or more here) to have hourly hired help if you get one from the established agencies here. The downside to getting one from these agencies is that they do not assign a fixed person to go to your place on every trip. This is a problem for me because i need the hired help to pick my toddler up from school and having a different person pick her up each time does not sit well with me.

Any recommendations? Ideas anyone?

[Not all Bad]

Please don't let the the horror stories you have seen posted on this or other sites, deter you from employing a live-in helper. The majority of us have had positive experiences with live-in helpers.  I am on my second posting to Singapore and have had two wonderful helpers and many of my friends have had the same experience.

I felt the same as you when I first arrived in Singapore in 2001, but am happy to say that out of all the people I have met here, the horror stories have certainly been in the minority.  It is just that bad news sells better than good news. 

[Absolutely]

We have had the same fantastic maid (I'm not PC enough to have a helper) for 9 years and had no real issues with her. No dramas at all.
My kids love her and she loves them, and I prefer that they are around someone who knows them well and I can trust.
As the other poster says, bad news sells.

[i'd get the maid]

Even though I have had a few bad experiences with maids I have to say that part-timers are no better and are totally outside of your control (I used Dxxxxxxx Oxx for part timers and sometimes the maids don't turn up and you don't get a replacement for a few of days...would not recommend). However you can get great part timers and great full time maids too - if you've got a newborn coming you don't really want to be relaying on people who may or may not turn up. I just had my third and although my live-in maid was a bit of a pain with picking the baby up when I wanted her left on the floor or in the cot, I still really appreciated someone else being there 24/7 whilst I got breastfeeding established. I just could never have kept going with breastfeeding in this climate without another adult around - husbands hardly get any paternity leave here and the heat makes it all especially draining. I'd go for a helper and be fair but strict check she's got good references and you'll probably be OK and if not you can always change for another.

[nomore]

We had a live in maid. I was quiet annoyed sometimes because of the fact that she was with us 24 hours, 6 days a week but oh how much did I value her work and even more now since she is no longer working with us. I d always go for the live in helper again.

[agree with]

all of the above. I have had part-timers in the past and have had a couple of really good ones, but I'm not sure that you would normally get a P/T helper willing to collect children from school. They usually do 4 hours am with one employer then move on to the next for another 4 hours. As pp's have said they are not the most reliable, even tho I've had a couple of real gems they would often call the morning they were due to say they were sick. Really not the situation you want and have, the stress of your older child being left at school.
Take the F/T help, try to check out the refs as much as possible and speak to previous employers. If they don't have references don't hire. Also, I would also make sure to speak with the second from last employer - if anything dodgy, their current employer will most likely lie just to offload on you.
Good luck

[Grace.]

Hi PP

I've been here for 5 years and have 2 part time helpers over that time.  One I got through word of mouth, the second I put up a notice on our condo b0ard and had about 5 people contacting me.  Four of them were not PR but the one we got is PR, so she's legal.

Both part timers have been lovely and trustworthy, but I guess that's just luck.

Although it is harder work not having a live-in, for me it would never have worked - I don't want someone around my children and me all the time, I like cooking, I'm happy to do clearing up, and to be honest I'd feel a little useless if I had a live-in, seeing as I'm not working and now both children are at nursery/school.

Hope that helps.

[GGirl]

Hi OP

Agree with Grace.  Just post up a notice on the supermarket board asking for a legal maid - must be PR or local citizen.  I've had several maids in HK and Singapore and now that my kids are in full time school, much prefer the less than spotless, but privacy of home, by using a PT helper/

Taro, I would definitely assign only cleaning and household duties but want to keep all childraising and dropping off responsibilities myself or trustedf friend.  I'm sure the school would only release your toddler to specified adults also.  Good luck with your forthcoming baby

[i'd get the maid]

Ladies - all this advice to not get the maid is well and good...but you all have kids at school. This mum is about to have another baby! So with no full timer there who is going to look after her older child whilst she gives birth?  Her husband will hopefully be with her in hospital. There's loads of situations where a full timer is really worthwhile if you don't have family around to help out. Its tough going here with no family support and the maid goes someway to providing that service.

[if you're]

looking for someone to pick up your daughter 5 days/wk that may prove a little difficult. Not sure there will be many P/Timers available 5 days/wk - not any that would be any good anyway:-)
What about the school bus? Or maybe put a sign up in your condo, you may find a mum close by willing to help out until you find your feet with your 2nd.

[Grace.]

To:  I'd get the maid - I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I had a newborn and 18 month old without a full time maid - it's hard work, but I liked that I could do it by myself.

However, I do agree, having a part time maid who comes to you every day to pick up your toddler could be tricky.  OP will you be working?  Are you able to collect your toddler yourself with the baby?

[easygoing]

Ladies - all this advice to not get the maid is well and good...but you all have kids at school. This mum is about to have another baby! So with no full timer there who is going to look after her older child whilst she gives birth?

Most people I know who've never had a maid have a good friend on standby or get a family member over for the weeks when the baby is due.  I was fortunate that my friend agreed to be "on call" around the due date.

As for taking the older child to school - the younger one just went too, strapped into the pram or babysling or whatever.  I didn't find this to be a problem, mainly because with my second, things didn't seem as precious and delicate - the new baby fitted right in, she had to, there was no other choice.  We did have lots of mum and baby time together when the older one was at school but when it came to drop-off/pick-up time, the school-going child came first.

Whatever happens, don't worry, you'll get into a routine with it all and there's always the school bus - even if your eldest only goes on it for a term or two until you've got yourself used to having two children to look after.

[PT/FT?]

We were very hesitant about getting a full time maid at first and looked very seriously at part time help.  But the cost was just prohibitive.  You are paying by the hour and we would be paying more for a few hours a day than for a full time maid.  We ended up getting a full time maid.  Although we have sacrificed privacy we have gained in flexibility and most critically, consistent care for our kids. 

[haleluya]

Regarding Part Time Help

              Theres good and bad points but the most important of all are getting the PR ones or licensed from agency. No point getting those unlicensed ones and coming here to do some part time work, its very dangerous, first all theres no record of them, and anything can happen to your valuables and stuffs. Its better to play safe and prevent.

My advise pay abit more from licensed ones to have a better mind, at least you know where to look from them in terms of troubles.

[Ella88]

I am due next month and am looking for hired hourly help. However, i am determined to do without a live-in maid just to avoid all the horror stories that i've heard of. I have checked out a few agencies that provide hired help on an hourly basis but am wondering whether there are other options out there that expat families are using.

We relocated from Tokyo to Singapore recently and i am surprised that it cost the same (or more here) to have hourly hired help if you get one from the established agencies here. The downside to getting one from these agencies is that they do not assign a fixed person to go to your place on every trip. This is a problem for me because i need the hired help to pick my toddler up from school and having a different person pick her up each time does not sit well with me.

Any recommendations? Ideas anyone?

I am using the hourly maid and it was great!