is driving me nuts. I animated over lunch to a colleague on what happened last night with my maid and I confirm it in my head that I should not be relying so much on her.
Over the last one and half years of hiring her to do the job, in fairness, she had been rather quick to pick up the skills which I wanted her to. When she is in the right frame of mind (not thinking of her own home problem), she handles my housework and kids okay. She does not steal or see other man (I hope). Although I tell her not to make friends, she disobeyed, I have yet to really nip it.
But every 4-5 months, she will act up. She will give me attitude, talk back when I told her that the work is done incorrectly. And it really makes my blood boil when she does that. She quite so often has done the exact opposite of what I expect of her. And it usually elevates when she calls home and thinks that her mum is not managing her send home funds - like help her dad with his medical fee.
It happened again, starting from last tues when I find it strange that her dinner presentation was bad. I suspected that she must have called home again and got affected by her family. But I kept mum and observed her. Then yesterday, Natasha had a fall and scraped her knee. With that, there was a small open wound and very dirty feet. I instructed Natasha to wash up the wound to avoid infection but she forgot. I have not even undress for the night as I was packing other stuff and she asked Natasha to change into her long pants pajamas, which Tasha blurr blurr follow instructions. I was mad at both of them so I reprimanded both. Natasha quickly changed into her short pants and I turn to the maid and asked her why she tells my daughter to do the wrong thing. It was not the first time she was told that wounds needs to be cleaned up. I did not have the time to do it immediately that's why I was mad that it happened too quickly and wrongly! She answered back that it was Natasha's fault. When I say that she was responsible for the wrong, she stared and "gin" at me - giving my attitude to tell me that I have wrongly accused her!!! My blood was definitely boiling at 100 degrees at this point so I ask her to get out of my sight, she answered back " so you ask me to go out one huh!". I fummed and I think my blood pressure must have gone up to by leaps. I pulled her shirt and bring her to my hubs and asks him to talk to her because I would slap her anytime.
When I cooled down, i asked her to point out what is going on. She admitted that she called home to find out that her dad is "tortured" under her mum. She says that she wants to go home to rest and bring her dad out and stay with her grandma first.
i told her that she's free to go but continued to nag at her because I was thinking of the hard work of training her and I have to start all over again.
My hubs hit the jackpot by showing her that if she continues for another 7 months, she has XXX amount. If she goes back now, she'll have to pay her air ticket and have only XX amount left. How much help can she give her dad with the XX amount now.
Before I slept, I felt I was stuck. Let her go and I have to train another one for another 3 months, may have chance that I have a problematic one too. Let her stay, I cannot be sure when she acts up again. Argh, the pain.
She apologises this morning and tells me she wants to continue to work. I just told her off that if she acts up again, I will not nag or hesitate to let her go and went on to work.
I called my Father-IL to go to my place to check on my girl so that I am assured that things does not go out of hand - just in case.
I am gonna do maid hunting again. Not so confident in her this time, compared to the last time. Perhaps it's because I have been alot nicer to her her yet she gives me such attitude which I cannot forgive so easily. when she first came, I set alot of firm rules so I may not be the easiest person to like at that time.
Aiyah, this is so frustrating. As a work outside home mum, I am just so helpless. I love my kids and I love my current job. There's gotta be some better way to handle this trapped situation, except, it might cost me alot more too. *sigh*
