Servant Maid Issues

@amnilakshmi
Set the expectations upfront. Tell her what work she is supposed to be doing. Do not entertain any talks in the initial days.
When it comes to soap and detergent, keep them stocked. You cannot compare the quantity we use and the quantity they use. Keep it in the rack where she can take it. Cut short the conversations if she is trying to give advises to you.
When you employ a maid, check about her work before employing. Monitor her .
Dont give her the leniance to check what you have cooked for your kid.
Cooking is our personal choice and nobody can talk about it.
Dont employ a person if she is already workng for many than 8 houses as they will always be in a hurry to finish work.
Always ask her what is her expectation in salary and if she has any conditions.If u r ok with them, then let her work.
Also whenever they help you in difficult times, reward them.

Maid is definitely needed in Indian households as the dust here is too much. If you are closer to the road side or couple of kilometers from main road, the dust that accumilates is too much that we cannot leave it without sweeping and mopping. Everyday dusting is also required. We will have lots of guests at home. Managing without maid becomes tough.

 

@amnilakshmi,

One more thought that crossed my mind is your 'Body language.' If you appear dominant and in control of your house, they won't try their tricks easily. Since they have closely seen many more households, they are great mind and body language readers. Let there be a clear understanding at home that in her presence your husband should not order/over rule you. Hire someone younger (less better looking and timid) than you, if possible. This sets an automatic hierarchy. Look into her eye and talk with authority, very business like. This can be done without being rude or disrespectful. If she tries to interfere crossing her limits, stop her curtly.

Be prepared if she decides to not work for you. But if she continues, she won't challenge the hierarchy easily. Continue to maintain a tough exterior with just enough warmth and respect.

I recently saw a YouTube video which shows manipulative dominant maid with good humour. Watch the actors body language. There are many more under the same series. Learn and enjoy.

 

Op,

Our maid has been with us for more than 5 years. Things followed in our house w.r.t maid is:
1) Arrange things in the house before she arrives. Not to let toys or other things lying on the floor. If she is washing clothes, then soak the clothes in soap water. Leave the hangers, etc for her to hang the clothes.
2) Stock supplies for her well in advance.
3) No interaction with guys in the house.
4) Not encouraging gossips, however, giving a empathetic ear when she tells about her problems like if someone is sick in her family.

Not discussing any of our family matters with her and also in her presence.
She has to inform in advance of any leaves being taken. Emergency leaves once in a while is OK with us. Two to three paid leaves she takes in a month. And 20/days vacation in a year.

If any guests are there , we tell the guest to move to other room till she completes the work.

Giving her special food on festivals or birthdays. Also ask her if she wants any of the things that we are going to dispose off and give it for free.

She works in 6 to 7 houses, and so sometimes ignore if she has not done the work properly. She is always in a hurry to finish her work and run. So she herself won't waste her time doing timepass.

She is not permitted to look into the vessels and see what we have cooked.

Our maid actually minds her own business. But if at all she interferes, we nip it in the bud itself.

Right from the first day you should be strict with them. You should not sit and gossip with them. If you are lenient with them in the initial days then they might take you for granted.

 

@paru123

I know your address and hope it is okay to disclose openly... Home no.1, Ideal society, Good neighbourhood, Lucknow, God's own country...And no more guesses...you are.... Kiran Bedi!!!!

Yaar, don't be offended, I am just pulling your leg Actually, I too did all these and I faced such stabbing in the back that I am happy to struggle without any help now.

Good that things are working for you. In our area, maids refuse food and openly declare that they do not like it or even if they take, often they discard it on the pavements. I invariably witness 4_5 maids do that everyday. From my own survey, in metros, average monthly income (6-8 houses) of a maid is between 20-40 thousand rupees+ depending on the locality and their joint family income is about 60 thousand+(2-4 earning members) Lately, because of new found opportunities like helpers in malls, parlours, lady security personnel, catering personnel etc, the moment they have passed their tenth standard , they refuse to work as maids. And those who are willing to work are in great demand and so, they throw a lot of attitude. Maybe it is time to export them abroad and import cleaning materials and robots! What do you say?

 

In a strange way, maids do rule whomever depend on their service.

When my son was little, my parents hired a girl named, Mani exclusively
to take care of the baby. Fast forward few decades, now the neighborhood
is full of empty nester who are frequently visiting their sons/daughters for an
extended period.

Now, Mani became the care taker of vacant homes in the neighborhood (property manager?).
She lives at the back of one such home, married off her daughters. Enjoys her phase of life
with her DH.

Trustworthy, but very bossy, she rules the neighborhood maids/security people/drivers.
No service peoson can enter the neighborhood without her acknowledgment, because
home owners contact her first for hired help.

 

@poovai,

I am told Parsis were served so well by their Marathi servants that many issueless Parsis have given away their entire properties to their trusted servants!

 

Lol....Oye geetaji itna bhi taang math keecho.

Its a blessing to have a reliable maid in our busy life. S, seeing the attitudes of some maids we might prefer not to have one. If time, health and energy permits there is absolutely no need to depend on the maids, we can do the work ourselves.

I sometimes appreciate the speed in which my maid finishes her work. She has her negatives too. She would check our presence with the corner of her eyes so that she can skip some work.

 

Geeta is Roomba available in india ? It does a fairly decent job of keeping the floors clean. There is a similar device for wet mopping as well.

 

No idea, Sandy. I use a vacuum cleaner and a mechanical spin mop.

 

iRoomba is available in India for less than INR 50,000 and has monthly EMI schemes too. But it may be more suitable for 700-900 sq.ft newer apartments With smooth shiny floors than big multi level houses.

Buy iRobot 900 Series Roomba 960 Vacuum Cleaning Robot (Grey) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in