[muriel]

I am about to get birth (first bub) and need to hire a full time helper for the first time. I have a husband who hates the idea of someone living in, but as he works very long hours I have managed to at least convince him that a full time who lives out is OK. I am looking to either get a live in (not ideal) or ideally someone who comes 8am - 8pm 6 days a week, with us paying more to have them live out so we have our privacy. We have a flat that is definately big enough for a live in so I understand that may be difficult to convince the government to let us have someone live out instead of live in.

Having never hired a full timer, I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on:

a) where to find the govt legislation etc on helpers
b) what the paperwork process is like
c) what is the best way to find a good helper (agency??)
d) is there a website with good suggested interview questions, or a list of things I can expect them to do every day as their standard chores?

Help with this would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Muriel

[rani]

Originally Posted by muriel

d) is there a website with good suggested interview questions, or a list of things I can expect them to do every day as their standard chores?

Muriel,

Julie Jacobson, author of "Helper's Helper" has shared some great advice with us on hiring a helper. Have a read through this thread:

Need help with your helper?

Rani

[rads]

Hi muriel ,

It's me again....

My husband was dead against live in help...as well . I had many battles with him and he finally relented...when my baby was 3 months old...( we only mnaged with part time help before that )and now he cannot manage without the helper....

I will aslo very highly recommend the Helpe'r helper....it's a super book and it gave me an idea of what to expect from my helper and work out a routine that suited us both....

[carang]

keep in mind that if you hire a FOREIGN domestic helper, it is now illegal for them to live out. that said, many still have them live out.

[Su Mei]

hi Muriel,

My hubby was exactly the same having not grown up in Asia, it took him a long while to get use to the idea of a stranger being there in our apt all the time. However, you'll find when bubs arrives, your personal private time as a couple doesn't exist any more anyway, esp with parents and in-laws descending on you. Another big plus with a live in maid is that you and hubby can take off for an evening out once a week for some down time and know that the maid isn't counting down to when you return. Also being a first time mum with no family in HK (and a hubby who works long hours and travels), having a live in maid is a great back up support. In a nutshell, even my hubby would agree now, the benefits far outweigh the downside!
Best of luck in your hunt for a great maid!

[carang]

i think that we all need to remember that moving into a strangers "life" as the helpers do is just as hard on them as it is on us. they want their privacy too. most evenings our helper trundles off into her room to watch tv or talk to her friends and family on her phone, even though i've told her a million times over that she doesn't have to, that she's more than welcome to watch something on the telly with us. sometimes she does (supernanny, american idol) but most of the time she prefers to spend some time in her room(it's a proper bedroom and not a shoebox).

[Joyce]

I felt exactly the same as everyone about having a live in helper and the positives definitely outway the negatives.

[a mom]

i've done the first time mom thing with no help in the US and here's the thing: night time was the hardest on me. my husband worked long hours and travelled some, so week nights i had baby duty. then one weekend night he'd do it and that was my one night of decent sleep. its not the same "sleeping it off" during the day. also, somehow babies always seem to get fevers, vomit, etc in the middle of the night--would be so nice to have someone help out at these times. so while the 8am-8pm might sound practical, live-in sounds sublime. i'm pregnant again and do plan on doing night duty most of the time (think its important for bonding, plus i'll be nursing), but like knowing that there's someone who can take over for me if i'm just shattered.just my 2 cents!