am I being mean?
- 04-16-2007, 12:55 PM #1Registered User
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am I being mean?
I have this new helper who arrived in late November last year. when she first started coming, every time i told her she did sth wrong, she'd raise her voice & talk back at me. obviously, i get upset, and scold her, then she'll cry.
this morning, i was not feeling well so i asked my mom to come to pick up my daughter & the helper to go to the playgroup. before they left, i gave my helper a bun & ask her to eat it now (as breakfast cos i know she hasn't eaten yet). she said, "no, i'll eat later" then i said "you won't have time to eat later, cos my mom doesn't like people eating in her car", then she said "no, i'll eat at school", so i said "you're not suppose to eat in the classroom. that's why i said you won't have time to eat." then she said, raising her voice 2 pitches higher, "no, i saw so & so's mother ate the other day." so i said, in my regular tone, "the teacher is being nice not to tell her off, but they have a rule no eating or drinking in class except snack time, so the kids won't be disturbed." then she reluctantly pulled a face & nod. when she came back, i explained to her that when i told her sth like this morning, i have my reasons & she should not argue, then she raised her voice "i'm not arguing (& started weeping), then i'll just not talk when you talk to me" (in an angry tone)
this has happened a million times since she's been here. when i told her she needs to smile at my friends & family, and not pull a face, she gets offended and pulls a face. my friends told me she's rude & when they talk to her nicely, she pulls a face & turn her back on them. she doesn't take instructions. when i told her to do sth a certain way, she always tell me "no, i can this-this-this". i always have to explain everything to her clearly why i need sth done as i instruct & sometimes she still does it her own way. when i confront her, she cries.
am i being a mean employer or she's too sensitive? as an employer, aren't i entitled to tell her what to do? and give her instructions?
- 04-16-2007, 01:13 PM #2Banned
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fire her . if she cant follow your instructions then what use is she for u. Todays he raises her voice at you tomrrow it might be at your daughter. better get rid off her. Crying at the drop of the pin is just plain acting
- 04-16-2007, 01:19 PM #3Registered User
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normally i cook my daughter's meal. and one time i asked her to boil pasta for my daughter. the 1st time, she put just a little water, so the pasta was very hard after the designated time. so i told her she needs to put more water in order for the pasta to cook properly. so the 2nd time she cooked, i only checked on her when the pasta was nearly done. still very little water, but i didn't say anything. i waited until she finished cooking & i checked the pasta & i told her it's still too hard for a small child. then i said, "pls remember to put more water next time you cook pasta". she pulled a face & nod. as she turns around to go the kitchen, i said "pls do not be so stubborn & listen to my instructions". she said, in a very low voice & a tone of despise "if it's too hard then you should cook it for longer".
what is wrong with her?!!
- 04-16-2007, 01:56 PM #4Registered User
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My current indon maid is also abit slow.. it took her nearly 3 weeks to get my daughter's porridge right.. she was making stupid mistake like adding pork into the steaming porridge 5 mins prior to serving a toddler!!! There is no way the prok will be cooked in a steamer in 5 mins!!!
Anyway, at least she is apologetic and is always smiley (which is why she is still with me after 2 months depite countless nightmarish mistakes on her part). She is still making stupid mistakes and we also seem to have communication problem cos of her limited understanding of English (although she insist that she understands me perfectly). But again, she is APOLOGETIC and also SMILING.
I fired my previous maid for being defiant and to a smallr extent rude ( I was able to tolerate this as it was mostly directly to my friends and not to me). As what you have described, your helper seem unhappy under your employment cos she wants control over what she does... and not to be told what to do...so a clash of personality here
My advice is to terminate her to save yourself of more grief and headache.
- 04-16-2007, 02:58 PM #5Registered User
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Well my point of view joannek your helper is not happy work with you. She is too stubborn, not follow your instructions and stupid. You should talk to her again softly as you can about what she's done alot of mistakes and ask directly-- Is she happy work with you or not?! that way you can take an action and have a reason why? you have to fired her....
Good luck!
- 04-16-2007, 03:16 PM #6Registered User
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Get rid off her.
I'm sick of reading about helper's who end up making us employers feel bad or uncomfortable in our own home. We shouldn't have to tip toe around them and we shouldn't have to tell them over and over what to do or how to do it. You sound completely reasonable to me.
I just can't imagine that anyone would get away with doing this sort of thing at a regular place of work. If your boss asks you to do something you do it, you don't continually argue, sulk or cry. Helper's need to understand this. We're not being mean, we're being the boss.
I see crying as someone's last resort when they know they are on the losing side of the argument. I can't stand it especially when you know that 9 times out of 10 they actually don't care and are just doing it to manipulate you.
I say we all take a stand against crying helpers! If they do it just say it's not acceptable, that there is no reason to cry when you are just trying to get them to do their job correctly or as you want it to be done.
They all talk so maybe soon enough they'll figure out that crying is off the cards!
- 04-16-2007, 05:35 PM #7Registered User
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I say she has no respect for you, it's time to change!
- 04-16-2007, 05:37 PM #8Registered User
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i told her that when i was working at the office, when my boss tells me to do sth i follow instructions. i never raise my voice. she doesn't admit that she's raising her voice, and she's not arguing!!