[Yan]

Our helper is working with us for 19months. She was very good at the begining, "looks" honestly, take good care of my girl, and play with her.
Then we slowly found out she smoke while my girl is taking the afternoon nap. She go through my drawer, and take my personal stuff, and still claim that she brought it from Central. The item is very unique, that I brought from Japan.
She made one mistake and lier, and making another one to cover it.
Last week, while I am at home, I received phone call from unknown bank, chase her for the loan money. Obviously, she loan money, gave our phone and address to that so called bank. Now she claimed because of some emergency from her home, that need money, she is not capable to pay the loan on this month, and ask us lend to her.
We employed her to work for us, help us, but now, we pay her to bring us trouble.
I am a working mom. Most of time, my girl only stay with the helper, that means, if anyone from that loan-lender want to catch her to talk in person, she will be with my girl.

Any mom/family here, have the similar experience as me? Smoke, steal, and loan money.

[barbiegirl]

Yan,

Your helper is terrible! I heard many cases but yours is a combination of them. Smoking alone is intolerable when taking care of little child, and obviously she is not trustworthy at all, from what she has been doing - stealing, lies, loans. Emergency back at her home probably is another story making.For the sake of your child, you'd better approach the agency for a replacement then sack her. I cannot imagine how I put my child in hands of such a person.

[joannek]

i agree with barbie girl. go find a replacement asap without your helper knowing. no need to give her advance notice in case she's up to sth bad. then on the day when the new helper start, take a day off, get someone to stay home with you ( & someone to take your daughter out) while you fire the old one. then bring the new one home. from experience i think it's better not to let the new one meet the old one so the new one can't learn the bad things from the old one.

good luck!

[miaka]

i don't have experience w/ domestic help, but from my point of view, the safety of your child comes first. if you can arrange it, remove your child from the situation immediately. either yourself or have someone trustworthy, like a relative, take care of your child while u take care of the old help (effective immediately) and search for a new one. be sure to check the fine print in your contract to see what procedures you need to follow for immediate termination.

[Yan]

thanks all your advice.
While these few days, husband and me were so busy on meet the agent to find the replacement, review many of maid video, but frankly, we both lost confidence on this part, all maid are speak the same thing, act same on video, so as my existing maid did before...
Really need to take action, but just very exhaust.

thanks anyway.

[carang]

why are you looking at videos?
wouldn't meeting them face-to-face be better? hire someone who is already here...

[Yan]

dear Carang,
We went back to our agency, was told that, if good helper, seldom will be release for no reason, only must be they are not ok.
May I ask, how can I find helper available to interview in HK? Which ageny do?

[carang]

they all do it.

there could be MANY reasons why a helper is looking for a job.
her employer could have lost their job.
her employer may have moved overseas.
her employer may have decided that the kids are old enough, they don't need a helper any more.

look for a helper that has been "released" not "terminated".
no helper is perfect. just as no employer is perfect.

you need to be VERY specific with your requirements. and make sure the helper knows the rules BEFORE you hire her.

good luck!