Archive for the ‘Household Help/Tips’ Category
My Domestic Helper - Oh My Goodness!
I have always preferred not having a domestic helper/maid. I am in the 9th year of my parenthood and I have already had 9 domestic helpers and not to mention I was without a domestic helper for a while during this period. Besides 2, who were with me throughout the whole contract, the rest had only short stints ranging from 1 month to 1 year.
The domestic helpers were supposed to relieve this busy mummy of her load but somehow they never make it. Perhaps, I have high expectations, am petty, busybody or simply not having any luck with reliable domestic helper. One thing I know is that many of them did not persevere to have a good relationship with my elderly one at home…
I was conducting my random check of my fridge last night after 2 months and to my horror, I discovered these inside:
1) Liquid of prawns and squids were spilled all over my tray in the fridge
2) Lots of food with overdue expiry dates stocked up
3) Similar food eg. many packets of buns stocked up
4) Chestnut skin flakes spread across the vegetable compartment
5) Rotten vegetables
6) Stench
7) Blood from the raw meat on side handles and on tray
8) Fresh meat bought for almost 2 months and not cooked
I could not help but housekeep my fridge at 1am in the morning! My heart aches as I have to discard so much wasted food and think of how much expired food my kids have consumed without my knowledge and under the “Good Hands” of my domestic helper.
This morning, I gave my domestic helper a session of “enlightenment”. Surprisingly, despite my great displeasure last night, I did not raise my voice. She was told:
1) Never to include in the grocery shopping list, items that we have already had plenty
2) Include in the shopping list, food items that are necessary for cooking the following week since I usually plan a detailed menu list for her before the following starts
3) Good Hygiene IN and OUTSIDE the fridge
4) Never waste money or food
5) Check expiry dates of food and never feed us rotten food or food that has expired
6) Cook food items that have earlier expiry dates/purchased earlier first
7) Clean the fridge IMMEDIATELY
8) Always cook leafy vegetables first instead of vegetables that are less perishable
9) Caution us to consume food if the expiry date is near
Although we have to trust our domestic helper in these health, hygiene and wastage issues, this is one instance to show me that it is often better to be safe than sorry. That is never relax but to check. Imagine I have shared with her these rules the first day she joined but still….
My heart still aches to think of how much food I have discarded and what my kids have consumed and no wonder she always complains of insufficient space in the fridge…