Within a few days after I fired the house helpers, we were able to hire a gardener. A manang who comes around daily. Even before we hired her, we already knew the quality of her work because she tends to some of the neighbors’ gardens so she’s really a familiar face in the subdivision. With someone to take care of the garden, a huge amount of work was taken off us.
Meanwhile, inside the house, we tried to manage. I won’t lie. It hasn’t been easy. The thing about writing — especially writing for a living — is how it requires hours and hours of uninterrupted time that allows me to focus. And I lost that. And I had been alternately irritable and depressed because there was this itch to write and there was no outlet. But life has to go on and we did the best we could. I’m not great at cleaning but with both girls old enough to help, and Speedy doing a lot of the cleaning, I told myself it was just a matter of getting used to with the new set-up.
Then, the surprise came. Applicants. The gardener, a neighbor’s laundry woman and another neighbor’s stay-in house helper had recommendations. And they’re really all pushing for their recommendees to get hired. I couldn’t understand at first. Most wanna be house helpers shy away when they see a large house that looks like A LOT of work. But then there are all these women who want us to hire them. Not until I talked to one of those making a recommendation did it dawn on me. Of course. House helpers gossip and word has gotten around. As Sam puts it so succinctly, this is a house known for “gourmet” meals everyday. But that’s just part of it.
The neighbor’s laundrywoman, accompanied by another who also does laundry and ironing for some other neighbors, was here earlier and she was recommending her niece who would be coming from Bicol. Both knew our former house helpers and both were well aware of the working conditions in this house. Good food but no cooking. Early nights (the ones I fired even took four to five hour afternoon naps, didn’t they?). Wages paid on time. Christmas bonus on top of 13th month pay. Birthday bonus. The former house helpers had apparently been bragging about how good they had it so we have recommendees and applicants who are very much willing to fill in their shoes.
That’s the house helpers’ room in the photo — the window on the right side at the far end of the carport. It’s still unoccupied because we haven’t made any decision yet.
There, a closer view. It’s twice as wide as what’s visible because there is an en suite bathroom (sounds too chi chi but I don’t know any other term for a bathroom inside the bedroom).
Whoever will stay there next will have to be the best candidate. We’ll see. We haven’t ditched the option of having a daily cleaning woman either so the room might stay unoccupied permanently after all. We’ll see.
Naku, don’t be surprised na baka may mag post ng application dito after detailing the bonuses, etc.
It is red flag if the applicant post in here too. You can’t reconcile an internet savy house helper. Haha.
It is really intimidating.
Are house helpers suppose to be smart enough to do household chores and no more?
I have a friend who sent one of her house helpers to a vocational computer (night) school. She allowed the girl to use her home computer so she could practice. Considering that a computer these days is as personal as a cell phone (I don’t even let my daughters use my computer and neither do they allow us to use theirs), I don’t think it’s a good arrangement. Besides, it’s like allowing casual access to the television. Before you know it, they’ve taken over.
A good way of choosing would be to use the process of elimination (like how they do it in reality shows)—but to really be serious about it, on paper write down the applicants’ names and then try to check, accdg to your interviews what the qualities of these people are that also appeal to you. Siempre, the one with the least of your approved traits gets eliminated…bye bye gourmet food!
By the way, I noticed the tall but skinny Dracaena plant near the door— I think that is a good plant that needs some sunshine… its leaves will then take on a much brighter color.
You have a good garden! No wonder, it is a major part of the chores.
Actually, those photos were taken last year before we moved in. The plants on the foreground, including the potted ones near the side door (that’s the Dracaena?), had been moved so that the cars could go in.
Yes, that’s the Dracaena, not the green one…we have the green and white variety of this plant, that’s why I am familiar with it.
Specifically pala, that’s the Dracaena marginata.
Is it the same plant that is popularly called “money tree”?
Not the “money tree” but something like the dragon tree. Its local name in English is red-margined dracaena. Native to Madagascar and introduced to the Philippines. Thrives well in sunlight and drained soil. Slow growing but a durable plant. Also good for keeping indoor air clean. Propagated by stem cuttings.
Some people don’t know how good they have it until they lose it… I’m sure nagsi-sisisihan yung 2 helpers mo.
Abang tao lang ako but I know I will sound so elitist when I say this – bakit may mga helpers na kahit anong ganda nang pakitungo mo aabusuhin ka pa din? Walang kunswelo (ano ba sa ingles ‘to?) sa bahay na tinutuluyan nila. I know maraming naaabuso at mas marami pa nga yung di nga abuso pero hanep sa marka ang pagkakatulong nila kahit sa labas naka-uniform pa, so bakit yung iba kahit “experienced” katulong at may gana pang magyabang na nagtrabaho sa mayayaman, when you try and treat them right, yun yung naglalagalag.
Minsan tuloy maiisip mo tama yung attitude ni Imelda dati. Yung mahihirap they want someone to look up to (thereby feel inferior from). Not necessarily to rule with fear but with “master-servant” dynamics.
I dunno if I’m making any sense here Sassy apologies kung nahilo ka na.
Hindi ako nahilo kasi Speedy and I had the same exact discussion a couple of days ago. We’re so lost already about what the best treatment is. The helpers often repeated gossip about how some helpers in the neighborhood had such strict employers etcetera. And we thought that, you know, seeing the difference in how we treated them, they’d be more appreciative. Seems not.
Actually, I thought about the master-servant dynamics and you cannot have a househelper as friend. A friend is too personal and probably you would end up without a helper because you want your friend to have a better life and family than just a househelper. Besides how much can you impose tasks and rules on a friend as you would on a househelper.
It is better to keep it under the employer-employee relationship with dignity so one can perform better with efficiency (knowing that she can be fired).
Oh, I agree. Even getting too friendly without necessarily treating them as friends is not very wise.
Kasama na din yan sa puzzle. Yun mga naging helpers namin dati, maayos nga treatment namin not necessarily “friends”, marked pa din that they are paid to work. Pero mabibilang sa isang kamay ang naging maayos o matino.
Hay, naku, gusto ko talaga yung Elder Wand ni Dumbledore. Pag di pa naman nalinis ang buong bahay nun, ewan ko na lang
Ms. Connie, LOL. My husband and I have been having the same puzzled conversation for years. I emailed you about our recent encounter with a YFH (yaya from hell ika nga sabi ng mga friends ko). Kapansin-pansin na yun pang mga minamaltrato ( I heard of maids having to hide in closets just so they can eat merienda without being caught by their amo), yun yung nagtatagal. Ang hirap nila ispelingin. Kaya ngayon, balik kami sa strictly employer-employee relationship kasi sumuko na kami sa pakikisama.
hello ms connie…it’s been awhile since i last visited your blog…;) anyways…i just wanna say that i’ve had horrific expiriences with stay-in household helps.
since your kids are already grown-ups, think the best option would be to get a stay-out help. one who comes early in the mornings and leaves when you are your husband arrives in the early evening or afternoon.
when i had one like that, yun na ang the best!
just my two cents. 
I’d also recommend a live-out helper, Ms. Connie, considering that your daughters are almost fully grown and very independent. Finding reliable househelp these days is very difficult, especially for families with a disabled child like ours. We have a lot of personal horror stories, too many to tell, not the least of them the ones who abscond and leave your doors open in the middle of the night. We’ve also had the unfortunate experience of hiring helpers who hurt our son, slapping and hitting him when we leave him in their care. We’re grateful that we have a good one right now, but even then, we’re not sure how long she’s staying, generous incentives and all.
Just a thought, though. If you do decide to do without live-in household help, maybe you can convert their old room into something else.
We had a live-out helper before when we didnt have kids in the house and it was indeed way better! Just make sure he/she knows to call in advance if she won’t be reporting for work. And make sure he/she can be trusted, since they will be coming in and out of the house everyday.
Maybe I should go back there and open a training school for home services, from cleaning, serving and etiquette.
A friend suggested that also. Big money daw hehehe
Trained house helpers also means they can ask for competitive pay.
this is my job after all JEEVES TO THE RICH… lol… I worked for a household before ok not a common household just 36 rooms with a lake and indoor pool etc all my staff were pinay, great workers but I had to train them so much about understanding the boss, giving space, be “invisible” how to dress, how table is set and understanding menus.
Same lang dito sa boat I do all that but in a different scale of course, I work along side with the butler of my boss….
You know how the standards here are. Lamentable. Our last helper used to set the table this way — the drinking glass ON TOP OF the dinner plate.