September 02, 2008

Having a Helper Around

Since I had a kid there always a helper/maid at home to help me to do house works. Some of you (especially that not come from Asian countries) maybe would wrinkle your forehead or maybe it sounds ‘weird’ having a helper at home.

Here at most of big cities at Asian countries, almost every married couple with kids usually have a stay-at-home helper or a stay-at-home babysitter. Yes, we’re Asian people were spoiled by this kind of situation.
I’ve never used a babysitter’s service but I really need a helper to help me do our laundry, cleaning the house and especially cleaning the rooms at the preschool next to my house. Living without a helper for working moms with kids -in this tropical weather- is almost impossible at this time. Unless there is a daycare facility for kids, but we don’t have it here.

I had ever visited my mom’s friends in the Netherlands and California for almost a month and staying at their home. I was amazed to know all the daily house works were handled by the mother. And they all have a routines schedule for doing something like do laundry every Monday (because we don’t need to changed the clothes everyday) , cleaning and vacuum the carpet every Thursday , ironing clothes every Friday, etc.

I think the weather where we lived take a big role in our daily behavior.
Here we have very humid and hot weather. We have to changed our clothes twice a day –we used to be very sweaty-, take a bath also twice a day –sometimes more if the weather really hot-, wipes all the furniture with damp cloth everyday, sweeps the floor at least twice a day unless everything full of dust.
So I have to do my entire mom’s friend -a week- routines schedule everyday!

Well, I think I had babbled too much.
I really want to know about your routine schedules in cleaning and take a good care of the housewife’s works because I always admire on how those moms in US or Europe manage their daily routines house works without a stay-at-home helper and still have time for blogging. Lol!

I’ve been living without a helper for 4 days now and so far everything turns good. The kids learn more than before (when we have a helper) about helping each other at home, take care ’more’ about their own rooms, helping me in the kitchen, even learning how to cut the broccoli with the right way, such little things like that. I’m starting to think we don’t really need a helper if everybody at home helped each other. But my husband said “Better to have a helper so if one of the kid sick when I’m not here (he got scholarship to study for 1 year at the Netherlands-start this Oct) there’s someone helps you. This situation is going well when everybody in healthy condition, what about if you’re also sick? ”. Well, he’s right too.
Now, get confused, confused…..

6 comments:

Mumsgather said...

I wouldn't get a helper if my kids are older and if I didn't have a health condition. Without a helper, you can have another chance to "bond" with the kids as you teach them to help around the house. They will also become more responsible that way. However, having said that, I think having a helper frees you do concentrate on other more important things in life so its not bad to have a helper at all. Are you more confused now? Hahaha.

Mom Knows Everything said...

I would love to have a helper, but fortunately my daughter is a great help to me.

I love your new profile picture!

ellen said...

I would have loved to have had a helper when my children were little. I would love to have someone else clean my house now! I like a clean house, but hate to do it and it never stays very long!
I think teaching your children to help out and to participate in daily chores is very important. They need to know that in a family, all members are important and all members should be supportive of one another. Does that make any sense?
It sounds as if you are doing a wonderful job, Henny.

Shelly G said...

I would love to have a helper. Small ones need so much attention. Fortunately I have older children that are so much help. I remember needing lots of help when I had a lot of young ones. Without having a helper I have had to be so organized. When I don't have a plan things in the house quickly fall apart :)

Anonymous said...

MG,
thank you so much..
Now I really get more confused! :)

Tammy,
very kind of Aurora for always be your great helper.

Ellen,
haha...deep down from my heart I also hate to clean the house, but I should! thank you for all your wise words. I'll try for always remembering it :)

Shelly,
you're right, I have to be so organized. Even when I'm walking or driving my head fulls of plans, what I've to do after this and that :)

Suzanne said...

I always admire the Asian customs and ways. My friend is from India and she couldn't vacuum her floor when she moved to Australia, now she has to learn. We don't really have helpers but it would be good if we did. I find we just get things done as a family.
Maybe the working conditions in Australia are easier than your culture that we have time to do more at home.