Nursery vs. Maid

In my previous article, one of my targets was to get a maid in February or March. This story is not meant to brag about my mom’s kindness but as a lesson to us (especially me) that not all old people (warga emas) are kind.

To make a long story short, the Indonesian agent said the maid that would be sent to me is in her 40s. When the maid arrived, a friend helped me pick her up and send her to me coz at that time, I was hospitalized 3 days and 2 nights (bunyi mcm pakej percutian je…3 hari 2 mlm…not!) for low blood pressure. I was so shocked when I saw the maid. With all the wrinkles and posture…it was impossible for her to be even in her 50s although her passport stated 45. I asked her her real age and she admitted she was 72! Argh! How on earth is she going to do house chores and look after my two kids.

Throughout her one week stay with my family, the only ‘heavy’ house chore that my mom allowed her to do was hang and fold the clothes that my mom had already washed. As I suspected, she could not at all take care of my kids. Every time I asked her why she agreed to come work here despite her age, she gave me different stories but ended the stories with promising me and my mom that she’d come back with someone aged 30s who she knows and is looking to work as a maid in Malaysia. I asked her how much I have to pay for that and she said only the RM200 transport fare coz the person already has a passport and health cert and etc. She bragged about HAVING (yes, ‘have’ instead of ‘know’. As if the people were her belonging) a lot of people that I could choose from to work for me and told me she would bring the best one for me.

My mom, sympathizing her and thinking she must be a hardcore poor to have to still work at that age, gave about a hundred ringgit, clothes and a luggage bag. I gave her the RM200 and she said she’d bring the person 1st week of March. She didn’t come. 2nd week of March, we (Mr.Hubby) contacted her and she said we have to send her RM1k for passport process. I was not surprised. I guess I already knew it was all a lie but I just didn’t want to think much about it. I think even the thickest Malaysian passport would not cost you RM1k, what more Indonesian. Mr.Hubby told her we would think about it although we had already made up our mind to not deal with her ever again. We didn’t contact her back but I guess she was itching for the easy-money coz she contacted us two days later and reduced it from RM1k to RM500.

I told the story to my mom and she said in her thick Kelantan accent (but I’ll just type here in normal BM coz I’m not sure about the Kelantan spelling) “Kalau dah sangat tua pun perangai macam tu, mesti waktu muda dulu lagi teruk.” Wow, I never saw it that way. Secara logiknya, betul jugak, kan?

I’ve already found a nursery to send my kids on working days. The monthly cost is more than a maid’s salary. The kids have to be picked up before or by 6.30pm or there will be an extra charge of RM5 per kid per hour. On working days, from Putrajaya, I can’t even arrive at my mom’s house (Kajang) at 6.30pm, what more Semenyih? That means, if I’m late picking them up every day, it would cost me an additional 5x2x20=RM200. (number 200 seems to frequently appear lately)

Right now, the nursery has 3 workers (all very young girls, probably in their early 20s) and takes care of 2 babies (categorized as below 1 year old) and approximately 12 kids. This does not include kids that come over as ‘transit' (stays there for a few hours between school/classes) and 'kelas agama'. Can 3 workers handle all of these AND my kids? I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

It's very hard for me to leave my kids in the hands of strangers. It's a different thing when you put yourself at risk compared to this. I feel like I'm putting my own kids' lives at risk. I guess this is part of growing up and being independent... :(