OMG! A Day Without Yaya

RRRRRiiiiinnnngggg!!! 

Five in the morning.  Off goes the alarm clock.  Have to get up, fix breakfast, iron out the uniform my 5 year old kid needs, and check his bag for the books he needs today.

Check the fridge, and take out the eggs and hotdogs.  Need to cook more rice.  I have 2 growing boys!  Put on the stove and let the cooking oil heat up a little.  Where is the frying pan?  Ok, ok, I remember where it is.  Have to set the coffee maker brewing already. 

LJ likes to have iced coffee this morning.  Whatttt?  No more cold milk in the fridge?  I scamper the cupboard to find nothing.  I'll have to use his milk powder instead.  No creamer till he's bigger.  I fry the eggs in the already hot pan.  The cooking oil sizzles and that keeps we awake.  While I'm at it, I ready the ironing board and flatten out one sleeve.  In a few seconds, out comes the egg, and I put the hotdogs. 

The uniform is done, so I set the table for three.  I already put sugar and creamer on two large mugs (for me and hubby), then look for the ketchup.  Oh no!  No KETCHUP!!!  How will we eat the hotdog without the ketchup?  Have to list that in my grocery list, if I can find a pen and paper to scribble it down.

By then it's almost near six.  Hubby starts to yawn and open his eyes.  He doesn't completely stand yet, so I check on my boy's shoes and shine those a bit.  The little puppy is tugging at my feet, signaling that  it wants to play outside.  I open the door to leave me in peace for a while.  And then I remembered.... no rice yet! 

So again, I wash the rice and lit the rice cooker.  I check what else I need to work on.  My boy wakes up and suddenly remembers that they have a project in school that they will need to bring today.  He needs Oslo paper - check.  Crayons?  Check.  Glue?  We have it!  But construction paper?  What is that?  We never used that kind of paper in my youth?  What do you need that for?

"Mom, this is a hard paper we use for paper folding," my son explains.  So I said ok.  But where on earth do I find this paper, at 6am?  When your dad wakes up, I said.

I rush my kid to the bathroom to give him a bath.  Hubby wakes up by then and tells me that he needs to wear his favorite blue shirt and black slacks.  I tell him he has other blue shirts that he can wear, but he explains, "Not today.  I have to wear this particular shirt."  So after giving my boy a bath, dressing him up, and combing his hair, I proceed to look for the crinkled blue shirt that hubby needs to wear today.  Good thing the maid folded everything in the basket just before she took her vacation.

As hubby takes his bath, son watches the tv and I set the meal on the table.  The coffee's brimming hot.  I give on last minute pointers to my kid for his quiz in the afternoon. 

After a few minutes, hubby emerges from the bathroom, realizes I am still in my house clothes and asks, "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

AAAAHHHHHHH!  I fixed breakfast, ironed clothes twice, fixed everything, and now you're asking me THAT?  The nerve!!!

I want my yaya back!

A Heroic Nanny Tells Her Story

I just found this wonderful interview of a nanny on Ellen.  It's a story about simple heroism.  Wish there are more nannies like her around.  See this bit: One Heroic Nanny.  Enjoy!

All Made Up Maids - The Big Deal

I've read articles before about bosses against maids wearing make-up to work. Most female bosses are touchy over this issue (especially if the househelper is pretty), while there are a few others who do not really care at all. This is my personal take about the subject.

Some bosses have a very clear stand about it, and that's fine. Kung ayaw, ayaw. Period! Especially where young children are involved, contact with make up may cause rashes or asthma attacks. There's a study a few years ago that some cosmetics (the cheap brands really) have lead content in their ingredients that may be harmful to the skin. If that passes to your kid, wouldn't you feel the same way too? And come on.... would you want your yaya wearing long fingernails and shimery nail polish while holding your kid? For paranoid mothers, this is utterly shocking. A NO-NO! With this line of thinking, you will understand why most employers strictly prohibit it.

Personally, I discourage my kid's yaya to wear long fingernails, not just because it's plain vanity and the nature of her work simply forbids it, but more so because of the potential harm that can result from it. Long nails could accidentally scratch my kid's baby skin and don't forget, the possible temptation that she could use it to "kurot" (pinch) my son for minor misdemeanors. And don't forget what we mothers would usually warn our kids about untrimmed fingernails: Papasok ang germs sa kuko - ewww YUCK!!! DIRTY!!! We would screech in horror. Same principle applies to long fingernails in adults. But as to make-up? I don't really mind unless I see an indication that it is adversely affecting my boy's health.

My son had a yaya before that looked like the character from the tv show "The Nanny" (played by Fran Drescher). She wore make up every time I left for work and would remove it as soon as she knew I was arriving. When I caught her by surprise one time (I left the office early) and asked her about it. This was our exchange:

"Bakit di ka mag-make up 'pag nandito kami sa bahay?" I asked.
"Nahihiya ako eh," answered the maid (let's call her Leni).
"Ano ka ba? Ok lang sa 'kin no!" I replied.
This was Leni's amusing reply. "Eh pangit naman yun na ayos ako at ikaw, napaka-simple. Magmumukhang ako ang amo!"

So simply and bluntly put by Leni! Short of saying, mukhang basahan ang amo ko!

Di ko malaman kung matutuwa ako or palalayasin ko! I could have fired her on the spot, but being the level-headed person that I am, I explained to her that it was a personal choice of mine not to wear any make up (save for a lip gloss) when I am home. Being out on most days at the office, I prefer to dress casually at home sans make up.

Dressing up like a slut is another matter however, which Leni did to occassionally. I gently reminded her to observe proper decorum in dressing, especially when she was with us. She obliged. This arrangement continued this way until I gave her up over a petty matter. She went back to the province wearing skimpy shorts and spaghetti straps. How funny can you get? No wonder my sweet mother-in-law was constantly warning me to watch over hubby like a hawk!

So, is wearing make up ok? It depends. Do not sacrifice personal freedom over potential hazards that could result from it. If you have valid reasons not to allow it (say, medical reasons), say it. To some bosses, the risks are even higher. In which case, you have to be clear about it and gently inform your househelpers about it.