We generally like our helper, who's been with us since June. We picked someone who was a 30-something mother herself, a college grad, and who has lived in HK before. We didn't want to do tons of training.
She seems responsible, calm, good with the baby, good with housework, normally intelligent, etc.
But I noticed she didn't wash her hands after going to the bathroom. My husband and I checked a few times and listened to the toilet flush and... nope, no running water. She's go straight from the bathroom to handling an infant or preparing food.
I was embarrassed about bringing it up, so I made up some small talk. "I bought this special anti-bacterial soap for your bathroom for you to use..." She didn't get the hint. So finally I commanded that she wash her hands after going.
At first, she only did so when she was going to handle the baby. We had another conversation. I was so mortified to say these words to a fellow adult. "You must wash your hands every time you poo or pee."
My dad noticed she used the same kitchen sink where we soak Chinese vegetables for rinsing out dirty mops, etc., instead of using the plastic pail.
Speaking of vegetables, when she started, she would try to cook vegetables that were totally unwashed, with clumps of dirt left on mushrooms.
Once I caught her before she cleaned out the cat's litter tray in that same kitchen sink! We had a long talk about separating waste -- human and animal -- from food preparation. She now rinses the litter tray elsewhere.
She's obediant. She has taken all my directions to heart, but I don't think the larger lesson sank in about basic hygiene. No offense to the Philippines, but no wonder there are still diseases among children there from dirty water or lack of hygiene.
It's so frustrating. I don't want to be the kind of Chinese employer who watches her helper like a hawk and complains about "dirty Filipinas."
But how does a 30-something not know this stuff?
She seems responsible, calm, good with the baby, good with housework, normally intelligent, etc.
But I noticed she didn't wash her hands after going to the bathroom. My husband and I checked a few times and listened to the toilet flush and... nope, no running water. She's go straight from the bathroom to handling an infant or preparing food.
I was embarrassed about bringing it up, so I made up some small talk. "I bought this special anti-bacterial soap for your bathroom for you to use..." She didn't get the hint. So finally I commanded that she wash her hands after going.
At first, she only did so when she was going to handle the baby. We had another conversation. I was so mortified to say these words to a fellow adult. "You must wash your hands every time you poo or pee."
My dad noticed she used the same kitchen sink where we soak Chinese vegetables for rinsing out dirty mops, etc., instead of using the plastic pail.
Speaking of vegetables, when she started, she would try to cook vegetables that were totally unwashed, with clumps of dirt left on mushrooms.
Once I caught her before she cleaned out the cat's litter tray in that same kitchen sink! We had a long talk about separating waste -- human and animal -- from food preparation. She now rinses the litter tray elsewhere.
She's obediant. She has taken all my directions to heart, but I don't think the larger lesson sank in about basic hygiene. No offense to the Philippines, but no wonder there are still diseases among children there from dirty water or lack of hygiene.
It's so frustrating. I don't want to be the kind of Chinese employer who watches her helper like a hawk and complains about "dirty Filipinas."
But how does a 30-something not know this stuff?
