I remember living in NC. Hubby was always working or in class or studying or reading. Then there was me...I was always cooking or cleaning or doing laundry or dealing with the kids. I remember thinking how nice it would be to have a maid. Can you imagine?? No laundry to fold??? No bathroom to clean, floors to sweep, or toys to organize? Well last spring I learned that my wish was about to come true! After selling all of our belongings and leaving our families to move to SEA, I would get my "maid," though here they are called "helpers." Such a great term, I mean what mom doesn't need a "helper?" We needed a helper to watch Little B while hubby and I go to school everyday. Being the true Americans that we are, we hired 2 helpers because every American knows that you never leave your child alone with just one adult. This is going to be awesome! One helper to raise my child, one helper to do the laundry, cooking, and cleaning!
I've avoided talked about this topic because I know all of my friends in the States would give anything to have 4 extra adult hands around the house Monday-Friday, but I can't hold it back any more (this is where I burst into song-- "Let it go, let it go I can't hold it back anymore...." while spinning around with my arms raised high-ok we've seen Frozen one too many times).
Last Friday night I told MJ that I love Saturdays! We all do, right? Do you know why I love Saturdays? NO HELPERS!!!! I know, I know you are thinking, it can't be that bad- in fact you think it has to be amazing! Trust me- it is that bad! And it for sure isn't amazing.
Let's rewind back a few months.... It was a beautiful sunny day and my laundry was all folded on my bed. Oh look my favorite shirt is clean....or is it...wait what? Is that bleach all over my shirt??? Of course it is, because my helper has no idea that the little splashes of bleachy water will turn colored clothes white (nor does she care!). I tried explaining it, but the conversation ended with her "accidently" splashing bleach water on the clothes I was currently wearing. OK- No bleach allowed! Got it! That was just the beginning. I can't even count how many more fatalities we've had due to ironing (yes I know that symbol means do not iron and I've told her not to iron those pants many times, but it doesn't matter!!!) poorly sorting clothes (not the 'oops one red sock got in the white load,' but the 'who cares, those colors should be fine together even though Annette said I should only wash jeans with other jeans' kind of mix ups), or random spots that magically appeared on my clothes after I put them in the hamper. Who knows!
Then there is the bathroom and the kitchen and the bedrooms. I remember my mom getting mad at me for not moving objects when cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, etc. Well it's kind like that. If the dirt doesn't bite it wont get cleaned. I can explain that the napkin holder should be moved before wiping the table down, and it will get done....ONCE... then never again!
So I sort my own laundry, do white loads on weekends, and re-clean the house after the helper goes home. But hey, I don't have to fold laundry, right? So there is one positive thing :-)
Moving on to the "Nanny"- Now in the States if you hired someone to watch your kids, you'd expect them to do a bit more that just "watch" your kids, right? It's a bit weird for someone to just stare at your kids all day. Well that's basically what a nanny here does. Like when Little B grabs the roll of paper towel and begins unrolling, Nanny just watches. When Little B is holding the cat by it's neck, Nanny just watches. I can't forget to mention that Nanny does help sometimes too. When Big B can't reach the candy jar that we purposefully placed on the top shelf, Nanny helps her climb up on the counter so that she can get as much candy as she wants (even though Nanny was told not to give her candy!). We've tried talking to Nanny, but there is always an excuse- "Little B didn't want to listen when I said don't choke the cat!" That's right, because toddlers always want to obey! Mom's never need to actually guide their children along and help them obey! I've talked with other moms here, but they say all Nannies are the same! Try retraining your kids after spending a few hours with Nanny!
The mornings are probably my least favorite part of all of this. The helpers arrive at 7am every morning- whether I'm dressed or not! The helper wants to do dishes first...in our "cheek to cheek" kitchen as I'm trying to make breakfast. Then she cleans the bathroom and I need to use it. Sometimes I ask her if I can use the bathroom and she awkwardly stands outside the door waiting for me to finish. Never mind- I'll just hold it!
I love Saturdays! I can walk around in my shorty-shorts, pee when I want to, and stare,,,I mean watch my own children! I'm thankful that I don't need to do everything myself while trying to learn this new language, but boy oh boy do I look forward to the day when I won't always have two strangers walking around my house!
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