Sunday, September 28, 2008

Do Not Assume

Last week when we're at the cinema, I discovered something in the toilet. No, nothing yucky. But something concerning my maid.

While PaPa was buying the tickets, I was taking care of CE (chasing after him). So I asked Kakak to bring XY to the toilet. When PaPa's done, I went into the toilet to look for them. I found XY standing near the basins alone. Kakak was inside the toilet stall. When she came out, I told her it's not safe to leave XY waiting alone outside. What happens if some bad people take her away? Gosh... that's a scary thought. Told her if she needs to use the toilet, ask XY to stand inside, facing the door. Or bring her out to me first.

I always remind her to keep an eye on the kids when we're out. And never to follow any strangers anywhere, even if they said we asked them to. But I've assumed she knew how to handle XY in the toilet coz the previous Kakak wouldn't leave XY standing alone outside.

I'll usually bring XY to the toilet in shopping malls when we go out with PaPa. If PaPa's not with us, Kakak will be the one to do that coz I'll be taking care of CE. But I've always stayed somewhere outside or near the toilet waiting for them. Luckily nothing has happened. It's so scary, thinking about all those sick and crazy people out there.

Lesson learnt : Never assume your maid knows what to do, even when you think it's common sense.

26 comments:

jazzmint said...

wow, lucky thing u went to the toilet and check and XY is still there.

2xMum said...

Ya, it's really dangerous to leave the kids unattended! Real scary...

Hope your maid will not repeat it again.

andrewjune said...

the maid wouldn't care as much as us (the mothers) as the kids involved are our own kids...given the same situation with she in your shoe, she would have understand why we cannot let the kid unattended even in a moment...

so sometimes, we mothers suffered (cannot go pee!) until hubby comes along to take care of the baby!

hope your maid wont repeat it again...

Annie Q said...

My current maid do the same thing too!! I got a shock when i saw one of my sons stand outside the toilet waiting for kakak. I give her a good lecture, tell her cannot do this anymore, and explain to her, how if someone just bring the kids away. Told her, now bad person is everywhere, cannot simply just leave the kids there. Now at least she learn the lesson.

Mummy Gwen said...

Ohhh...so scary. Lucky nothing happens. Thanks for the reminder by the way. Sometimes, we might not thought of these things at all.

Lee said...

Hi Slavemom, first...thank you for your kind thoughts re the award, and the warm gesture.
I appreciate it very much. Thank you.

Re your maid and kid....my personal opinion, never to trust anyone with your kid...I have seen, heard, read so many horror stories here, scares me.

Recently a monther stopped her car to buy newspapers, 2 year old inside rear seat sleeping, car engine running.
When she cae 2 minutes later, car was gone, baby too.

Fortunately we have what you call "Amber Alert" where Highway signs flashing of missing car with baby inside, car number.
Cops found the car.

This kind of incidents happen very often, leaving baby in car, engine running grabbing milk or papers in a store.

Yes...watch you little guy always.
Have a nice day, lee.

Anonymous said...

ooh...very true, my hair also 'stand' man... just thinking of d possibility of being led away by others, tsk tsk tsk!! glad that u discovered this & realised that maid is not to be depended on, no matter in what task!!

Anonymous said...

yeah, i also scare to bring my girls to toilet, really have to put extra careful!!

michelle@mybabybay said...

Maybe you should test her again.

Cheffie-Mom said...

That is scary! And little ones are so curious, they can wander away in seconds!

LittleLamb said...

yup. never assume the maid to know everything.

Administrator said...

ya..tat is very true...sometimes we tend to assume many things...thank god your child was fine!..i just added your blog to my list...nice read!

TheBlueRanger said...

glad nothing bad happen.

Anonymous said...

thanks for the story,i must remember all these tips for when we go back...

Anonymous said...

Have to keep reminding them, or they might tend to forget..... but it's true, can't leave our kids unattended even for split seconds.

Health Freak Mommy said...

When it comes to this, I NEVER allow my maid to bring my gals to the toilet alone. I always follow her, even if we are at hotels. I don't trust my maid and the world is just not safe. I've heard of too many horror stories on kids being kidnapped, had their hair cut, clothes changed to avoid being caught! Scary hor.

Sasha Tan said...

luckily u went to see and take care of yr kid while she is enjoying herself in the loo. So dangerous to leave a kid outside.

Chinneeq said...

dangerous man...like u say, most of the time the maid din use brain one. mine also like that...sigh...

LHS said...

ya, we totally cannot rely on maid, most of the time i try to take care of them by myself now, really cannot trust the maid.

sting said...

ya loh, luckily nothing happened... good thing you checked, if not it may happen again...

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah must be extra careful, don't rely much on maid when come to the issue of safety.

Cheffie-Mom said...

Hi There! For some reason I cannot leave a comment on your newest post??

Unknown said...

never trust maids...it's so scary when i see your post..

JK said...

YOu are so right. I made the same mistake too and from then on, I had to tell my maid everything I want her to follow. Now that we don't have a maid, no more worries, I'm forced to do everything myself.

Nina @ BabyBoon said...

i'm glad u wrote about this. sadly enuf, maids are maids. even mine create problems sometimes. sometimes i'd catch her doing some things that she's not supposed to, and its very upsetting. but yes, the bottom line is, we can never assume they know what's right and whats wrong. even after briefing them, they'll still get complacent sometimes! this is the main reason why i never leave the maid alone in the house with gib if i can help it. so when i go to work, i have to drive back all the way to kota dsara and drop her off with gib at my parents' place, and then go to work at pj 223! quite a detour but call me paranoid...

Anonymous said...

slavemom...........lucky nothing happen.
why the kakak never use her brain when she to do so.

I second Jo-n, I choose to have maid anymore... really headache. what you did to her?