Lesson Learned on Hiring Yayas and the Importance of Medical Exam

Eto nanaman ako with my yaya woes.

I think I'm very trusting when it comes to yayas and helpers. Lesson learned! Hay nako..

I'm really blaming myself for what we're going through right now.

My last yaya left us about a week ago. She was with us for about 3 months. We got her June 7, 4 days before I gave birth. My mom kept telling me to have her checked and go thru a medical exam (chest x-ray, Hep A and Hep B tests) but it never happened because we got her ng biglaan, and I gave birth earlier than scheduled and we all became busy that I've forgotten it.

Weeks after that, the BOS heard her coughing. I heard it too. I asked her about it but she said it was an allergy LANG. So I didn't mind it. Trusting nga. Kainis.

Fast forward two weeks ago, Y had colds, then it developed into cough then fever. Hay I don't really like kids getting sick, then there's the medicine pa which is so hard to give them. Gera-levels. A week after that, yaya became sick naman. I asked about her cough again, she insisted it's just cough pa din. OK, hindi na ako naniniwala. Then she had fever, so I said I'll take you to the doctor and have you checked na din, x-ray and all.

On the way to the clinic, she kept on asking me saan kami pupunta, ano gagawin sa kanya. Hmm.. I felt she was uncomfortable. After having her checked, the next day, she asked if she can go home and recuperate. I said yes, siyempre ayokong mahawa si Y and R. A few days later, she was texting me that she's still sick, if we want we can hire a new yaya. Kung ano pang mga chenes when obviously she doesn't want to come back. This time I was really pissed na.

Then I got her results. BAM! Her chest x-ray BAD. Hep B Test BAD. Yes, pwede mo akong iumpog sa pader for not having her checked the very first day we got her. When we went back to Y's pedia for a follow-up check up, Y's lungs were clear, cough gone, sick free. Then we told her about our yaya and her condition. We had to have Y get a PPD Test (Tuberculin Skin Test) and chest x-ray. HASSLE! Positive or negative, we have to treat her for TB. LECHENG YAYA. Bad Employer -> ME :( I even texted the yaya if she doesn't really have TB, sabi niya wala, nagpacheck-up daw siya last year. Why would she tell the truth diba? Hay...

Yesterday, we went to get the PPD test and x-ray. A big big SIGH! If you think giving medicine is hard, what I went through yesterday was harder! It's not easy to hold down a very strong toddler while I was on the verge of crying too because ako ang naaawa but I had to be strong for her. In the end, we had the PPD test. The x-ray was a failed attempt. Any laboratory or hospital that has kid-friendly x-ray department?

Lesson learned the hard way. So moms, please learn from my mistake. Have your helpers, yayas checked before hiring them. It really makes a big difference and will make your life easier!

And one more thing I've learned from all the yayas I got, pag bad trip ka na sa kanya, yun tipong makita mo lang mukha niya sira na araw mo, wag mo ng patagalin, paalisin mo na agad!

Yaya Woes To The Nth Power

Yes, once again I'm having yaya woes. It's been a week since our yaya decided not to come back after going home because she was sick. I actually want to kill her! Well, exagerating na yon.

Part of me is so mad at her because she left us hanging! I went to the doctor with her to have her checked and also get her examined only to find out bad bad results and she left us. Hay... Ma-karma na lang sana siya.

So now, we're looking for another yaya. I'm so grateful that the BOS can work from home right now, he looks after R while Y stays at her great grandma during the day. I'm really lucky that Y and R have a loving great grandma and papa!

With no yaya again, the BOS and I are always tired at the end of the day. I still have chores to do, blog posts to draft, and a household to manage. Hay I really need to learn time management! I already adjusted my alarm earlier but wala.. Still no enough time!

Will the next yaya be THE ONE?

New Yaya, Hopefully No New Woes

We've been yayaless for more than a month. Good thing that I had an extra helper at that time who helped took care of Y. Thank You, Belen! As much as I wanted to pirate her to be Y's yaya, I can't. She's amma's helper.


Last Monday, my mom told me to call achi because there was a yaya being referred by another friend. So I called the yaya to interview her. Couldn't offer her the same as her last salary but offered her a fair told her to think about it and text me if she wants to be my yaya. I was crossing my fingers on this one because she sounds experienced and mabait. 


Two days later, she texted me saying she's accepting my offer and when can we fetch her. She was living with her niece in Taguig and doesn't really know how to go to our area and asked if we can fetch her in Market Market!


Yesterday, I took a leave from work and went to fetch the yaya. While on our way back home, the BOS got to interview and asked her questions too. He's also crossing his fingers on this one.


Y is still warming up to her. And the yaya is really "tutok" on Y unlike the previous yaya who just let Y ran around the house and just shout or call to Y when she can't find Y. This yaya plays with her talaga. I let her feed Y too and give Y a bath while I teach her and watch her. So far, so good. Pero first day, well second day pa lang. Let's see!


And while on our way back yesterday, we stopped by Becky's Kitchen and buy these! Haha!

Tick-Tock, I'm Almost About to Pop!

In about a week, I'll be giving birth to our baby boy, R. Excited? YES! Scared? YES! It has been a great pregnancy, just like my first, except the morning sickness and throwing up during the first trimester, but other than that, everything's GREAT!

Y will be an achi na next week. I don't know how she'll react when she sees the baby. I will surely miss spending time with her as I have to take care of the baby and nurse on demand. The Terrible Twos is really kicking in in high gear for Y, but we'll manage, I hope. Or I'll go crazier!

We're still yayaless. I already interviewed a potential one over the phone. I liked her, the only problem is I can't give her the same pay as her last employer. It's way over the budget :( I'm still hoping she'll somehow accept the job.

Hmm.. our house is still a mess. I won't go into details. Thinking about it is making me stressed. Hehe.. I hope by the weekend, some things would be more organized already. Still need to clean and wash the playard for the baby. I have yet to pack my hospital bag too!

Everything is overwhelming! The anticipated arrival of baby R, Y's reaction to her new baby brother plus the chaos it would cause, I really don't know what's going to happen once we're in the house! Exciting and crazy times!

Still Yayaless

Yes, still yayaless. There's supposed to be a replacement but she changed her mind a few days before coming to us. Another one is referred but we're still not yet decided. And amma will be back from her 2-month long vacation in HK which means, my extra helper will go back working for amma. Hay... stressed! We're considering getting one from an agency. I'm so not ready to give birth yet!

I need a yaya now na!

Yayaless

So yesterday morning, the yaya announced that she will leave and go back home. I was surprised, but then, not really.

I already have plans for firing her next month, after she paid her loan. I was looking for her replacement already. Then something happened the other day which I think made her decide to leave yesterday.

This was the third yaya of Y. She was the replacement of her daughter-in-law who got pregnant so I had to let her go. She was ok at first, but eventually her work started to be just so-so. I don't know if it's because of her age, or she's just lazy, she doesn't really want to work anymore... Then she borrowed money for her daughter's tuition which I lent her, then borrowed more for family emergency. At first, I understood her situation which is why I lend her money. But then she started to get lazy... and neglecting her work then Y started getting into (minor) bump accidents which I think is normal for a very active and makulit toddler but it was getting too often... And every time something happens, all she says is "Sorry, hindi na mauulit next time"

Right when I hired this yaya, my mom told me to install a nanny cam so I can monitor the yaya and Y while I'm at the office or while we're not at home. Good thing we did! The other day, on our way home from the office, the BOS told me that my SIL told him Y got into another bumping accident. Nahulog daw sa sofa. Mother's instinct, I felt that this is something serious, something major. The BOS said not to say anything when we get home and see if the yaya would tell us what happened, the truth. When we got home, after a few minutes, the yaya told us that Y fell from the sofa, she told us what happened. I didn't believe her, if she was just sitting beside Y, how can she fall if she was really looking.

This is how our conversation went:
Y: Naglilikot kasi siya. Tumatayo sa sofa. Tapus biglang nahulog, hindi ko na inabot.

Me: Magkatabi na nga kayo, hindi mo pa nahabol?

Y: Hawak ko kasi yun pagkain nya. Pinapakain ko.

Me: Bakit hindi mo binaba o hinagis yun pagkain para masalo mo si Y? Nagtetext ka ba non?

Y: Hinde, pinapakain ko lang.

Me: Malakas ba pagka-untog? Umiyak si Y?

Y: Namula, umiyak. Nilagyan ko ng ice kanina.

What I forgot to ask her was, were they watching TV when that happened. I was really doubting what she said and malakas kutob ko that it was more than that. So when everybody was asleep, the BOS and I reviewed the nanny cam. And yun nga, her eyes was glued to the TV. Y was standing up and being makulit, but she can sit her down naman, and she didn't! Then ayun nga.. nahulog and Y hit her head at the corner of on our sofas. Good thing there was no bruise or bumps and it didn't hurt her eye. It hurts so much for me see what happened. I cried. And makes me want to quit my work already and stay at home to take care of Y.

After watching, the BOS told me to wake the yaya. Ayan na. The BOS never talks or reprimand any of our helpers or yaya. I'm always the one who do it. But this time, na-highblood ng bonggang bongga si BOS. I woke the yaya up and told her to come out. I was stopping myself from crying but I can't so I went inside our room and left the two of them in our sala. The BOS let the yaya watch the nanny cam, and asked her what really happened. Makakapag-sinungaling pa ba siya? Nag speech ang BOS. The yaya said sorry. And this is what the BOS said "Walang kwenta ang sorry, bata yang inaalagaan mo. Pinagkatiwala sayo yun bata para alagaan mo."
Which is true naman. I think the yaya cried after. I didn't really care. Then the next morning she announced that she'll be leaving na and that she can't take care of Y anymore. Hello?! Kung hindi mo kayang alagaan, you should have told me way before so I could find a replacement! Kung kelan nagsalita ang asawa ko, tsaka ka magsasabi na hindi mo na kaya? I didn't really care anymore. Edi umalis ka. She talked to Y din, she was crying while talking to Y. I was getting annoyed with her na. She packed her things, I checked them of course. When she was at the door, Y started crying. I picked her up at binulungan ko "Wag mong iyakan si Y, hindi yun worth it!" Then she stopped crying. Good thing she's not attached to the yaya.

Why is it so hard to find a good yaya nowadays? No joke! It's hard to find someone you can trust. Mahirap pag may cellphone sila, may FB or may boyfriend sila. HAY! Now I'm yaya-less and looking for one. Good thing I have extra help but only til next month... As much as I want to do everything, giving her a bath, feeding her, and all that.. I really can't anymore. I'm big as an elephant! I need a new yaya ASAP!