A domestic staff is anyone employed in a home to provide certain services as cooks, drivers, gardeners, nanny, maids, housekeepers etc. The most common of these domestic staff is a maid/house helps. In most households, the maids perform ALL the chores.
After my Gee was born, I remember telling myself that I would stay back to tend to her properly. I did not want to leave her in the care of any nanny/maid/creche. My reason was based on the negative stories I have been hearing about maids! Well, I did not stay at home. I resumed four months after. I was "fortunate" to have a maid just before I went back to work. I spent about a month studying her and putting her through. I gave her my ground rules and I added that we'll be great friends if she behaves. She stayed with me for about two years and all those years, we live together in peace like sisters. I never raised my voice at her because she never gave me the opportunity to. She once told me that I am different from all the other madams she's had in the past. I asked to know why she said that and she narrated how other madams had been mean to her. She said, most times, she goes without food! I was shocked!
How can a sane woman starve her domestic staff and yet expect such a staff to perform well? I mean, that is preposterous! As a general rule, I would suggest that mothers who have maids looking after their kids should ensure that their maids are treated well! If you treat your maids in a bad way, your children would not be treated well by the maid! It is just common logic!
I have heard of some women who give their maids food once a day. I have also heard of people who give their maids soured foods. I have seen some maids with various scares on their bodies, as a result of the beatings they receive from their madams. I have even seen a girl with a scare caused by a hot iron placed on her by her madam!
Some guidelines on how to treat domestic staff in your employ:
1. See them as human beings!
2. Treat them like you would treat your own children, siblings and relatives!
3. Feed them well so they would have strength to perform the chores!
4. Buy them nice clothes so they would be presentable in the public!
5. Interact with them. That way, you will know how they feel about you!
6. Encourage them to become better citizens in future!
A maid is a human being just like you!
