Introduction
Every parent rejoices upon the birth of their child. However, it can also be a source of worry, particularly if you have to go back to work. It can be challenging for new parents to reconcile work life and child care when living in a busy city like Singapore. As a result, a lot of families look for maid from abroad. However, choosing the ideal caregiver can be challenging for new parents who have little experience doing so.
This article will highlight the qualities a maid must have when choosing one to look after your baby or toddlers.
Six Skills Maids Must Have for Baby Care
A reliable and kind character
It’s difficult to entrust a foreign maid with the care of your child and household. The most important thing to consider while leaving your baby with a maid is that they are in safe hands. To make sure your baby feels safe and comfortable with the maid, it’s crucial to find a maid who has a compassionate and loving aura as well as a trustworthy and responsible personality because she will be handling most of the responsibilities to take care of your baby while you are away.
Experiences in baby care
Your maid needs to take care of your children when you are not around, therefore she must have experiences dealing with newborns or children. You wouldn’t want a novice to look after your children. If you need baby care, your maid should at least have these skills:
- Carry your baby comfortably and correctly
- Swaddle a baby
- Burp and do CPR on a baby
- Feed a baby
- Bathe a baby
- Get the baby to sleep
- Change diapers
Qualification
There are some maids who have qualification in childcare or nursing, or qualified to provide first aid in an emergency. So if you are looking for a maid, these maids should be your first consideration. Maid who has qualification in childcare or nursing is more likely to be able to provide your children with the best possible care and should know how to feed babies and young children a proper and balanced meal. If your potential maid lacks of the above skills or qualifications, you may sign her up to some relevant recognized courses so that she can pick up the skills she needs along the way.
An attentive mind
Your maid should be well aware of your baby’s or toddler’s daily routines for sleeping, eating, learning, playing and taking bath. There are many factors should be considered when taking care of a baby such as the ideal milk temperature, baby’s response while feeding and burping, personal hygiene and many more. To come up with the ideal plan for you and your baby, you can discuss the routine and daily tasks with your maid.
Good communication skills
Your maid should be a competent communicator and listener.
Every child is a unique person with particular requirements. Therefore, it makes sense that you would give your maid specific instructions. Don’t forget to express yourself to your helper in a polite and straightforward manner so that they are clear of what you require them to do, how to care for your children and how to handle emergencies. Your maid must comprehend your expectations and your children’s needs very well.
Communication is a two-way process. Your maid should be able to tell you honestly about the day went and how your children behave while you are away as newborns and toddlers are unable to express their wants and needs at this age. As a result, you can get some insights and even modify your child’s routine daily schedule. Keep in mind that your maid is here to help you to solve problems. Make sure she comprehends your worries and be able to discuss about hers too. If there is a misunderstanding, don’t berate her or else it will be more difficult to establish a good rapport in the future.
Good organizational skills
Since your maid is not only responsible to take care of your baby but also the household, she must have good organizational skills. You might need her to cook for your family and keep the house clean and tidy, therefore she must manage her time well, from attending to your child’s needs to the basic housework. You could talk to your maid about how to plan her workload and utilize her time effectively. However, it is not recommended to assign your maid to too many tasks at once, as it might cause exhaustion to your maid and divert her from giving your child the much-needed attention.
Conclusion
Finding the ideal maid that ticks all the boxes might be difficult at times, especially if you are hiring one for the first time. Check out our “Questions To Ask When Interviewing A Maid” for some ideas if you’re a new parent experiencing problems selecting and interviewing potential maid.