HELP .. Can anyone refer a TRUSTWORTHY AYI?

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YLtaitai

Newbie

Joined: Jan 22, 2007
Posts: 9

Status: Offline

Posted: July 30, 2007 - 09:26 PM
Post subject: HELP .. Can anyone refer a TRUSTWORTHY AYI?

Hi,

We moved here 6 months ago & so far no luck with finding the right ayi from agencies.

Please let us know if anyone is letting go your ayi due to moving or anything else.. we have a 1.5 yr old at home & need someone we could trust badly.

PS: We need a full time & live in Hongqiao.

THANKS!

Adrienne

SuperStar

Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: 1433
Location: Shanghai, China
Status: Offline

Posted: July 30, 2007 - 11:05 PM

Have you been to City Shopper on Hong Mei Rd and checked out the Ayi notices there? They can/should provide recommendations from past employers and you should contact them and check that this is correct. I haven't had any experience with agencies but my first thought is that they aren't experienced with working with expats. You'd also be paying an extra fee to the agency as well.

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

annpetko

Lurker

Joined: Dec 04, 2006
Posts: 21

Status: Offline

Posted: July 31, 2007 - 05:29 PM

Hi YLtaitai,

I don't want to add to your frustration, but cannot help to tell you that we moved here 15 months ago (with our 4-month-old baby at the time) and have changed so many Ayis that I cannot tell you how many. None of them have stayed for more than 2 months. I have used both agencies and referrals, both Chinese and Filipinos. Only one worked well, but she had to leave for her personal reasons.

Our son is now finally 19 months old and I have signed up for him to go to school in a few weeks. Even though we will only know later whether he enjoys school or not, we are determined to end our Ayi/Nanny misery and keep him in school unless he really cannot handle school life (or he gets kicked out of school...) Preschools usually take kids starting from 2 years old.

I feel so bad to say that my son is "finally" 19 months old. It shows how frustrated I have been and how the terrible experience with Ayis has taken so much away from my husband and myself that I feel that I did not fully enjoy the pleasure of raising my son up to this age. We are really looking forward to his school days so that we don't have to have nervous breakdowns with Ayis any more. Once the baby is in school for most of the day (8:00am to 3:15pm) the Ayi is not really a nanny any more, but just a cleaning lady and a babysitter when we need her. So much less pressure than leaving her all day.

I would have taken care of my son myself with just help from a nanny, but I'm the one who's sent by the company to Shanghai and has not choice. Unfortunately I let my baby stay with a stranger who I don't trust for more hours than he stays with me every day. Fortunately my husband keeps a close eye on the house. I wouldn't know what to do (maybe have gotten back to France) if we both had to work regular hours full time.

So I guess my advice is two things. First, if it is possible, please do not work full time and take care of your baby yourself until he is ready for school. Second, send your child to school as early as possible. Some schools will actually take one and a half year old so your child may be ready now!

I may sound very passimistic and I'm sorry that I am discouraging, but this is really our own experience and it has hurt our hearts so much that I feel compelled to say these when I saw that your child is the same age and that you've been looking for 6 months.

Maybe I can come back to tell how it goes after school starts.

Good luck in any case. I sincerely hope you have better luck than us.

YLtaitai

Newbie

Joined: Jan 22, 2007
Posts: 9

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 03, 2007 - 09:42 AM
Post subject: Thanks

Thanks, Adrienne. Had checked it out, am still looking & interviewing now!

Annpetko, when I read your message, I feel glad to find out that I'm not the only one. I, too, have changed so many in the past 7 months (for many different reasons )- my husband and friends almost think that I'm the one who's too picky about ayis. (when actually what I wanted is only the best for my kid.. sigh... only expat moms with kids know this struggle..I think). Anyway, I will still find an ayi now regardless. But, as you said, will try to take care of my kid as much as I can myself and send them to school soon.
Also, in the meantime, will forget about finding the perfect one. It's just been tough to find ayi capable of both thorough cleaning & being trusted enough to take care kid.
Thanks & Good luck to you too. Smile