I still remember how frightened I was about returning to work in a new year after staying with my baby for 9 good months. I’m really grateful that I didn’t miss much of Jezreel’s development stages such as weaning, crawling, his first gibberish and his first step. Most career moms though aren’t as lucky and have these stages narrated to them by a house girl. I made the bold decision to stay home right from my pregnancy. I had planned to stay on for just a few months but the opportunity for a new job came knocking much later. As you care for your baby you may put off the option of hiring a house girl and before you know it maternity leave is over and its crunch time. Sometimes you may feel pinned into looking for an option such as working from home or starting a business which allows for more flexibility unlike your 8-5 job which means seeing the baby briefly in the morning before going to work or in the evening before bedtime.
House girls in Kenya are any mum’s affordable option. You may need to consider whether you need one or two ladies because of the additional workload or you can adjust your budget upwards. Make sure her references are sound, she’s got an ID card and that she has experience with babies. It is important that you feel confident about your choice because your house girl must be able to take care of your little ones physical, emotional and developmental needs.
How to Train her
Introduce your house girl to your baby as soon as possible
Let them build a relationship under your watchful eye. Allow the 2 to bond when you are not there so your baby gets used to your absence.
Try to be supportive; don’t hover or interfere
Remember the nanny is not there to replace you. It can be tough but give her space to work her own approach towards handling your baby.
Train her on your routine and make her stick to it to avoid confusing the baby
These include sleep and food patterns.
Prepare for the fact that your house girl is going to do something differently
For example have a different choice to dressing your child. Just ensure that the child was kept warm even if the clothes don’t match. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Focus on the bigger picture.
View your house girl as a partner in the motherhood journey
You don’t want to be changing girls every so often because of your baby’s happiness. This though does not mean you should put up with a dirty maid, sloppy, abusive or sluggish characters.
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