Dumb Domestic Helpers

So many dumb domestic helpers.. for shame for shame. The entire lot are clueless beyond belief.

So many fantastic employers.. not one single lousy employer on this board!


My point?


How many of you have employed a person from your native country as your helper? My guess, none. So you and your employees face a cultural difference that most of you don’t seem to realize exist.


You can have a conversation with a person from another country that is on your same educational level, and the level of comprehension will not be at the 100% (mark) as when you converse with a person from your own country. How much more with a person that MIGHT be of a lower educational level than yourself (as many helpers I assume are).


Then, lets not forget language. How many times have native English speakers spoken with say other native speakers and not grasped everything they said because of slang, dialect and pronunciation/annunciation? What of non English speakers who “think” they can speak English and have been constantly “praised” as to how good their English is, yet are not fully understood by other English speakers?


So when you think about how dumb your helpers are.. ask yourself this..


Am I speaking too fast?

Are my instructions clear?

Did she/he really understand what I am expecting of him/her?

Am I approachable so that when I am not understood, my employee can ask for clarification, or am I just so full of myself and do not realize it.

Yes life that is true for amny people- however, there are still dumb domestic helpers - I employed one so I know. How many times should it take to demonstrate a task the way it should be done before mastery should take place? Once, twice, three times, five times - ten times, twenty times???


How many times does one need to cook a meal to get it right - once twice, three times - 5 times, 10 times, 20 times?


How many times does it take to show how to operate the washing machine or vacuum cleaner?


What are realistic expectations with all the cultural differences that we contend with?


My expectation was 3 times,patience got thin at 5 times, exasperated as we approached 10 times, disbelief as we past 15 times - relief as the skill was mastered before 20 repititions/ demonstrations, but then disappointment when appliances were broken, washing destroyed, meals then not cooked beyond this. At what point would you say I was impatient, and a useless employer who expected too much?

Life, agree with most of what you say (and your suggestions at the end are a good reality check); however, I would argue that percentage wise, the number of dumb helpers is probably pretty close to the number of dumb expat employers, at least judging by some of the idiotic posts on this board. In life, there are always a percentage that just don't "get it." It isn't exclusive to helpers. For those helpers who don't get it, they will be terminated pretty quickly. The same can't be said for eheir expat employers.


(actually, you probably alluded to dumb employers as well in your second sentence ;-) ).

Sorry - have to agree to disagree - some people are just dumb - from any nationality, doing any sort of job, and I got one of those people. Agree that you are over simplying the situation - language is not required for demonstrations. I have 4 kids- managed to teach them how to do the same jobs since she has left - and only took 2 times for the job to be mastered by an 11 year old.

You might also want to look into the agency's credibility when hiring an FDH through them. They are getting all the cash, the least that they can do is make a good job of orienting and training the helpers.


Most if not all helpers especially those from the provinces do not have appliances at home other than a tv, or maybe not even a ref. It is up to the agency to teach these helpers how to properly use, clean and maintain basic home appliances.

and some employers are just dumb, like it or not

because there are no jobs at home

Just wanted to point out that sometimes it can be a game as well. For example, when the helper is punishing the family she may suddenly decrease her language ability to not understand much of anything or do the job opposite of what you asked and then act as if she didn't understand. On the other hand, her English comprehension may have been excellent the week before she asked you for a loan.