TEN TIPS TO GAIN THE LOYALTY OF HOUSEHOLD HELP

​Nowadays, getting a stay-in household help is not easy, especially if we are  looking for a reliable, efficient and loyal one. 

Gone were the days when Jim and I would go home to our hometown and for sure we are able to get one, most often from the family members of our “ kasama”, the ones who tend our farm. 

Usually we want to get someone well recommended by friends or family but that is not always possible. Oftentimes we are desperate so we turn to the agency. 

What can we do to keep our household helpers loyal and stay with us for as long as possible?  That is, if we are lucky enough to get one. 

Here are a few tips. 

1-Compensate them well and pay them on time. Some of their family members back home maybe dependent on them. 

2- Feed them well; make sure they are given basic and satisfying 3 square meals and afternoon snacks. They can’t work well if they are hungry. This is one way to earn big points towards gaining their loyalty. However, specify which food the are allowed to consume from you refrigerator and pantry. 

3- From the start, spell out their responsibilities; give them a list if you must. Make sure they understand our expectations; show them exactly how we want things done. Do not expect them to know how to clean our bathrooms when most of them never used such; let them know our standard of. cleanliness 

Be clear about your expectations. At the onset, provide a routine, if necessary an hourly one and specify break time. Check that they can cope with their assignment; understand that some of them are inexperienced or slow workers; therefore there is a need to evaluate their coping ability 

Do not disturb them during break time or when they take their meals. 

4- Treat them humanely; do not insult them and never hurt them physically. Be patient, guide them properly without scolding. Show appreciation; give praise for a job well done. Always use the magic words “please” and “thank you”. They deserve that as much as the waiters who serve us in restaurants. 

5- Provide proper and well ventilated sleeping quarters; they too deserve some comfort and privacy so they can rest well. 

6-Try to allay their loneliness or boredom by providing TV entertainment if possible. Give access to WiFi if you can but not the password.  Specify that receiving and answering calls or messages are only aloud during rest periods

7- Do not allow visits from friends and relatives for security reasons. They can meet up with them during their days off. 

8-Ftom the start agree on the frequency of days off. 

9- Specify what personal items you will provide and what they need to buy themselves. Tell them if they are allowed to us the washing machine for their clothes. 

10- Show them empathy; when we entertain, there is extra work; help them to clean up and put things  in order. If budget allows, give them a bonus but make sure this is not abused lest they might think that it it the SOP. 

NOT JUST A PARTY BUT STRENGTHENING FRIENDSHIP

​What a lovely evening! The Valentine Party of the Sweet Magnolias. 

Once again we were able to strengthen our bond;  friendship that has grown beyond walking. This is due to shared experiences and common interests in cooking, fashion, healthcare and topics like keeping our marriage alive; dealing with household help issues and most of all enjoying more the finer things in life together 

And just recently, we discovered our love for dancing and singing. 

How did Tess put it? 

“ it is nice to have neighbors who become your friends, with whom you exercise everyday and share breakfast almost every other day. How lucky can you be?”.  

We had the best venue for this party; a place that is most coveted in town, the charming home of Tess. It encompasses an unsurpassed ambiance and winner cuisine. 

We arrive to see  this elegantly set dining table

And I saw my assigned place

After we were served drinks, mine is our favorite Barefoot Pink Moscato that Tess always keep in her bar. It would be lackadaisical of me not to mention the over the top appetizers prepared by our host, Tess.  The most anticipated kinilaw prepared from the freshest Tangigue, lemon, peppers, ginger, spring onions and the creamiest coconut milk. 

Not to be outdone is another favorite, the ELAR’S  lechon. 

But wait, there’s more. The extra large oysters! The winner! 

Each one brought a dish, mine was the beef asado, a favorite from my cooking repertoire, learned from my mother in law. 

Claire’s Greek salad and roast chicken. 

There’s Cheska’s truffle resoto to die for and her crispy-on-the-outside-soft-and-chewy-on-the-inside focaccia to dip in special balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 

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The best is yet to come! The strawberry cake from Purple Oven brought by Mel and the creamiest homemade cheese ice cream brought by Carol. 

Coffee and fresh tarragon-mint tea were served when singing started. 

Carol opened the singing 

Tess rendition was unexpectedly welcomed and it brought the house down. And it started the dancing. 

The husbands shared their favorite ballads; 

Jim sang “May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You” ; dedicated to Tess for her return to Holland with the 3-C’s (Carol, Cheska and Claire) as back up singers. 

When Doc Kim sang “ Just Tell Me You Love Me” he only had eyes for Claire. 

Aside from singing, can’t avoid Marites:

Came next was Mar with his Broadway songs. I’m amazed how he can hold a note, great breathing there, Mar. 

Husband AP and wife, Cheska sang “Dancing Queen” and encouraged more dancing. 

Then AP belted “Achy, Breaky Heart” and dancing continued. 

Claire shared one of her favorites from Les Miserables and gave another duet with Mar. 

What more can I say except to say thank you Tess, our host for such an unforgettable night.  We broke up at half after midnight and would you believe that we still covered 7 kilometers the very next day. 

We were so high that we couldn’t get over from the excitement of the night before. We sang almost the entire time and then we realized the other songs we could have sang. Oh well, those are for the next party. 

SWEET MAGNOLIAS CELEBRATE A BELATED NEW YEAR’S PARTY

​On Sunday, the Sweet Magnolias celebrated our belated New Year’s party, that coincided with Chinese New Year. Originally set on January 3, but to accommodate family and career concerns, we finally made it happen. 

And where else could we have held it if not in the the most coveted party place, the envy of many, from metro Manila to Samar; the  elegant and charming home of Tess. I guess we were lucky. 

Our host. 

 

Finally we met the husbands and got to know them well; except two who are abroad. It would have been a million-fold lot merrier if Atle and Alfred were there. 

First we had appetizers; the dips Cheska made were to die for.  Tess brought out her charcuterie board with the usual delicacies; among those were two creamiest cheeses from Holland.  We had those with our favorite moscato. 

Finally, we found our designated places around the amazing dinner table setting in pink. First order was picture taking.  

We each brought a dish and we were surprised that we had so much food. 

Sorry I failed to take photos of the rest. 

Then came the best part, the dessert! 

Look at a serving of dessert, there’s peach jello, lychee-gelatin fruit salad and leche flan. Actually a buffet of desserts. And there’s that colorful goblet of buko sherbet too. 

Wait! There’s more, but we begged off from having another dessert.. So the gallon of creamy cheese ice cream went to the freezer. Instead some requested for coffee while the rest had fresh tarragon-mint tea. 

After dinner the drinking resumed while the singers started to clear their throats. We were surprised that our husbands gave amazing renditions. 

“always on my mind”

“You raise me up”

“Be my lady” 

Not to be outdone, the ladies also showed their talents. 

“Tell me that you love me”

While there were singing and dancing our host started bringing out the hard drinks and we thought: : “ohh, the party is just starting”. 

It was so difficult to break that pary; we almost  didn’t want it to end;  but one of us had to catch an early morning flight. 

We were about to go; we even distributed the boxes of tikoy that Kim and Claire gave us. 

All of a sudden AP got the microphone and belted Mambo # 5. Upon hearing the first 3 notes, there were cheers and dancing resumed. What a way to end such an amazing party. 

Of course, we can’t thank Tess enough; our fabulous host for the Elar’s lechon, the  bulalo  soup, the wine and juices, etc.;  the beautiful table setting in pink and all the hassles of hosting a party.  Moreover, thank you for the joy, the fun and the laughter we shared; really incredible and truly a priceless experience. 

A great way to start the year, Sweet Magnolias!