What would you do if you checked your maid’s phone one day and found shocking messages and photos? Well, this Singapore mum had once such nerve-racking experience recently.
Smelt something fishy
Image source: iStock
Mummy of 2, Calista, who works as a media and marketing manager in Singapore, talks about her previous Filipino helper, “I hired her in April 2014. She spoke English, which was one of the main reasons why I chose her, and she was a transfer maid from another family.”
“She was okay with house work and rarely had to handle my kids. But she was friendly whenever she had to help out with them. I didn’t really suspect that anything was wrong.”
“Quite by chance, recently I broke my usual routine and came out of the room after putting the kids to sleep. That’s when I caught her with 3 phones!”
This mum got suspicious and decided to check the messages on the phones, “Because they were constantly blinking and lighting up. Which meant there were a lot of incoming messages.”
Singapore mum checks maid’s phone
Image source: iStock
Calista continues, “I went through her phone and read her messages. There were many messages from her lover. And from the conversation, it was obvious that he had been to my house! She had given him my address in one of the messages. To which he had replied that he had reached and was at the door.”
“After a few hours the guy had messaged saying, “When I was hugging you just now I loved the smell of you.””
That was not all, however. What shocked Calista more was when, “I saw in other chats with various people, that she had sent naked pictures of my younger son. I have never consented to that!”
So did she confront her maid? What did she have to say in her defence, about sending naked pictures of the child?
Calista replies, “She said it was normal and that she had not done anything wrong. But even I don’t send naked photos of my son to anyone!”
That was hardly the end though. Calista also realised from the messages that her maid and her lover were up to some shady activities. That was the last straw. She fired her maid and made a police report the very next day, “because I felt that what she was doing (illegally trafficking people into China to work without papers), could potentially harm another life.”
Calista tells us that she has informed MOM of this.
Image courtesy of Calista
Advice to other mums
Calista has a new maid now, and we ask what advice this mum of 2 boys has for other mums.
She says, “I would advise other mums to be very vigilant. Be cautious and always check on their maids. If possible, only allow them to handle chores like housework and cooking. Don’t let them handle the little ones too much.”
Here are some tips which we think might also help:
- Set clear guidelines : Be strict about house rules, such as not bringing friends over to your house, or taking the baby outside without your approval. You might also want to specify rules for using her handphone.
- CCTV Cameras : These days we have the luxury of knowing what’s happening in our homes, even when we are on the go, using CCTV cameras. It is however important to let the maid know of the existence of such a camera, lest she complains of breach of privacy.
- Pop-in-unannounced : Don’t stick to fixed timings. Come home early once in while to see what’s really happening.
- Observe your baby for warning signs : Monitor your baby. Is he sleepier than normal or not feeding well? Check his body for any signs of bruising. Pay attention when he seems scared around the maid.
- Hire experienced hands : When on the lookout for someone to take care of your little one, always check if she has prior experience in doing so. Inexperienced hands may lack the maturity and patience to deal with your child. Talk to referees and previous employers, before you take the big step.
Also READ: This mum fired her trusted maid and you need to know why!