When domestic helpers get together, they tend to disuse or bitch about their employers.  Well, I am sure employers have similar sessions too. Anyway, beside the main topic education in Shanghai, Pek Cheng (the mom who stayed with us for the past week), we also talked about engaging domestic helpers to assist in the  daily chores.

She was quite surprise I seems to be rather busy. She observed that I have been washing, cleaning, tidying even though there is a part time helper to do the work. Not that she advocates leaving every task to the ayi, but she thinks that I shouldn’t spend so much time doing those chores and then complained about not having enough of it. Since the ayi will be here for the specific number of hours regardless of the amount of work to be done, it seems illogical that I complete the housekeeping work.

Oh well, I know I enjoy tidying and making the place presentable, but really agree that I am overdoing doing them. She pointed out that I could leave the dishes in the sink instead of washing and drying them after dinner. I could take out the vege and meat I would like for meals and leave it to the ayi to do the washing and cutting. And I should also stop spending time hand washing clothes and folding the washed laundry.

Simple things that need someone to knock some sense into me. I did manage to steal time to read to the kids and also to blog, practice calligraphy, surf the web, etc by leaving the pile of dirty dishes in the basin and reminding myself to stay away from the laundry basket. Unsightly, but time is more precious.