Dedication, Dependability, Devotion to duties, Sincerity and faithfulness are some of the qualities one looks into, while engaging DOMESTIC HELPS
 
Alas! I never found anyone who neither had a combination of any two qualities nor for that matter any one quality as a whole.
 
During the days of my grandmother, she brought a bunch of dedicated servants along with the Palanquin,
as a part of dowry. History has tales about the generations of servants, who worked for their masters. But, history is rarely repeated.
 
Things are different now. While a dedicated full-time servant, male or female is a rare breed to find, A part-time one to engage for the bare minimum services, like cleaning and washing, are not always dependable, hence cannot be relied upon and trusted.
 
In today’s context, any lady has her career in focus and at the same time manages her household chores and that’s where she faces the crisis when maid-servants do not turn up on time or execute their duties with dedication.
 
Few years back, I engaged Baby as a full time maid. She was about 22 years. She worked well.
 My Husband and I were both working, both of us used to leave home to office in the morning and drop our son to school. As our workplace was far away, we never used to be back for lunch. The servant in-charge was in leisure and liberty during our absence. Of late, we came to know from a friendly neighbor that she had a boy-friend who frequently visited our place in our absence. During the course of time she successfully pilferaged many of our belongings, which we noticed after we discontinued with her services.
 
One lesson we learnt then was that before engaging a maid, we should always enquire about her credentials.
 
 Generally, working women are in the seventh heaven when they get a servant to work for them. So was I. Three months ago, I got a full timer, a HSSC pass girl, for domestic work. This time though cautious, I casually took her photograph, saying the Colony security demands it for records. I also made it a point to verify and collect her address, references etc.
 
She was a girl of small built. A duffer who never registered anything in her brain but very liberal in consumption of food, she showed good improvement in her health. Then as a month passed, I noticed a gradual protrusion in her tummy. Though, initially I apprised myself that it could be the cause of good food and living. I was not prepared to take a chance especially when she is unmarried. On questioning, she informed that she is anaemic. Under the pretext of treating her anaemia, I took her to my doctor, and got her examined. To my astonishment, the doctor confirmed my worst fear that she was on her family way. She was in her 6th month of Pregnancy. I was aghast and alarmed. Not disclosing the fact that I came to know of her secret, I Discontinued her services immediately.
 I am happy that I could learn another lesson in life that don’t engage any full time maid ever