Mama is often sad because all her kids have left home.  They are in Ilocos and we’re here in Manila so we seldom see each other.  Papa said there are times that she cries because she misses us.  That may be tough.

Sometimes she has to stay at home all by herself because Papa has to go to our other store around 40 kms away.  There are also times when some of our truck’s transfer tank has to be repaired and he has to go to Dagupan.  It’s lonely being left alone in a house that’s full of laughter before.

If only it’s possible to live nearer to them.  *sigh*  However, i hope our frequent  SMS, MMS and phone calls somehow quell her sadness.

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I don’t usually buy Good Housekeeping magazine but their July 2007 issue has a very interesting article on how to deal with yayas.  I wasn’t disappointed because i’ve learned a lot from reading it.  I’m going to share some of the points i found useful.

27 Yaya Questions Answered  by Kat von Einsiedel

How and when should I lay down the house rules?  It’s best to inform the yaya of the house rules during the interview stage, and also clarify the extent of the job. “Para malinaw.  Kung ayaw nila,  then we’ll look for one who is willing.”

How much should I pay my yaya? Keep in mind the age of your child and the yaya’s work experience.  The rate is usually higher for newborns because they require extra care.  Based on information from an association of private local employment agencies, the current rate for yayas is about 2,500 to 3,000.

What kind of benefits are yayas entitled to? If they receive a minimum monthly salary of 1,000, they are eligible to apply for SSS benefits.  Since personal information is needed for the SSS application, the yaya should be the one to process it.  Though this is not mandatory for employer to give, this is something nice to provide to the yaya.

Other benefits are : free board and lodging, and medical assistance.

How mant days off are they allowed?  Yayas fall under a special category of workers and are entitled to four days off a month.

What should I Do if

…my yaya gossips with the neighbors’ helpers and compares salaries with them?  Simply tell her that such behaviour is not acceptable, and if she persists, you will have to let her go.

…my yaya has an offensive smell and I want to tell her nicely?  Buy her a deodorant and casually tell her that you’ve found this effective.  Observe her hygiene routine as well.  She may not be taking regular baths.  Remind her that you expect everyone in the household to take baths at least once a day, and twice during hot days.

…my yaya keeps kissing my baby and I don’t like it.  Tell her that sickness is spread through contact and sometimes we are carriers of sickness without our knowing it.  Ask her to kiss your baby’s feet or hands instead of the face, if that’s okay with you.

…my yaya is older than me and she thinks she knows better?  Be respectful and acknowledge her seniority.  But when she wants to do something, explain why you don’t agree.  Cite your doctor if you have to, or simply tell her that this is the way you want it to be.

…my baby prefers his yaya over me.  Young babies are closer to whomever they interact with more.  In time, they will recognize the difference between parents and caregivers, so don’t be jelous.  Just spend as much time as you can with your baby.

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There’s a lot more in that article so if you’re interested you can grab a copy on the magazine stands.   

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Do you love shopping for bargains?  I do.  When shopping in the malls, i usually wait for Sales.  I get notified because i subscribe to feeds of sites like Shopcrazy that announces whenever there are Sales in town.

For online shopping, we have online coupon codes that will give you great discounts and savings.  One of my favorite online store is Target.  It has the latest in women’s clothes, men, baby and kids along with home goods, furnitures and electronics.  Basically, they have whatever you need.  The beauty of online shopping is you can shop in the convenience of your own home.  No need to brave the traffic, the crowd and it’s basically open 24 hours. 

I’ve searched www.keepcash.com and found a great deal of coupon codes.  For Target, they offer 15% off to any $125 Baby purchase and 10% off to any first purchase.  :)  They also cover an extensive list of stores and you can search per category so you don’t miss out the hottest deals in town. I love this site because it is consumer friendly and updated daily with the latest coupons and product deals.

Don’t you just love the internet?

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This is a busy week again.  So much to do, so little time.  Monthly report is due on Friday and i’ve been trying to do it this early to avoid cramming. However one of my teammates took a leave without updating our database.  So ako pa nag-uupdate ngayon instead of doing the report.  I should have made sure he did the update before he filed his VL.  Oh well!  Regrets are always on the end.  There are also a lot of projects that are nearing completion and i’ve been involved in a lot of discussions.  Honestly, it’s making my head spin and i’m very overwhelmed.  I need to focus so, it’s time to make a to do list again and enforce time management.

This week is also our Circuit Overseer’s visit so we’re very busy in the congregation.  I took a leave from work tomorrow so i could join in the ministry.  The talk last night was very encouraging spiritually.  We are living in what Jesus called the time of the harvest.  Thus we should be busy helping other people learn about God and his purpose.  We look forward to the next meetings and i hope we can support the whole week’s activities.

I’ve also noticed that i’ve been scattered brain lately.  Blogging, selling panwiches, my work, spiritual matters, and taking care of the family are the things that i juggle everyday.  I should set some limits on some of those areas or i wouldn’t be able to fulfill the rest of the roles properly.  I should set some goals in blogging.  If i’ve accomplished all of those is should stop.  It’s been so addicting and i can’t seem to concentrate with other things.   :(  I hope i would be able to set things straight.

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