Training your househelp to be effective
‘Since I returned to work four months ago, I have had four house helps. The first could not explain bruises on my son’s head and leg… ‘ (Waithera Kabiru featured in Pregnant Issue 18)
One does not have to look far to hear of what house helps have or have not done, the better part being horror stories. You too, probably have your share of house girl issues. As you read this article you most likely have requested your mother to find you a nice girl from the village as you prepare to receive our baby. But the questions still remain, are these house helps worthy of our trust? Do we have to call home every 30 minutes to enquire row the baby is sleeping? Of course most times we do not even trust the answers that they give us, that the baby is asleep!
Victims or villains, it is about time that as parents we chose to invest in our house helps so that they can bring out the best in our children. It will also ensure they give professional care. It is fair to acknowledge that house girls take our role as parents when we are away, which we are most of the time because of life’s demands.
Training your house help may seem alien at first, but would you rather leave your baby with an illiterate girl who may have no basic skills as how to act whenever an emergency strikes?
Child minders’ course
This is a course designed for those looking after children in a day to day basis. They include you as a parent, house helps and parents-to-be. Catherine Nyambane whose institution organizes these courses every month advises parents to at least ensure that their house helps have basic first aid skills and if they do not, there is need to train them. Under this course, the following is tutored.
First aid: The skills one will acquire here include how to handle choking, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), dealing with fever, poisoning and burns.
Cleaning: Areas emphasized are general hygiene, cleaning the house, toilets, sanitation and taking care of own hygiene too.
Nutrition: The house help will be trained on how to prepare a well balanced diet and its importance, as well as how to correctly reheat and store food.
Basic education: This will touch on general matters like communicating with a baby and language development, instilling self confidence in the baby and general etiquette.
The Child Minders Course, says Catherine, is a very important tool of operation for anyone. who is in charge of children of all ages. You never know when disaster will strike and how your empowerment will save the day.
A general advice to parents though is that when choosing a house help, at least ensure he/she has formal training e.g. Class eight or form four leavers.
Bureaus
There are house help bureaus that train house helps thus if you want one, enquire if she has the training and what kind of training it is. Certificates are usually issued when a course is completed.
Ensuring that your house help is trained is a plus for you as a parent. This, coupled with treating her well, just like you would family, will give her motivation to be extra careful in handling your baby. This is what makes a difference between a house girl who lasts a day and one who lasts eighteen years.
It is possible to enjoy your stay with the house help and in turn your baby will have her best moments ever. Go ahead, take her for training.-
Catherine Nyambane is the Principal of Faith Daycare Centre
END: BL20/69-70