Toddler Safety at home

A toddler test the safety bars on a window.

Within the last week a 2.5 year old girl fell to her death from a 5th storey window. It's a tragedy beyond anything I can imagine. The pain for the family must be unbearable. 

It made me begin to think: how can we make our homes safer for small children.  Nurse Kathy of the Arrow team has written some articles in Chinese on child safety and we are going to also give you links to good articles and websites dedicated to keeping kids safe. Below is an excerpt from  a good article on safekids.org about preventing falls. It has some good advice I hadn't considered. Please mom and dad, read it carefully. Helpers read the article and ask your employers if you can do a safety audit of the home. (a walkthrough looking for things that might pose a danger to small children).   

"Falls
We work to prevent injuries from falls.From the moment your baby starts to crawl, the world is a magical place filled with new adventures and discoveries. From a child’s perspective, everything is a potential mountain to climb (that giant bookshelf), obstacle to overcome (those pesky stairs) or mysterious place to investigate (anywhere beyond the safety gate). Little bumps will happen but we’re here to help so these brave expeditions don’t result in something more serious.

The Hard Facts
Unintentional falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children in the United States. In 2012, unintentional falls resulted in nearly 3 million injuries requiring treatment in an emergency room. These injuries resulted from activities such as climbing on furniture, playing near an unsecured window, falling down stairs or playing on playgrounds."

- See more at: http://www.safekids.org/falls/

寶寶的防曬護理(Mustela)

引言

三歲前，嬰兒皮膚的防衛功能還未發育完全，皮膚在陽光的照射下非常脆弱，因此，醫生會極力勸告，千萬不要讓寶寶直接暴露在陽光下。如果有些活動必需要帶寶寶到充滿陽光的地方，那就一定要做足防曬措施，來保護他幼嫩脆弱的皮膚！您只要遵循幾條簡單的規則，就能保護寶寶的皮膚及它的防衛系統，避免日後受到嚴重的陽光傷害。而且童年時期是最好的學習時間，在耳濡目染的效應下，他會受您的影響，將來會繼續跟隨您做足防曬措施。

曬太陽的安全守則

• 不要讓寶寶暴露於太陽下，尤其是早上11時到下午4時的時段。

• 在陽光猛烈的時間躲在蔭處。

• 在猛烈的陽光下，切勿讓孩子赤裸或穿著泳衣。給他穿上寬鬆的和用粗棉製造（具過濾紫外線功能）的衣服，戴上闊邊的帽子及合適的闊邊太陽眼鏡（歐盟標準，紫外線3或4類） 。

• 在曬太陽之前20分鐘塗搽一層厚的和防曬指數達50+的防曬產品。要留意比較會多曬到的敏感部位（如額頭、雙頰、鼻子和嘴唇等）。

• 在蔭處或多雲的日子也要為孩子做好防曬措施，因為80%的紫外線能穿透雲層，而太陽傘並不能提供足夠的防曬保護。

• 避免使用容易引起敏感的防曬膏，最好選擇礦物或有機礦物的防曬膏。

• 每隔兩小時或當孩子每次游泳後都要重新塗上足夠的防曬膏。

• 即使寶寶沒有要求，也要經常給他喝水。

• 好好保管防曬產品，每次使用後要把瓶蓋緊緊關上，不要將產品放在猛烈陽光下，絕對不要再次使用已開瓶蓋超過一年的防曬產品。

Testimony: How Typhoon Pablo turned out to be a blessing for one family and town

I interviewed Arrow lady, Juliet Palmerola about her family's experience during and after Typhoon Bophal (Pablo) devastated their home area.

Personal Finance Seminar for Helpers

Sample collection notice of overdue loan

We sometimes receive calls from customers who received a notice or phone call telling them that their helper has overdue loans.  

Very few of us ever receive formal training on how to manage our personal finances.  As a result, it’s very easy to learn bad habits or to get into financial difficulties without understanding why. Improved money management awareness can help those who, whether due to lack of knowledge, self-discipline or other obstacles, don’t seem to be able to get a handle on their financial lives.

Send your helper to our Personal Finance Seminar for Helpers

The personal finance seminar is there to provide simple, jargon-free tips and budgeting strategies aimed at allowing helpers to better understand money. It is intended to empower them to take responsibility for their finances with more informed and educated decisions relevant to their lives.

TIME: August 17, 2014 2-4 p.m.

VENUE: Sunbeam Commercial Building, 20/F, 469-471 Nathan Road, Yaumatei MTR exit C

PRESENTER: Godfrey Oyeniran

COST: Free

Godfrey Oyeniran

With more than 15 years’ experience within private banking and stockbroking, Godfrey formed Spiritworth Consulting in Hong Kong to bridge interests in finance and personal development that were originally shaped growing up in the UK.

Financial coaching is not about providing financial advice. It’s about arming the individual with tools to shape their financial independence, confidence and accountability. Having grown up in a household where money was never spoken about, and where a lack of financial understanding had a significant impact on the quality of life, Godfrey appreciates the need for simplicity in explaining finance.

He has worked within the private wealth area as a stock advisor and investment analyst in the UK, the US and Asia. He has a Master of Finance (MFin) through Curtin University, Australia. Having previously attended personal development programmes by the likes of Anthony Robbins and Robert Kiyosaki, Godfrey was also inspired to earn an Executive Diploma in Corporate Coaching from the University of Hong Kong, which has led him to executive and life coach since 2009. He is a professional member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (HKICC).

Facebook or face to face

I saw a beautiful thing this week: a helper and a little girl were walking hand in hand, talking and laughing together. It was so wonderful I stopped for a minute and just watched. Then I asked myself, "why does this scene touch me so much?" and I realized that I hadn't seen it in a long time. Instead I see helpers holding their cell phones in one hand with a young child trailing from the others. The child often looks bored to death, while the helper has her face glued to her screen. 

I know parents behave the same way and I want to say "For God's sake, please stop!" The child next to you in created in the image of God and deserves your attention and time. You have the rare privilege of building something of worth into their lives. The child you care for has the potential to change the world for better or worse. The values and love you pour into their lives will shape who they become. 

If you are a mother - do you want those caring for your kids back in the Philippines to be glued to their phones, while ignoring your children? Then why would act that way? Please put away your phone and discover the sheer joy and imagination that is inside of that child next to you. For their sake, for your own sake, for the sake of the future - don't be a half-hearted helper. Serve with your whole heart, your whole attention.

How to prevent your helper from borrowing

Banner from a popular website offering loans to Filipinos, including OFWs

It is 10 p.m. and the phone rings.  A male voice tells you that your helper owes them money and you better make sure she pays them back.  You reason with him, explaining that you are not in charge of your helpers finances and tell him not to call again. The next night, the phone rings again. You plead and threaten to call the police but the phone calls don't stop.  Night and day the calls come. Finally you feel like you have no choice: you need to fire the helper who serves your family well. It is the only way to make the phone calls stop.  This is every HK employer's worst nightmare. Is there anything you can do to prevent it? 

Understanding Filipino attitudes toward money

Filipinos come from a background of poverty.  They are used to asking each other for money and help to make it through life. They often ask for and give financial aid to each other.  Finding enough money to pay their bills and feed their families is an ongoing struggle.  When we ask them "why do you want to come and work in HK" the most common answer is "to provide for my family" and "for the future of my kids", i.e.,  "I need money for school books, tuition, uniforms, and eventually university tuition." They have hopes of owning a home and/or a small business, but haven't carefully thought through how that might happen.

What can you do to prevent your helper from borrowing?

Many helpers start out in debt because they have to pay high agency fees in order to work in Hong Kong.

The short answer: NOTHING.  You can't control another person, so don't try. The long answer is: there is a lot you can do to try and help your helper learn to manage money well.  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Don't hire a helper from an agency that charges excessive fees to the helpers. When you hire helpers from agencies that charge excessive fees to helpers you are virtually guaranteeing that your helper not only starts out her job "in debt" but will also remain in debt for most of the time she works for you.  If your helper has a HK$10,000 debt when she begins her job, then she has no margin for error. Everything must go well if she is going to pay off this debt and then begin to save for her future. Her income is NOT big enough to handle any adversity + service her debt.  When a family member back home gets ill and needs to go to the doctor,  when the rain ruins their crops, when the typhoon blows the roof off of their house, she will stop servicing the debt and send all her money home to help her family. Her debt will spiral out of control very quickly.  When you go to a Hong Kong Employment agency ask them "Does the Filipino applicant need to pay money to come to HK?" "Does your partner in the Philippines charge her a "placement fee" for finding her a job here?" Most agencies in the Philippines charge the applicants large fees and share part of that fee with their HK partner.  If you hire from such agencies, you are helping create the very problem you want to avoid. 
2. Ask your helper if she has a written budget? If not, send her to Arrow's Tagumpay class. In lesson 4 of our Success class, we show helpers how and ask them to make a written 2 year budget. If she is willing to share it with you, go over her budget with her and praise her for doing this hard work.
3. Help your helper open a HK bank account. The Bank of China and HSBC make it easy for helpers to open savings accounts. If you deposit directly to her account, then she can withdraw only what she needs to remit & spend in HK. The rest can be automatically saved. 
4. Encourage her to have an emergency fund. We suggest that helpers save $1000/mo for 6 months as their "emergency fund". The should keep saving for other goals, but this $6000 is strictly for emergencies (Dr. visits, typhoon damage, etc). Every month when you pay her, tell her you hope she is saving money. 
5. Show her ways to economize. A group of helpers just arrived from Manila and pulled from their luggage sachets of shampoo.  These are very convenient and very expensive. Purchasing large bottles is much more economical, but helpers often can't afford to buy in bulk, so they buy only a few sachets. Helpers could save a lot of money if they learn to buy in bulk.  This goes for any sanitary item or toiletry they might need.

6. Ask her what her "NO" strategy is. We suggest that helpers have a "no" strategy. We teach them to make a promise to a loved one back home that they will never make an important financial decison without their consent and blessing. They will not co-sign, guarantee or borrow money without the consent of their significant other, parent, etc.  This helps them save face with their friend. "I'm sorry Ate, I promised my husband I would not make this kind of decision without his permission. I'll ask him tonight after work." Of course the husband needs to say "No!" enabling the helper to tell her friend "So sorry, but my marriage comes first." 

   7. Help her plan for and think through big financial goals like building a house. Some ladies will borrow money in HK because the interest and terms is much better than in the Philippines. The biggest purchase helpers consider is usually a house. They would normally not consider buying a house until their 2nd or 3rd contract. Is it okay for them to borrow money to buy or build a home?  If you own your home, did you borrow money to buy your house or did you pay cash? If you have a mortgage, why is it wrong for your helper to do so?  If she wants her own house, she will probably borrow money to do so. Rather than trying to forbid her to borrow, you might want to consider helping her borrow "smart": save a down payment, shop for terms, interest rates, sacrifice to pay it off quickly, etc. 

There is no sure fire way to ensure that your helper won't borrow money, but you can help gain financial wisdom and learn about money management. If she learns to be "money smart" then the likelihood of her borrowing money will lessen greatly.

3 steps to avoid miscommunication with your helper

Miscommunication between helpers and employers is a common occurence. Most Hong Kong residences and most Filipinos learned English as a 2nd language so it only natural that we are going to have miscommunication. Not only is English the 2nd language for both parties, but also Filipino English and HK English are quite different from each other. Do you know where the "comfort room" is? Ask your helper. Does your helper know what a "subway" is? When I first arrived in HK I was misled by signs that said "Subway". I was looking for metro (Subway in American English)  and the sign directed me to a tunnel walkway under a major road.  My (Allan) mother is British so I always put my clothes away in the "tall boy", but after I got married I discovered my wife didn't know what a "tall boy" was. Who doesn't know what a "tall boy" is? 

Here are 3 simple steps that will eliminate most miscommunications between helpers and employers:

Speak Slowly

Speak slowly and pause between your words. Ask your helper to do the same. Filipino tend to run their words together without any pauses "kamustaka?Ako?mabutinamanSalamatpo." Many people when they feel nervous talk too fast. Slow down and "bite off" your words.

 

Rephrase

Ask your helper to repeat back to you what she heard you say.  She may say, "Sorry Ma'am can you please repeat it?" Go ahead and repeat it, but then ask her to repeat it back to you. Stay patient and maintain a sense of humor. As I get older I find that my wife and I have more and more communications like the 3 old men who were taking a walk together. 

The first says, "It sure is windy."

The second responds, "No it isn't, it's Thursday."

The third says, "I am too. Let's get something to drink."

If you keep your sense of humor things will be okay. When your helper  tell you it's Wednesday, you can laugh, then correct her and make sure she understands that you said "Windy". 

Write it down 

My brain is not sticky. I can hear something and forget it a minute later. Unless I focus and make a mental picture of what I need to do, I WILL forget to do it. I keep a "to do" list on my phone to help me remember what I need to do. Help your helper by writing things down. Give her a clear grocery list, a schedule and a "to do" list. Set aside 5 minutes a day to write some things down for her and go over them with her at the start of the day.  If she is disorganized it might be because you (her manager) are not giving her clear guidance in writing. Give her her "marching orders" in writing at the start of the day and see how she does. 

Try these 3 suggestions and leave us a comment (below) and let us know what worked and what didn't work. 

Does financial debt make a helper more stable?

Are helpers who owe money less likely to quit than those with no financial burden?

Customers often tell us they want a helper who has a financial burden, because they believe that these helpers won't quit easily. Their reasoning is "She can't quit, because she owes too much money."  Oddly enough, the same customers, during the interview will tell the helper "If you borrow money in HK, then we will fire you." So debt and financial burden is okay, unless it is accumulated in Hong Kong.  Hmmm. 

Will a helper with a financial burden stay longer?  In our 8 years of experience I have seen NO correlation between debt load and longevity. Think about the following scenarios:

Scenario # 1: In order to pay her 60,000 peso placement fee (HK$ 10,650) Maria has to borrow money in the Philippines. Her brother, Jose uses his farm land as collateral, so Maria is given a loan with high interest. She will pay off the loan in 4 months with payments of $3000/month. Her other brother, Miguel promises to loan her 5000 pesos a month for 4 months to take care of her family while she is repaying the loan. After the loan is repaid Maria will start sending money to her family and will repay her brother 6000 pesos a month for 4 months. After 8 months she hopes she will be debt free. 

Scenario #2: Anna comes through Arrow Employment Services. Because they follow the Philippines Zero Placement Fees law, she doesn't need to borrow money to come to Hong Kong. After arrival in HK, she begins saving $1000/month as an emergency fund and does so for 6 months. She sends HK$2000 to her family every month for their needs, gives to her church and lives on the rest. After she has set aside her emergency fund, she begins saving to buy another piece of land for her husband to farm, or some piglets they can raise for income in the Philippines. 

Which woman will be the more stable helper? The one driven by debt or the one driven by goals who sees an immediate return from her labor?

Scenario #3: LIFE. Sooner or later, probably sooner - LIFE will happen. Maria or Anna's fathers or children will have an accident, a medical emergency, a typhoon will ruin crops or blow the roof off the house. When that occurs what will Maria do? What will Anna do?

Maria will stop paying her loans in the Philippines and use all her income to send for the emergency. If that is not enough she will go out and borrow in Hong Kong. She feels she has no choice. She is not going to let her family  suffer just because the employer said "Don't borrow!" Her debt load will grow exponentially and she'll begin to realize the sad fact "I'm never going to get out of debt. I'm suffering away from my family for what? for the finance company!  Might as well go back to the Philippines.

Anna will go to the bank and withdraw money from her emergency fund. She may ask for 1/2 day off so she can remit it to the Philippines right away. Those needing medical attention will receive it, or new need will be purchased to replant crops. Life will go on in the Philippines and Anna will continue working in HK. She will, of course, build her emergency savings fund back up, because sooner or later - LIFE will happen again.

Who do you want to hire? Maria or Anna? At Arrow we believe that Anna will be the more stable and fulfilled worker. Our strategy is to help workers develop good financial habits and attitudes toward money. Our workers arrive without a debt load. If you're shopping at another agency, why don't you ask them "How much do the helpers have to pay in the Philippines to come to HK?" Better yet, hire your helper through Arrow.

How to get baby to sleep

Wouldn't you like to have some quality couple time where you relax and have some adult conversation? Baby's bedtime can be a nightmare for a family, but it doesn't have to be. Below is a link to an article entitled "9 Ways To Teach Your Baby To Be A Great Sleeper". Read it, practice the suggestions, then go snuggle with your spouse.

http://news360.com/article/227966104

3 reasons why you should send your helper to Arrow for infant care training

by Kathy Lam

"I am worth it. Please train the person taking care of me."

One day, my boss chatted with a new employer (who was pregnant), asking her why she did not enroll her helper in Arrow’s infant Care Class for helpers. She replied, “My Husband said it’s too expensive. ”

After hearing that, I also asked myself, "Is it too expensive?"  Here are three good reasons to send your helper to Arrow's Infant Care Class.

Class Size: I used to teach infant care for another organisation, and discovered that some organisations, when they hold Infant care class for English speaking helpers from overseas, have a class size of at least 8-12 helpers. The trainer does not have enough time to check and coach every helper in the skills of infant care, affirming them for areas they are doing well and pointing out areas where they need to improve. The class size is too big so the trainer doesn't notice the problems they are having during the practice time. 

Arrow’s Infant Care Class for helpers intentionally will not exceed 5 students at one time. We explain the theory and then practice it. I coach the students one by one. Helpers also have enough time to ask all their question related to infant care  Some even bring a list of  questions written by their employers. I welcome and answer all of their questions.

Skills Testing: During the class I make every student demonstrate that they have correctly learned to carry out the skill. They are drilled until they can do it correctly, and only then, do they pass and receive a certificate. 

Employer Verification: In addition, Arrow put seven videos (arrow instructional videos for helpers)  on YouTube, showing how to bathe a baby, prepare formula milk, bottle feed  and burp a baby, change diaper, wash face, wash baby’s mouth  and do umbilical cord care. Through the video, employers will know what skills we are teaching and observe how I teach their helpers infant care. Employers can view the videos and know if their helper is doing what I teach them. In fact, it is good for both employer and helpers to learn from the same trainer, then the way they take care of the infant will be the same.  This will reduce conflicts due to different methods of infant care.

Some employers says, it’s no good to apply any classes for helpers. The more knowledge and skills they know, they easier it will be for them to apply to Canada. I do not agree, because ...

1. Not all helpers want to apply to Canada (many aren't even qualified to apply.)
2. Helpers are very thankful to the employers who are willing to enroll them to the infant care class. It increases the helper’s sense of belonging and attachment to the family she works for.
3. Helpers who attend the infant class feel more confident in caring for the infant. And employers feel more confident about entrusting their precious infant to a helper with knowledge and skill of infant care.
4. Even if the helper will apply to work in other country someday, at the time when the helper will leave, employer’s kid is no longer infants. The money the employer spends on the helper’s infant care class provides greater protection for their kid during the infant stage. In a sense, you aren't investing in your helper, but in your child. 

It’s never too expensive to invest in your helper or your child.

Chinese Cooking (Dina Wong)

 

My name is Grace, I am the employer of L*** – who came to your cooking class last Sunday.

Yesterday we tried the dish she learnt from you on Sunday, it was very good. I would like to know what will be the content and dates of the cooking classes coming up, and help her to register if they suit us.

Everyone loves good food, but not everyone cooks well. Arrow's Dina Wong will teach Chinese cooking on Sunday @ 2 p.m. at the Arrow Guest House.

*Each time Dina will teach 2-3 dishes.  Employers are welcome to writes in the registration form what kind of food you want your helper to learn, e.g. fry egg with tomato, steam squash with pork rib.

Date: November 30, 2014, or December 14, 2014 (Sunday)

Time: 2pm-4pm

Place: Boarding House, 1/F, 160 Temple street, Jordan. (Entrance is in Sai Kung Street)

Cost: $120 for 1 lessons (includes groceries and lunch. ).

Form of payment: Deposit or check

REGISTRATION  :

Please complete the form below & submit.

FORM OF PAYMENT:

1.  make checks payable to “TRUSTWORTHY PARTNERS LTD”, or
2.  Direct Deposit/ transfer to BEA account 213-68-00243-1/ 
3.  Direct Deposit/ transfer to HSBC account 098-355001-001

If you direct deposit/transfer, please send us a copy of the receipt with your name, the date and name of the class you applied be written on it through email (info@arrowes.hk) or fax (2332-6511).

• APPLICATION WILL BE CONFIRMED BY RECEIVING THE PAYMENT.

To register: call the office (2151-1125) or fill out our contact form  (be sure and mention which class you want your helper to attend)

 

Postnatal Support For Family

Postnatal Home Visit

Content : Coach breastfeed/infant care, e.g. baby bath, umbilical care.

Date, Time, Place : As agreed with parents

Fee : $800/1 hour(cash) 

Trainer : Kathy Lam (Registered Nurse, Infant Care Trainer, Baby Massage Instructor)

**Pls. call 2151 1125, 2151 1126 or email <info@arrowes.hk> to book appointment

產後家訪

內容：指導母乳餵哺 / 初生嬰兒護理，如：洗澡、臍帶護理

對象：初生嬰兒之父母

日期、時間、地點： 與父母協定

收費：$800/一小時(現金)

導師：林麗琼(註冊護士、初生嬰兒護理導師、嬰兒按摩師)

**請致電2151 1125, 2151 1126或電郵<info@arrowes.hk>預約。

Language Helps for Employers and Helpers

Kathy Lam has prepared a phrase book with Chinese/English/Filipino words to assist employers to have better communication with their helpers. You can see the phrasebook here.

嬰兒按摩導師：林麗琼

嬰兒按摩揉合了中國、印度、瑞典及反射論按摩四種手法精髓而成。

每次按摩需時約二十至三十分鐘。零至一歲的BB適合開始按摩。然而,開始會爬行的BB較難乖乖不動。年紀越小開始, BB越快習慣。

嬰兒按摩對BB有什麼好處?

-促使BB與父母之關係更親密、促進食欲、舒緩肚風、寕神安睡、提升免疫力、助BB放鬆, 消減壓力、手腳更靈活、不怕陌生人、增強自信心等。

嬰兒按摩對家長有什麼好處?

-促進親子關係提升泌乳量、 更敏銳BB需要、 增強育兒信心 、紓緩與BB分離的壓力及焦慮 、減少產後壓力、抑鬱等。

上門嬰兒按摩班 - 共四堂，每次一小時

對象: 0-12個月嬰兒

日期、時間: 與父母協定

地點: 父母家

收費:$800/一堂(父母及一個嬰兒。每多一名大人需加$200), $2900/四堂

內容: 介紹按摩對嬰兒生理、心理、社交等各方面成長之好處、對父母之好處

；示範/督導按摩技巧。

第一堂：按摩好處、油的選擇、按摩雙腳、臀部          第二堂：複習、按摩肚、胸

第三堂：複習、按摩手、頭                                            第四堂：複習、按摩背；舒緩便秘、肚                                                                                            風之按摩法

導師: 林麗琼 (註冊護士、初生嬰兒護理導師、國際嬰兒按摩協會嬰兒按摩師)

備註:

1.本課程乃親子課程,必須由父母 / 其中一位陪同嬰兒出席。

2. 嬰兒按摩前注意事項:

a. 上課當日請替嬰兒穿簡便衣服,如:和尚袍,以便按摩動作。

b. 請在上課前至少一小時前給嬰兒餵,以防嬰兒在按摩時太餓/太飽。

c. 請在平日多撫摸嬰兒手腳及面部,以減少嬰兒在上課當日對按摩之抗拒。

d. 父母請在按摩前請先修剪脂甲、脫下手上飾物及小心保管。長髮者請束髮。

3. 歡迎**請致電2151 1125, 2151 1126或電郵<info@arrowes.hk>預約。

Erwiana and indentured servitude in Hong Kong, an employment agent's perspective

Torture and slavery in Hong Kong! Headlines like this are pouring from the news outlets lately.  I feel horrified as I hear the stories and see the pictures. I own and operate a domestic helper agency in Hong Kong.  Our agency finds jobs for Filipinos who wish to work in Hong Kong.

In our 7 years of operation we have never seen a case like Erwiana's. Over the years we have had to remove only two helpers from customers' homes. In one case, Grandma was suffering from senile dementia, couldn't remember the helper, thought she was a stranger in the house and threatened her with a knife. The police were called and we removed the helper from their home on the same day. In another case, a helper came to us saying she was fearful of her employer, because the employer poured hot water on her hand, burning her.  When she told my wife the details of what happened, my wife wouldn't allow her to return to the employer's home. We talked to the helper about reporting the case to the police, but she refused. We later escorted her to the home to pick up her things, and found her another employer. 

The vast majority of our customers are kind and good employers who share our values of treating all people with respect and dignity. The come to our agency because they want to find a good helper who can fit long-term into their family. 

How does a helper get trapped for months in an abusive working environment? The answer is simple: money.  Simply put, most agencies have a conflict of interest. They are charged by the respective consulates (in our case, the Philippines Consulate) to look after the welfare of the helpers placed through them. On the other hand, most of the helpers owe the agency money. If the agent takes action to remove a helper from a dangerous situation, they will lose money. If, in the case of those serving Indonesians, the agent doesn't repay the training school the helper came from, then the training school will not give the HK agent any more workers.  The fox is in charge of the hen house.  Under such arrangements even a good agency is likely going to err on the side of keeping the helper working, rather than err on the side of safety and pull the helper out. 

From the helpers point of view: she comes here to earn a living, but because she has to pay expensive agency fees, she feels she cannot quit.  Her employer may isolate her by not giving her days off, so she is not able to ask others "Is this right? Is this normal?"  One helper reported to us that she was sleeping on the floor. We wrote to the employer about our concern that they were breaching the terms of their contract and were effectively told to "mind your own business". The helper was told not to talk to her agency anymore. We will always encourage helpers to directly talk to their employers, but sometimes they are afraid to, and ask us to help them. If the helper is isolated from others or if her agency always sides with the employer because the helper owes the agency money, what is the helper to do? If no one helps her, either due to lack of access or greed then she will be trapped in an intolerable situation.

How can we fix the situation? We must begin by removing the fundamental conflict of interest. The easiest way to do that is for all countries to adopt the same or a similar policy to the Philippines. Last year, the Philippines government began enforcing a zero placement fee policy (a policy that, as it turns out, was on the books for years, but never enforced). In effect they said that employment agencies in the Philippines could not collect any placement fees from the helpers. Zero!  (I disagree with this policy and believe the applicants should pay the equivalent of one month's salary, but for now, this is the law.) Their action threw a giant monkey wrench into Hong Kong Employment Agency business model. Before this agencies in the Philippines collected fees and paid their Hong Kong counterparts for every helper they were able to place. The money collected from partner agencies in the Philippines kept the cost of hiring a helper artificially low for Hong Kong people. The same was true for helpers from Indonesia, except that they were forced to take out loans upon arrival in Hong Kong to pay  their Indonesian training school fees and with a cut, of course, for the Hong Kong agency.  

Both Philippine and Hong Kong agencies relied on income from the helpers. Before last year, Filipino helpers paid an average of 80,000 to 120,000 (HK$14,500-21,800) for their jobs.  We set up our company, in part, to bring down the high cost of finding work in Hong Kong. We were, therefore, never as dependant on income from the Philippines as were most agencies. When the Philippines government began enforcing "zero placement" they removed a huge amount of revenue from the table.  Employment agencies suddenly were forced to double their prices for Hong Kong employers, and still that wasn't enough. What to do? The cost of labor and commercial rentals is higher than ever before; 50-70% of their income was taken away at one fell swoop - what are the options?

1. Find a new source of revenue: Trade groups are taking junkets to Bangladesh and Myanmar in the hopes of bringing in a fresh tide of workers to replace the Filipinos, not because Filipinos don't want to come, but because they won't pay money to come. The party line says "the economies of the Philippines and Indonesia are good now, so they don't want to come anymore. That is simply not true. My agency receives 100's of online applications from the Philippines every week.  Applicants are literally pleading with us to find them work.
2. Ignoring Philippine and HK law. Agencies have years of experience at this. I had lunch with another agent this week and asked her if we could form an association of agencies who are actually abiding by the laws. She said (anecdotal evidence, I know) she knows a lot of agencies, but only a few who are following the laws. Our helpers report to us weekly about how much their friends and relatives are still paying to come to Hong Kong. The Philippines government is not yet evenly enforcing the zero placement policy. Rappler.com reports: "As of latest count, about 16,000 such cases have reportedly been brought to POLO for conciliation, resulting in about four months of wait for each claimant." If the Philippine government was enforcing zero placement they would be rescinding licenses of agencies NOT spending 1000's of man hours in conciliation efforts.  The fact that there is a huge backlog of conciliation cases says clearly that the practice of charging agency fees to helpers has NOT been stopped. Why doesn't the government stop this practice by rescinding licenses? Why would they invest 1000's of man hours in settling cases? What's in it for those in charge of these policies? Why don't they enforce their own rules?
3. Raising prices, cutting costs, and improving service. A handful of agencies, including mine, are taking this route. It is difficult because we are competing against the majority of agencies who are still cheating and gaming the system. The playing field is not even, but we hope that the HK and Philippines government will work together to provide a level playing field that both protects the workers and also allows the free market to determine who wins and loses in this business. We feel confident, that if the playing field is even, we can win by providing excellent service rather than by taking advantage of the those who can least afford to pay. 

The case of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih is pushing the Hong Kong government to take a fresh look at the whole system that regulates how Hong Kong people hire and treat helpers. I hope the heat will be hot enough to motivate real transformation, but I'm not going to hold my breath until it happens.

10 Habits of Happy Couples

            It starts with going to bed together...

"My husband shared this great article with me. He has been working them out with me in the past 16 years and they really work!"

 Kathy Lam

For further reading, please click: 

10 Habits of Happy Couples  By Mark Goulston

CNY Do's and Don'ts for helpers

Free Stanford U. Child Nutrition & Cooking Course

Stanford University is offering a free online Child Nutrition and Cooking Course. This is a good resource for moms and helpers. Take a look.

CHILD NUTRITION AND COOKING 2.0

Date: Monday, January 13, 2014

Go to Course

Platform: 

Coursera

Course topic: 

Medicine & Health

ABOUT THE COURSE

Eating patterns that begin in childhood affect health and well-being across the lifespan. In the USA, we are in the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic that threatens to leave our children with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. As processed foods become more readily available around the world, other developed nations are beginning to follow suit. This course examines contemporary child nutrition in America from the individual decisions made by each family to the widespread food marketing targeting our children.  The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are also discussed. Students will learn what constitutes a healthy diet for children and adults and how to prepare simple, delicious foods aimed at inspiring a lifelong celebration of easy home-cooked meals. This course will help prepare students to be the leading health providers, teachers and parents of the present and future.

教菲傭在冬季照顧孩子 part 2- 如何防止嬰兒在洗澡時著涼？ 林麗琼

間中會聽到僱主申訴，菲傭替嬰兒洗澡時間太長，令嬰兒容易著涼。其實，這問題是可以改善的。

1. 保持室內溫暖:  在冬季，關閉你將要給嬰兒洗澡、更換衣服的房間裡所有的窗。若家中有調較室溫功能,可把室溫調較至25-26 ºC左右。

2. 預備物品：必須準備好所有嬰兒洗澡須用之物品，才去準備嬰兒沐浴的水。若菲傭記性欠奉，僱主應叫她寫一張嬰兒洗澡物品清單，以助她每次都能預備齊嬰兒洗澡物品。嬰兒之和尚袍(若穿兩件)，應先捲好，一次穿上。

3.調校水：水温應有35-38 ºC。即使用水温度計，也必須用手肘試過水溫，才可替嬰兒洗澡。水深2-3寸，不應高過嬰兒肚臍。

4.為嬰兒檢查尿片，然後洗澡。由為嬰兒脫下所有的衣服，到用乾毛巾包裹嬰兒，時間應限制在嬰兒洗澡的為5-10分鐘內完成。否則，嬰兒有可能會著涼，皮膚也會變得更乾燥。

(僱主們也可讓看菲傭看由我示範的短片：How to bathe a baby: Arrow Instructional Videos for helpers

-僱主若想菲傭使用電暖爐，必先教她們如何使用電暖爐、應把它放在哪裡、注意事項和不安全使用時可能引致什麼後果等。

當然，孩子是上天賜給父母的禮物。父母與孩子的關係，美好的童年回億，是靠父母平日親身照顧孩子，為孩子洗澡、換片、餵奶；在傾談、玩耍等生活瑣事中建立的。我鼓勵僱主們，假如你真的太累、太晚回家或生病，才把為嬰兒洗澡這寶貴時段，交給菲傭。

只要僱主肯付出時間、耐心教導菲傭、給她們正確知識，她們能成為我們的好幫手。

註：作者乃註冊護士、初生嬰兒護理導師、嬰兒按摩師、三女之母，在精薦人才培訓中心教菲傭照顧初生嬰兒，也上門教新手父母照顧初生嬰兒、嬰兒按摩。

8 Ways to Improve your family's health and wellbeing (Hazel Perry @ SCMP.com)

The South China Morning Post has a good article (below) on 8 ways to improve their health and wellbeing.  We are including some excerpts from the text and a link to the full article below.  Everything below, except for indications of snips, are quotes from the article.

Read the article on SCMP.com

"It's that time of year when tradition calls for us to sit down and list resolutions to improve our lives and make us better people. Research from the past 12 months shows there is much Hong Kong families can do together to make the new year happier and healthier."

Get the family moving

Getting more exercise is a resolution made by countless people every year. But despite the best intentions, research suggests we aren't doing enough.

... (big snip cut out here)

To stay healthy, experts say children and young people need to do at least an hour of physical activity - such as walking or cycling to school and running in the playground - every day.

Brush up on dental health

Dental health should be a higher priority for Hong Kong families, according to two studies by the University of Hong Kong's dentistry faculty.

One study found around half of preschool children, aged four to six, showed signs of tooth decay. . . (more snipping)

Spare the rod

Most countries regard corporal punishment as child abuse. Here, smacking is a form of discipline still considered acceptable in most homes. There are countless studies that support a ban. Research published in November by the University of New Hampshire Family Research Laboratory found university students who were spanked as children were more likely to engage in criminal behaviour. Students that were spanked by both parents were also more likely to be involved with crime.

... (snip, snip, snip)

The research covered 15 countries and territories, including Hong Kong.

Don't spoil the child

There really can be too much of a good thing, according to research by City University. It claims parents who overindulge their children are in danger of producing a generation of aggressive and overconfident young people.

. . . (big snip here, better read the original article)

"Parents are giving too many things to their kids, making them feel good about themselves. Such 'monster parents' overprotect and make children narcissistic. This can be potentially dangerous," she says.

Find more time to play

Play is one of the rights of the child, according the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is also widely recognised as having tremendous benefits on the social, mental and physical development of a child.

... (more snips)

"It should be physical, outdoor, unstructured play which is totally initiated by the child."

. . . more snips

Spend less time at work

Achieving a work-life balance is something families here have always struggled to get right. Part of the blame has been given to employers who have failed to create family-friendly workplaces.

A poll by the Federation of Trade Unions found that of 953 fathers surveyed, 78 per cent said they spent less than an hour a day with their families.

... (snipped a lot of research results here)

Community Business senior programme manager Amanda Yik says bosses should be more flexible about working hours so parents can spend more time with family.

Get more sleep

Late nights and lack of sleep are common but the consequences can be far-reaching and not only affect concentration but also long-term health and well-being of children, say experts.

Lack of sleep is linked to an increased risk of obesity. In a recent study by Chinese University, it was linked to spikes of high blood pressure among school children aged 10 to 18.

. . . more snips

The study concluded that parents could encourage better sleep by establishing a bedtime routine that helps children wind down before bed. This includes keeping them away from the television and limiting access to social media and text messaging at night. 

Wise up on smart devices

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting it is not-so-smart for both parents and children to spend long hours on smartphones and handheld devices. A three-year study by the department of rehabilitation sciences of Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association found that excessive use of these devices could increase aches and pains felt by children and their parents.

Of the 1,049 people surveyed in September's study, 70 per cent of adults and 30 per cent of children and adolescents reported musculoskeletal pain from using electronic devices.

The researchers warned of posture problems such as rounded shoulders, a "poking chin" posture and degeneration of the thumb as a result of leaning over devices and texting, which would be difficult to correct in adult life.

life@scmp.com