Our original plan was to stick it out with the yaya for six months and then let her go. Jenny's aunt agreed to pay for Chuchay's services for half a year and Chuchay knew that she'll be leaving soon.
Jen and I didn't want to cause any further tension or issues with Chuchay. She was the one taking care of Aaron and if she snapped, she might do something bad to the baby.
We spent countless hours planning what to say and do, so that when the time comes, we would part ways amicably. Unfortunately that was not the case.
"Yaya's Day Off"
Based on our original agreement with Chuchay, she would take the last weekend of every month as her time off. So far she has been incosnsistent with this. Chuchay's days off would change every month and she would go into "sour puss" mode every time we try to enforce
the original agreement.
I also noticed that a lot of tension would crop up every time she comes back.
On the first month, she got lost coming back from her brother's house. I gave her directions and a map on how to commute back to our place. Unfortuantely, she lost the map and Jen had to fetch her all the way from SM Megamall.
On the second month, she came back from the province at around 12 midnight. Knowing that we were still awake feeding Aaron, she texted us, insisting that we fetch her from the bus terminal in Cubao. "Sir. Nandito na ako sa Bus terminal. Sunduin nyo na ako." Jen was furious with her attitude, saying that she should already know how to commute back to our place by now. Chuchay kept texting until six in the morning, and we finally had our househelp fetch her from Cubao.
On the third month, when she was about to leave the house for her day off, Jen told her to open up her bag so she can check on her things.
"Di ako magnanakaw, tsaka wala naman makukuha dito." (I'm not a thief, there is nothing to steal here)
Jen patiently explained to Chuchay that this was my parents' rule for all the house help. And Jen had been checking her bag every time she leaves.
"Ang sama ng magulang nyo. Akala nyo kukunin ko gamit nyo." (Your parents are so mean. They think I'm stealing your things)
Jen explained again (and again) about our house rules and eventually she complied.
"Bye bye Aaron"
When she came back from her day off, Chuchay was still angry with Jen. Apparently she was still frustrated (and fuming) with my parents' policy of checking the househelps belongings.
Jen didn't answer back anymore because Chuchay was holding Aaron and she was very upset. Who knows what Chuchay would do to the baby if the two of them continued arguing.
"Bakit di pa nalabhan itong mga damit ni Aaron?" (Why isn't Aaron's clothes washed yet?) Chuchay fumed as she saw the pile of dirty laundry. She was expecting the other househelp to do her work.
"Kasi umuwi ka di ba?" (Because you had your day off) Jenny replied, taking Aaron away from the angry yaya. Jen then ordered Chuchay to do the laundry while she take care of Aaron.
Went Chuchay was busy with her work, Jen called her parents and decided it was time for the yaya to go.
An hour later, Jen's parents arrived. They called Chuchay to pack her things and accompany them back to the agency.
Chuchay kept quiet all the time. But her face betrayed the anger and shock at what had happened. She thought Jen's parents were only visiting Aaron. She never expected them to take her back to the agency.
"I'm highly recommended"
A week after Chuchay left, our househelp got a text from her.
"May trabaho na daw sya. Mabilis daw sya nakahanap ng trabaho kasi Tita nya yung may-ari ng agency." (She has a new assignment now. She immediately found a new job because her Aunt is the manager of the agency) Our househelp told us.
Jen and her parents believe that Chuchay was pretending to say these things to prove that she's still marketable.
Personally I do wish her well and I do hope she has found another family to work with. At least she would be too busy tormenting the new family to think of us and baby Aaron.