Plan Of Attack

These past few days have been filled with calling agencies, ranting to people and asking mommy friends to help me find a yaya.  I've been talking to moms I know asking what the best thing to do is and I've finally come up with the Game Plan that I think is best.

The key to all this is helping Maxine understand that her yaya is leaving.  I have been telling her that her Ate Mae is going to leave soon to go back home to her mommy.  I was careful not to use the word "province" because that is where some maids went and never came back so M1 hates that word.  She is capable of understanding things already and I think mentally she is prepared.  She understands it in her mind but of course when doomsday comes she will still cry.

Once I find someone suitable to my wants (meaning we agree on the salary, numbers of daysoff and my general feel of her voice, demeanor and appearance) I will take her in and let her shadow the current yaya.  She will get to know M1 and play with her as much as possible.  At night she will sleep in M1's room so that M1 will get used to waking up seeing her.  I wish to do this for at least a week,  nearing the end of that week, M1 will be put to sleep knowing that the new yaya is there.  She usually hates this but even if she cries she has to get used to it because eventually the new yaya will be the one to put her to bed anyways.

Step 2 is trying to get M1 to agree to the new yaya bathing her.  This will be easier compared to her feeding her or giving her her milk because M1 loves to play with water and its also easier to be bathed by 2 people.  We will 1st play in the inflatable pool from day1 and then on day3 be bathed by them both and day 7/8 by only the new yaya.  The feeding and the milk, I still dont know how or when to start that.  But the putting to sleep the new yaya can take over mid way, when M1 is already half asleep, this will start on day4.  Until M1 gets used to having a new person putting her to sleep, but im sure she wont let the new one do it on her own with her fully conscious.  That will only happen when the old yaya is gone and she doesn't have a choice.

I think getting to know the new yaya for at least 2 weeks is enough.  It will be difficult but as long as she likes her then it wont be as challenging.  I'm basing all this to her adjustment in school.  She adjusted and trusted her teachers in a week.  As long as she knows i'm outside she's fine.  So that's all we need to do, is to slowly let her know she can trust the new yaya and that the new yaya is her friend.

I will let the old yaya go on a weekend so that Maxine won't have to deal with the stress of her leaving and the stress of going to school without her old yaya.  We can also go out on Sunday to distract her from the pain.  At least when Monday comes she will have had 2 days to accept what has happened.

The only thing missing in my plan is the new yaya.  When I find the replacement the next problem is making sure she doesn't give up during the adjustment period because those will be trying times.  So if any of you see any flaws in my plan or advice then please do let me know.  I am losing sleep and have lost some of my appetite because of my current situation.  I hate waiting.  I like to tackle the problem and get it over with.  But I am enjoying these days when M1 is feeling as happy as she is because she doesn't really know whats coming.