Nowadays having a housekeeper to help around the house is the new norm. Women have become empowered and most are seeking employment making them career women. Trouble comes in when they give birth. One is normally given a maternity leaf whereby, they use this time to heal and take care of the baby. Once the time is up, they have to go back to work making it hard for the new mother to part with her baby. She has no option but to leave the baby with the help.
There are scenarios where the mother while at work, calls home after every hour or two to check up on the baby. Call it extreme but some just get paranoid because in their minds, they have left their newborn with a stranger. Even worse is the fact that the mother may not have had enough time to know and understand the househelp before leaving the baby in her care.
New moms have no option. Though with time, they get used to it and hope for the best, always looking forward to reuniting with the child in the evening. The best case scenario for new moms would be to devote their time to take care of their children. However, one has bills to pay therefore raising children has largely become the work of housegirls who, for that reason, have become significant in most modern families.
However, the rising cases of househelps abusing children physically, mentally and even sexually, under their care is overwhelming. Parents do not feel safe or at peace leaving their kids with nannies. Some have CCTV cameras installed in every room, that way, they can see whatever is going on at home even while away. It somehow brings a sense of comfort and peace, hence do not have to worry that much.
One important question being asked is, how does one identify the red flags and how do you pick the right househelp?
Kenya has had its fair share of cases of househelps attacking children left under their care.
The United States’ National Centre for Biotechnology Information emphasizes the importance of the early months and years of a child’s life. The experiences the child will have with those around them are crucial to the early wiring and pruning that help with the development of the brain.