In the Philippines, our culture welcomes kasambahays (house helps) into our homes to assist us with domestic chores. They usual living arrangement is stay-in. Most of them have finished a high school education or may even have stepped close to first year college. But in many sad cases some have not even graduated grade school. This is how they decide to become a kasambahays. They want to be able to have a better life and help their family by entering a home of another. But entering a home means also adjusting to the home culture of the family you are in – the new kasambahay will often have to learn by observing the behavior of each person in the home and they have to adjust to that. They too will have to learn and unlearn many things.
I would often hear complaining and horror stories about kasambahays not meeting the standards of the home. In my most honest opinion its because they have come from a very simple background or are not exposed to the sophisticated system of our home. They were not given lessons on proper etiquette and they do lack education. So there is a major burden to train them. Unfortunately many homes don’t even have time to train. This is where the tension begins.
I personally am burdened for the young ladies that come in our home. I really believe that God sent them to me to disciple them. So for them to easily adjust, I actually give them a Kasambahay Welcome Letter. The Kasambahay Welcome letter is my way of explaining to them what our home is like. I ask them to read it out loud to me and we discuss every point. I write it in Filipino so that they will easily understand my expectations at home. This has helped me and has helped my kasambahay get along with my family. I highly recommend this for busy working moms. So what’s in a Kasambahay Welcome Letter?
- It starts with an Introduction of your family. You give a brief background of each family member. You can mention their personality, their routine, their likes and dislikes. You can also mention your family mission and core values.
2. Then you give them their work schedule. Include special instructions on how to do certain things. If you are really a detailed person – you will create a manual for how to’s on cleaning, cooking, laundry and other house chores or even child care.
3. Give them your boundary list and state your house rules. If it is not spoken don’t expect them to hold the same values you have. You need to state it so that they understand what they can and cannot do inside your home.
4. State their salary, benefits and day off policy.
This welcome letter is a good start of being a good boss. I also notice that when we give importance to them by writing them, they also learn to honor and respect their boss and take their job seriously too.
Kasambahay Welcome Letter Template
Do you want to make your own Kasambahay Welcome Letter? We have a template that can get you started.
Hi Monique! I’m one of those who have had enough of horror kasambahays and I’ve done exactly what you have done. I provided a list of daily chores, our list of rules which are very similar to yours, and we introduced our family and our roles. Unfortunately, our experience with the last kasambahay was so traumatic, we have not looked for a helper in 5 years even despite having to juggle the chores, my online work, homeschooling, ministry and being a wife and a mom. Sadly, sometimes, no matter how kind you are to them, some are just so used to creating trouble among the neighborhood, and they don’t treat your children the way you expect them to. We have a very good relationship with the girl she replaced. In fact that girl is still with our family (my parents’ home).
Hi May, I know exactly what you mean!!! The Kasambahay welcome letter – does not guarantee that setting an order would work 100% of the time. That’s the sad truth. Kasambahays come in our home with all kinds of baggage and drama. Some of them never experienced being treated well in their own home growing up and so they cant seem to grasp GRACE and KINDNESS. So many of them are very broken. I have to admit that many of them already broke my heart. But I guess I see this as a ministry too. I believe every person sent to our home is a “project” to minister to. Some of them after surrendering their life to the Lord decide to be better wives and daughters. Then the sad reality strikes in, they decide to leave so that they can fix the wrong things in their life. This is such a clear indication for me to understand that they came in to be restored to the Lord by hearing and receiving the gospel in our home.
On the other side of the fence, there will be some who will follow the desire of their flesh and will not be willing to change. In cases like these, after a fair chance and warning, I have to make a strong stand to let go because I may not be the right person to disciple them. I do look forward to the day that I will not need a kasambahay. But as long as there is a need – the goal for me is the same: to share the love of the Lord to them and pray they really get a chance to experience Jesus in our home.