Yesterday, Jonathan and I picked up our new Helper from the Agency.

Jonathan needed to go because he is technically the Employer and needed to sign all the paperwork. I wanted to go to make sure she understood the new Singapore government advisories due to COVID-19. The government is recommending Helpers to say home and not go out on rest days. I didn't want her thinking I was making up crazy rules to keep her in the house.

We couldn't/shouldn't bring the kids, so I ordered a babysitter for 3 hours (the minimum amount of time) though the online app we use. When the babysitter arrived, we took her temperature at the door, because this is what you do around here now. Then she went and washed her hands.

Because our babysitter was costing us $86, we figured we'd better use all our time and sneak in lunch together. At the restaurant before we could be seated, we had to scan a QR code with our phone, enter our personal information for social tracing, be temperature checked and given our "registered" sticker. Then we were seated at a table without an x. Seating has been drastically reduced to align with social distancing measures. Also the restaurant was almost empty.

As we were leaving the Agency with our new Helper, we saw how social spacing has now been applied to public elevators. The floor of the elevator had a square taped off in each corner and a big x in the middle. You are only allowed 4 people in the elevator and need to stay in your corners; no standing in the middle now.

In terms of our new Helper, she's lovely. She's already great friends with the kids and my house is clean - She only came yesterday. We'd been without a Helper for about 6 weeks.

Some things about having a Helper that make me feel extremely guilty. For example, this afternoon as I sat on my bed reading and eating an ice cream bar, our Helper came in and mopped my bedroom floor - Cringe worthy.