Kopi talk - Philippine maid in Singapore

The post highlight the current situation in Singapore the financial situation calls for it, both parents need to work. To strike balanced the domestic helper are they to help and not to replaced any parent. For majority Filipino if given an opportunity and a choice they would rather stay here than leaving their family for an oversea job. moreover, the element of family unity bond culture is much more stronger in Philippine than most typical family in Singapore.

Striking a balance between family and work should had been the centre of focused in Singapore that work should not “suck” a parent dry so much so that when they reach home, they cannot spend quality time with the children. Even if in the day, the children are taken care of by a maid, I guess if it is okay. As long as the parents still spend quality time, communicating with their children, guiding them in homework and housework, having leisure time together, providing a model of responsible parents, their children will follow this model. The children will “catch” the spirit and attitude of this model. They will subconsciously understand that yes, both my parents have to work but, they do not “escape” from their main “job” as parents once they reach home. They will feel loved. They will feel secured. Automatically they will pass on this legacy to the generations to come.

When in Philippine, I was given an opportunity to see another side of the coin when a family members decided to leave for a better pasture to work in Singapore, the family member and children had also a fair share of anxiety that might effect them emotionally and psychological of not having their parent around. Statically if given a choice most of them would rather stay but the need of providing a better future for their children.

Moreover, when a country do not provide much of conducive job opportunity I fairly say they make a choice to sacrifice for the sake of a better future for their family in Philippine. A choice that they might not want to take if given a choice.

Count On Maids, Singapore

Posted in: Uncategorized by Terence Quek

I was having lunch with a friend today and our conversation strayed to the topic of domestic helpers. She shared her personal experience of working with her domestic helper from the Philippines, recounting how she would still insist for her young children to assist in the household chores because she believed it is important for them to learn to be independent. She remarked that her friends were surprised at how much initiative this maid showed while taking care of guests. To add, she was asked not to call the employers “Mdm” and “Sir”, but by their first names. I know some of my friends will warn that being too friendly to the maid will lead to disaster. I also know that others will applaud this friend for her approach in being a employer. Whatever our stand on how maids should be trained, taught, handled, punished, rewarded, and treated, there is no argument that the foreign domestic helper has featured prominently in some Singaporeans’ lives – and is pretty much part of the skyline of Singapore. So while we count on our maids to do the chores, I’m beginning to wonder in some households, who should the children and the aged parents count on – us? or the maids?

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