Hi spaul,
just to share my experience with you... We've been employing a live-in maid 4 times. Both me & husband works full day.
1st one. Young. Single. Smart. Very clean. She was very 'royal' to my daughter. She bought my daughter snacks, or sweet, whenever she went home from a day off. Turned out she stole my perfume, body lotion, some cash. She also dated some security guard from our
condo. I terminated her after 1 year (about 2 weeks after I found out the truth). After she left, I found out that she actually borrowed some money from her maid friends.
2nd. Young. Single. Not so smart. Not so clean. She was quite honest. But she couldn't get along well with my daughter. I said bye-bye to her after also, a year.
3rd. Not so young. Married with one daughter. Not so clean. But VERY good with my daughter & son. A good cook as well. Honest (she did not steal anything). She decided to go back home after 2 year contract. She did not give me too much problem during her stay with me.
4th. Older a little bit that the 3rd. Married with 2 daughters. Clean, but not a very good cook. She's been with us for about 6 months now, and it seems ok...
I would say, this all depends on individual, and how you treat your maid. If your wife stays at home most of the time, then I would say it's not a big problem...