do expats typically have live-in maids?

[x9200]

We don't use AC for ourselves and only recently for our few months old baby but even if we do, this would be only an option for the maid. A fan is a must of course. And this not because she would be just a maid but simply I do not think it is necessary.

[franchupe]

humm, the need for privacy and livability is a good point. sharing the room of my baby does not give a lot of privacy i agree but isn't treating her like a member of the family (literally)?

[QRM]

humm, the need for privacy and livability is a good point. sharing the room of my baby does not give a lot of privacy i agree but isn't treating her like a member of the family (literally)?

Put it this way, if you worked in a large office, how would you feel if the big cheese told you you wont be allowed your own office, you have to set up a desk next to his and to work full time sitting next to him/her. He argues it is because he wants you to feel part of the "family"

Not to mention there is a whole question of bonding issues and trauma for the kid should the helper leave. Admittedly for some parents they don't care, even actively encourage bonding between the helper and kid to give them a bit of peace and quiet.

There is a bit of confusing over a helpers role here are they helpers or are the Nannies/surrogate parent. To the average FDW their job is to keep the house clean and the just ensure Kid stays alive.

[x9200]

There is a bit of confusing over a helpers role here are they helpers or are the Nannies/surrogate parent. To the average FDW their job is to keep the house clean and the just ensure Kid stays alive.

Helping with the baby. Why not? Say myself, I do not expect the FDW to bring up my child but look after him when I am not around. There will be probably a partial overlap with a nanny job but taking this kind of care is IMHO within this job description.

[ecureilx]

So, if you can actually afford the costs of a maid, which will run upwards of $S700 per month, plus food, medical insurance, trips home, and additional utility costs with an extra person in the house, go the extra mile and get a place with one more bedroom.

Yes, you are right, when you are an expat and renting large apartments And you can

No offence, but as per your anology, 90% or more of Singapore homes, owned by Singaporeans, are mostly 3 bedroom units, and as per your advice - they should not have maids .. or did miss something ??

Over and out .. chief.

[Strong Eagle]

So, if you can actually afford the costs of a maid, which will run upwards of $S700 per month, plus food, medical insurance, trips home, and additional utility costs with an extra person in the house, go the extra mile and get a place with one more bedroom.

Yes, you are right, when you are an expat and renting large apartments And you can

No offence, but as per your anology, 90% or more of Singapore homes, owned by Singaporeans, are mostly 3 bedroom units, and as per your advice - they should not have maids .. or did miss something ??

Over and out .. chief.

You have missed nothing. That 90 percent you refer to are willing to hire maids and have them live in sub standard accommodations. It is a sad tale indeed, when the FDW employer handbook gives advice about a maid sleeping on the floor. My personal experience... and that is living in a semi detached neighborhood... is that Singaporeans treat their maids like sh*t... no days off... up at 5:30 to clean 'masters' car... with luck, at 11, down time for themselves.

So, no offense taken and SG'ers, a great number of them, are the 'classcist' buggers to whom I referred to earlier. Does that make sense?

[ecureilx]

You have missed nothing. That 90 percent you refer to are willing to hire maids and have them live in sub standard accommodations. It is a sad tale indeed, when the FDW employer handbook gives advice about a maid sleeping on the floor. My personal experience... and that is living in a semi detached neighborhood... is that Singaporeans treat their maids like sh*t... no days off... up at 5:30 to clean 'masters' car... with luck, at 11, down time for themselves.

So to rephrase it, the 90% must not be allowed to have a maid ?? Well, that also means the 100,000 odd maids to be jobless ?? tough choice mate .. while it is easy to preach, it is not so easy to justify ..

Sort of like the times when somebody was saying he saw an injured deer in the wild, and when he wanted to help the animal, the game warden has said that nature must take it's course .. Nature did take it's course and the next day the deer succumbed to it's injuries ...

Well, again, I am not condoning abusing maids or letting them live in sub-human conditions (as you put it) but .. when I only have two bedrooms, and I could afford a maid, and I got no place to let her stay other than the bomb shelter .. tough choice - I should let my master room become the maids room and I move into another apartment - and then I can't afford the maid, and then fire the maid Makes no sense anyway ..

NO kidding - that is exactly what two of my friends did - they wanted a maid, so they moved to a bigger house, and then their budget got shot and the plan to have maid flew out of the window ...

Not everybody has a lot of $ to spare .. A lot of us work on a tight budget ...

[ecureilx]

Put it this way, if you worked in a large office, how would you feel if the big cheese told you you wont be allowed your own office, you have to set up a desk next to his and to work full time sitting next to him/her. He argues it is because he wants you to feel part of the "family"

That's a bad example

Atleast in our company, our big cheese did away with partitions and it is an open plan office, and virtually my immediate boss is breathing down my neck ..

[JR8]

What this really boils down to is privacy and livability for the maid. The simple rule of thumb I use is that my maid (when I had one), would live under the same conditions that I choose to live. Therefore, a room of sufficient size to permit a permanent bed, armoire, chest of drawers, table or stand, and a chair, air con, and a window. Also access to bath facilities, ie, she doesn't need to brush her teeth in the kitchen sink.

Jeez even we didn't use the air-con in SG! In fact come to think of it most of my in-laws/friends don't have or use air-con either.

p.s. Do you let your maid drink your single malt whisky too?

[ecureilx]

p.s. Do you let your maid drink your single malt whisky too?

You mean the 25 year old Single Malt whiskey ??

[Strong Eagle]

What this really boils down to is privacy and livability for the maid. The simple rule of thumb I use is that my maid (when I had one), would live under the same conditions that I choose to live. Therefore, a room of sufficient size to permit a permanent bed, armoire, chest of drawers, table or stand, and a chair, air con, and a window. Also access to bath facilities, ie, she doesn't need to brush her teeth in the kitchen sink.

Jeez even we didn't use the air-con in SG! In fact come to think of it most of my in-laws/friends don't have or use air-con either.

p.s. Do you let your maid drink your single malt whisky too?

She doesn't like it

My point, as you know, is that the maid should live in conditions similar to what you live in. I use AC only at night, in the bedroom, otherwise, my entire house is open to the winds. You know it is a question of common sense: When I see questions like, "can she sleep in the closet" or with the baby, it tells me that the questioner is not looking at the maid as another human being, but rather as thing.

Same thing for the way foreign construction workers and laborers are treated. They are often exploited.

PS: I rarely drink that 25 year old SM myself... costs out the wazoo... even at airport duty free.

[x9200]

Jeez even we didn't use the air-con in SG! In fact come to think of it most of my in-laws/friends don't have or use air-con either.

p.s. Do you let your maid drink your single malt whisky too?

She doesn't like it

My point, as you know, is that the maid should live in conditions similar to what you live in.

Why? The conditions should not be undignifying (and preferably dignifying) but not necessarily similar. This is just employer-employee relationship and it is rather uncommon that the employee and the employer enjoys exactly the same benefits and privileges.

[x9200]

Well, again, I am not condoning abusing maids or letting them live in sub-human conditions (as you put it) but .. when I only have two bedrooms, and I could afford a maid, and I got no place to let her stay other than the bomb shelter .. tough choice..

No tough choice at all. You should have no maid if you can not put her in the right place. This is our case for the moment.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Well, again, I am not condoning abusing maids or letting them live in sub-human conditions (as you put it) but .. when I only have two bedrooms, and I could afford a maid, and I got no place to let her stay other than the bomb shelter .. tough choice..

No tough choice at all. You should have no maid if you can not put her in the right place. This is our case for the moment.

Totally agree. Not a tough choice at all.