Working expat mums: Who looks after your kid?

[meiteoh]

Am actually on the look-out for a job at the moment - not my first choice - but am facing huge problems in looking for help taking care of my baby (not hubby) (hai...am too tired!).

Even though he's French and I'm Malaysian, he isn't earning an expat salary (but a local one) and infant care here is double the full fee (at least $2K). So our options is to get a babysitter. Anyone else facing this issue or my hubby is just unlucky to be paid a local salary?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Am actually on the look-out for a job at the moment - not my first choice - but am facing huge problems in looking for help taking care of my hubby.

Even though he's French and I'm Malaysian, he isn't earning an expat salary (but a local one) and infant care here is double the full fee (at least $2K). So our options is to get a babysitter. Anyone else facing this issue or my hubby is just unlucky to be paid a local salary?

Why do you need help taking care of your hubby? Is he that oversexed? Or just thinks he is? He's is French you said.

Or did you have a child to take care of, not your hubby. If you are Malaysian, can't you flog the infant off on your mother? You could possibly bring her here on a LTVP. I don't understand your reference to you hubby being unlucky. There are 4 million Singaporeans here earning local salaries. And they manage. Are you living in a condo or an HDB? How old is the infant? Does your husband drive a car?

[meiteoh]

HAHAHAHA...sorry, made a huge booboo!

Well, my hubby and I are (honestly) not keen on getting my parents to take care of my baby for many many reasons. Why I say my hubby is unlucky is that many average Singaporeans manage because of the high amounts of subsidies they get - from healthcare to infant care which is understandable. But as foreigners, we aren't part of the system so we have to pay double, if not just more.

My daughter is nearly 8 mths old and no, we don't have a car - can't even afford it and even if we could, we wouldn't get one - and we can only afford to rent a HDB flat on his salary.

[ChixBiskit]

Hi there,

I'm a working mother (Malaysian) and do what everyone does in Singapore to take care of my 8 month old. She's called the helper.

I would take my time to find one whom you could trust to look after your little one. I did and it worked out. Nothing is perfect. She's not too detail oriented so our home was cleaner when we had a part-time who came for four hours on Sunday to clean and iron a week's worth of clothes!!! We are continously baffled and humored by greasy pots and dishes in the cupboard, spiders and cobwebs, dead plants etc....

But she loves the baby, and has lots of patience and interest in interacting with him. Her help is immeasurable, and I would have a hard time breastfeeding and pumping to this day if I had to worry about the baby all the time. I am full-time hands on when I come back from work, all night long till the morning, on weekends and public holidays so we have our time together.

I'm not sure where you are getting $2K for infant care but it should be no more than $1500. And even cheaper if you are in the heartland.

The helper is actually quite a deal if you think about it, but do look out for one who loves kids!

Hope this helps, and good luck!

[jane0404]

I have a two year old daughter and a four month old son and am about to return to work full-time.

My helper will look after the baby at home and my two year old will go into full-time care. It's not ideal but my helper can't really manage both of them. My two year old will end up watching television all day!!! At least this way I know she will be safe, stimulated and happy. My helper looked after our daughter since she was born and we had no major problems. Good luck with your decision!

[k1w1]

I had to return to full time work when my youngest child was two years old. My son was three. I hired a maid and put the kids into a local pre-school in the morning. The maid picked them up, took them home for a nap and they played at home in the afternoon till I got home. It worked fine.

Lots of my colleagues have left their infants at home with helpers. (Another joy of being a foreigner in Singapore is that you are not entitled to the most basic local benefits like maternity leave - foreign women are only allowed 8 weeks in total). If you found someone who had worked with other children at that age, or maybe even had her own children, you'll probably be ok.

My first maid was a kindergarten teacher in Indonesia, and had a daughter of her own. She was fabulous, and I miss her still.

[pblack]

Hi, I am expecting my first baby any day now. Just employed a domestic worker last month to help take care of the baby when I go back to work after maternity leave. Not the best solution, but best working mothers can do I guess.

I am married to an Australian man, and this new helper does not understand a single word my husband says, so it might not work out for us. Might have to have her replaced. *sigh*.

Depending on what your preferences, there are agencies out there that specialize in expat maids - like 121 Personnel.

Hope it works out for you. Good luck with the job hunt.

[Cicilia]

My suggestion for u also domestic helper, I also faced with the same issue last time, had to reject a job coz the cost of infant care too astronomical and simply not worth it and i didn't have any helper or parents here, i have 2 babies now, just hired maid 3 months ago, for my sanity coz my second born is more than a handfull.
Find a good one and install camera for ur piece of mind.
I am also looking for temporary home for my maid while I am away, planning between July to Oct 2010.any takers? I know its a long shot as it is only for 4 months.

[klitz]

hi,
You could look around for those local families. The stay at home mums will look after your kid when u're at work. When you knock off from work, you can pick up your kid. It's pretty good as some of these families have kids of their own and ur child can have more playmates.

The prices are quite reasonable too, about 500-800per month.

[mrswkn]

Good luck!