Free television channels

[Steve1960]

Maid arriving in about 10 days and will have what is now our daughters play room. I have a TV / DVD combo on the wall which has only been used for playing DVD's.

Is it worth me buying a cable to connect to the jack on the wall? I don't know what if any channels are available. Would it be any use to the maid? Her English is pretty good but she does not speak Chinese. Originates from Myanmar.

[nakatago]

Maid arriving in about 10 days and will have what is now our daughters play room. I have a TV / DVD combo on the wall which has only been used for playing DVD's.

Is it worth me buying a cable to connect to the jack on the wall? I don't know what if any channels are available. Would it be any use to the maid? Her English is pretty good but she does not speak Chinese. Originates from Myanmar.

Channel 5, IIRC or whichever shows US shows and has two sets of subtitles for their evening English news, is pretty entertaining.

[nutnut]

If you have starhub, you can always rent another box and she will have the full channels you have for $10 a month or so, very reasonable to be honest, gives her some entertainment if Channel 5 is no good (to be fair, it's not bad alone!)

[zzm9980]

Is it worth me buying a cable to connect to the jack on the wall? I don't know what if any channels are available. Would it be any use to the maid? Her English is pretty good but she does not speak Chinese. Originates from Myanmar.

Considering the relatively low cost of the cable (< $10), yeah I'd say so. There will be at least five or six channels which should come through. They're OK.

Most employers would take the TV away though, even if it meant it sat unused for years in the bomb shelter. "don't spoil the market" is what my neighbor would tell you. God forbid some maids thought that watching tv might be an actual privilege they're entitled to in their off time

[PNGMK]

Is it worth me buying a cable to connect to the jack on the wall? I don't know what if any channels are available. Would it be any use to the maid? Her English is pretty good but she does not speak Chinese. Originates from Myanmar.

Considering the relatively low cost of the cable (< $10), yeah I'd say so. There will be at least five or six channels which should come through. They're OK.

Most employers would take the TV away though, even if it meant it sat unused for years in the bomb shelter. "don't spoil the market" is what my neighbor would tell you. God forbid some maids thought that watching tv might be an actual privilege they're entitled to in their off time

I've got mixed feelings about this. Our FDW doesn't have a TV, hasn't asked for one and my wife is not so keen on the idea..... I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie.

[zzm9980]

I've got mixed feelings about this. Our FDW doesn't have a TV, hasn't asked for one and my wife is not so keen on the idea..... I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie.

Which is fine. I just know the local attitude would be "don't give your FDW a TV, then they'll all want TVs!"

[ScoobyDoes]

Let's face it, she should be working

[nutnut]

I've got mixed feelings about this. Our FDW doesn't have a TV, hasn't asked for one and my wife is not so keen on the idea..... I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie.

Which is fine. I just know the local attitude would be "don't give your FDW a TV, then they'll all want TVs!"

The Maid Mafia (as my wife calls it) may start treating her badly if word gets out! I paid for Filipino channel for our maid - I figured $20 a month was not a huge amount to me, but, whilst she is effective living in a cupboard in my kitchen away from friends and family, it was the least I could do. I gave her a laptop and access to the limited Guest network on my router too.

[Travailes]

I've got mixed feelings about this. Our FDW doesn't have a TV, hasn't asked for one and my wife is not so keen on the idea..... I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie.

Which is fine. I just know the local attitude would be "don't give your FDW a TV, then they'll all want TVs!"

The Maid Mafia (as my wife calls it) may start treating her badly if word gets out! I paid for Filipino channel for our maid - I figured $20 a month was not a huge amount to me, but, whilst she is effective living in a cupboard in my kitchen away from friends and family, it was the least I could do. I gave her a laptop and access to the limited Guest network on my router too.

Sir - that is a thoroughly refeshing view. Why the 'Maid Mafia' can't treat these people like human beings makes my blood boil. Treated like dirt, locked away in broom cupboards and abused - shocking really for a First World Country !

[x9200]

I have no experience with FDW at all, but have a lot with PTMs and what I learned is this kind of courtesy gets seldom appreciated and more often helps to grow the entitlement complex. I am not saying doing this is in principle wrong, but it should be considered carefully.

[Steve1960]

Yes I understand, the TV is on a bracket on the wall and I have no great desire to take it down, fill the holes and paint the wall!

Just seemed easier to allow the maid to use it. Of course I will shut her in the bomb shelter in the dark for 5 hours after watching 1 hour of TV so she does not get too comfortable

Seriously, I know I need to be careful. This is my first maid hire and I am a kind and compassionate person (believe it or not!). I don't want to spoil the maid but can't help wanting her to at least have a reasonable quality of life.