There are two sides to a coin. We have heard terrifying stories about how Singaporean employers tortured their maids, as well as kind hearted employers who have treated their domestic helpers as one of their family members. Potential employers go through classes on how to treat their maids so that everybody has a win-win situation.
But personally, being the gracious society that we are in, there is still room for improvement in the treatment of maids. I have personally witnessed many ugly scenes of employers overworking their maids, talking to them in a degrading manner, and depriving them of food.
One example is my neighbour who lives across the street from my house in a newly-renovated terraced house. Every morning, the maid would be the first to wake up in the neighbourhood and she toiled till late at night. She would start washing the car early in the morning. I wonder why they need their car to be washed every morning and so early. Worst of all, she is constantly being reprimanded by the various members of the family in a loud and harsh manner. This really reflects badly on us Singaporeans.
On the flipside, there are many kind employers in Singapore. These employers should be praised. I hope more Singaporeans will learn from them.
It is common to have a domestic helper at home in Singapore as most parents work. My family is no different. We have a maid who has been working with us for about 8 years. She came from a small island in the Philippines. She has been my family’s great help and we reciprocate by sharing whatever we have with her and make sure that she is well taken care of. She has an off-day every week to socialise and relax and rewind. We celebrate festive occasions like her birthday and Chinese New Year. Whenever we go out for dinner at restaurants, we will bring her along. We wanted her to share the joy with us. I feel that she is well taken care of and her needs are met. She is happy with my family. J
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