in the old days of local Chinese amahs ?

My experience from the distant past (when I was a kid) is actually from Singapore, although my family knew quite a few people in similar situations here in HK. I'd like to think things were more civilised back then (we certainly didn't have any of the dramas you read about in this forum) although it might just be the better communication tools that make it a lot easier to share the horror stories (and to do it anonymously to boot), or it might be something to do with the comparatively better (as perceived by those working as helpers) rewards that are available now. Back then, though, there wasn't such a high percentage of foreign helpers - more locals, and that also might be a part of the 'problem'.

I was not part of this scene but I know someone who was during the 60's - she had 5 children here as an expat.


From her descriptions the amah would come in every day (not live in) and was usually an older woman whose children were in high school or older. She did the cleaning and housekeeping and babysitting at night if required and then go home. They would get their days off. The employer loved this woman when they left HK and was very sad to leave her behind.


I think the difference would be - the old ways it was a job - just like any other job - you came in and you did your work and you left, you still had a family to look after when you went home and this was your city, working for foreigners who would leave eventually.


Todays reality - FTDH is not just a job - it is a lifestyle choice, they leave their families behind to live in another country - leaving them with no support, to work for others who may or may not belong here. They live in other peoples homes and have to live by other peoples rules. FDH usually are not experienced as they are younger people and the culture is very different from both the chinese and the expat culture - expectations are different and education is either too high or too low. Some come with an attitude, some employers have an attitude. It is a combination of things, it is something which the government thought would be a good idea at the time - but has like so many things resulted in many more problems than could have been anticipated for the government and for individuals - which is why they are trying to go back to the local domestic help.

Again, I've only read / heard second-hand accounts (including amahs risking their lives to feed former employers who had been interned by the Japanese).



But one key difference is that there was effectively no labour law back then. If an employee did something you didn't like, you fired them - no notice, no reason, no pay-in-lieu, no moral obligation or fear of litigation to prompt you to write references etc.



In that sort of unprotected environment, employees will respond to even the gentlest hint of a warning and you are very unlikely to get the dramas that you see posted each day on this forum.



This is not to advocate a return to quasi-feudalism, but simply to point out that things were different.

My husband's family had always had Chinese amah and when my mother-in-law married,she brought one with her as well and stayed until she died.


They became part of the family and were involved in all of the occasions etc and of course gossip with the amahs or relatives. My husband, from baby until teenager had his own amah, who would wash him, put out his clothes (in the order of putting them on)etc. To this day, he cannot tie his shoelaces properly. However, he loves his amah as if she were his own mother. When she passed away, he cried for days.


The last Chinese amah we had reluctantly hired a Filipino helper as she was too hold to cope with everything. That first Filipino helper was the best as the amah trained her well in housekeeping & cooking. Some of the recipes we are teaching our existing helper so that the family can still eat childhood favourites but she is nowhere near as good as the Chinese amah.