Posted by
dasia
18 yrs ago
I asked this question on another thread but thought it should have it's own so.....
I'm new to HK so have been reading through all the various posts in "Ask an Expat" to familiarise myself with the city.
After reading the posts on Domestic Helpers I wonder why you hire one at all. Very few seem happy with the 'help' or have one or more problems. Why do you hire? Is it to keep up with the Jones' or to impress your friends back home, or just 'because you can'? Why is it necessary to have live in help here when you would not or did not have it at home?
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dasia
Some of us also work full time and need help with our kids. If the kids are under 2, there are few ( none) schools/kindergartens etc that will accept them alone, as in our own countries.
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mdap
18 yrs ago
Who said we did not have help at home? My parents had two domestics plus a gardner and driver in the UK. I grew up with domestics. My grandparents had many 'servants' in their london home. I think you need to reverse the question - Why do so many Phillies come here for domestic work? THe answer is that they need the money, the jobs are relatively cushy and it gets them out of a downward spiral back in the Philipinnes. Most HK expats now work so they need help with kids, dogs etc. Sure we can all wash dishes and iron too, but we are part of a chain that if broken, the worse off are not those doing the hiring.
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In HK we get 10 weeks' maternity leave compared with 6 months - 2 years in most people's home countries. To send a 6-wk old baby out to daycare is not reasonable, so the only alternative for people without family here (who would be willing to take on the job)is to hire a helper. Perhaps when you've been here a while you'll understand better...
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excuse me but the cost of help here is not reasonable compared to my home country, it's a fortune. My sister works in an office job for less than the minimum helper wage. I am sick and tired of hearing how they work for so little. Get real. If it wasn't worth their while they wouldn't be here. I suppose where Mr Cynical lives home helpers are paid HK$10 000 a month with every other day off.
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Agree that people wouldn't do the job if it wasn't worth their while, but compared to the US/Europe/Australia it is a very reasonable cost compared with childcare + domestic work there(which would normally involve employing at least 2 people - the job is rarely combined). BUT, then again, there are tax breaks for people with children which are huge compared with those in HK, and also people get proper maternity leave, so really you can't compare. If you get a good helper she is a priceless addition to your household. If you get a crap one, then it is far more trouble than it is worth. Some people don't have a choice - without my salary we would starve, and also the 2 families I support indirectly by employing the main breadwinners would suffer. If I could stay at home, take care of my own children and run my house the way I choose I would be more than happy to do so.
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we hire helpers in Asia (not just in HK).... b/c our work hours are a lot longer than in N. America and Europe or Australia. My husband comes home around 9:00pm each night on average, on good days, 7:30-8:00pm.... I try to be home by 7:00pm. We don't get maternity leave like we deserve, there are a total lack of options for daycare, and it's definitely more worthy to have TWO salaries for the household earned than just one. By having a helper, both my husband and I can work, and my income is definitely more than $ 3420 a month. So it works out. I also have my satisfaction of maintaing my own career after having children, and my two helpers are godsend, they are the best. Without them, we would be a mess! My children loves my helpers, and they teach my children good manners, politeness, ensure they eat healthily, and establishes a daily routine for our family.
At home, (Canada) my friends are envious b/c in Canada, to hire a full time helper would cost $ 1800.00 CDN at least, and the helper only will work 5 days, and only up to 5:00pm. I had interviewed a helper in Canada after I gave birth, she said, she can only work up to 6:00pm on weekdays, no Saturdays or Sundays b/c she needs to take driving lessons on weekends, on weeknights, she has to take English lessons, and she told me after 2 years contract, she will definitely leave us and apply for her passport in Canada. So go figure why we hire helpers here... these might be very good reasons ?
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dasia
18 yrs ago
I grew up with two helpers in my parents home and can not remember my mother ever complaining about problems with the girls. In fact my parents always managed to make them part of the family but the emnployer/employee relationship was maintained as well. After moving into my own place I employed help just one day each week to leave me more leisure time on weekends and I had the same good relationship with my helper.
As I said in my original post I checked this site to familiarise myself with how everything works in HK and was surprised to read all the unfavourable reports about helpers so wondered why one bothered if it is sooo hard to find someone trustworthy, reliable and appreciated.
In my short time in HK I have met some pretty pretentious expat women and wondered whether it was a status thing.
Must say it is nice to read that not all have problems with their domestic help and yes have to admit that those happy people do not often write in this forum.
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MC
18 yrs ago
It is a life style choice. If you can afford not to do anything. Why not? Don't think it is a status thing, it is just a matter of what is available and what you can afford.
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I asked this exact same question when I got here in June and realised after a few weeks that Hong Kong is very different to England. I agree with quite a few of the posts so far. I dont work here tho' I did at home but what I have found is that by having a domestic helper, I can spend quality time with my child and treat myself more than I would have done at home.
One thing for sure here is the terribley unstroller friendly nature of HK so having a helper - literally another pair of hands makes a huge difference. YOu cant always find a friend at the last minute who wants to go to the same place as you! Also, the apartments here do seem to need more maintenance - silly things like cleaning air conditioners, emptying dehumidifiers, cleaning wooden floors takes time. There even seems to be more laundry in the summer months than I ever did in the UK. In the UK, I had family and it's true my network of friends were much closer whereas here with Domestic Helpers, I wouldnt rely on my friends to help me pick up my son from playgroup for example, so things are just different here, and you dont have the same support structure nor can you just walk out the door with your pushchair and to the nearest bit of green space - at least not where we live. So, why not take advantage of something that is going to make your life easier and more fulfilling. Cleaning the loo or going on a beach walk with my son? I know which one I would choose!!!
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suze
18 yrs ago
Hong Kong in my opinion is a place of many opportunities. Without my helper none of my family would have been able to do the many things that we have done here. Didn't want one either when I came but now wouldn't be without one!!I agree with the points made above!
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qvong
18 yrs ago
Most expats here are moving from country to country or just came from their home country where they have friends and family. For those of us that have children, coming to a foreign place with no friends and family, it just makes sense.
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I have a toddler and a 5 month old baby. My family back home and friends here keep asking me when am I going to get a maid. My husband on the other hand wonders why we need a maid. Yes, my hands are full, vacuuming and laundry is not done daily, but when i do it, only I can be happy with the work I've done. To be fair, the hubby does help around the house and the office is in the same building as the apartment so he's nearby if I need him. Also, although we have a maid's room, it's currently being used as the 3rd bedroom plus cats room, so we cannot afford to have a live-in. I think, more than anything, I would like a part-time babysitter whom I can trust, someone who will come and play with my toddler, take him to the park, etc, or just be around, if I need to pop out. Easier said than done, finding one of those....
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i hired my helper last year in june, 2 weeks after she started working for me, i lost my baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy. i had to be hospitalized for 2 days and my husband was by my side. my helper stayed at home and look after my 16 month old. i cannot imagine what we could have done without my helper. because we are expats, our family is not here and there's no one to turn to for help when crisis happened. with this pregnancy, i started bleeding heavily at 6 weeks and was ordered by doctor to rest in bed strictly. again, if not because of my helper, i dont know who is going to tend to my active 20 month old son. so, helpers can be a blessing for some people. it's bad luck sometimes when you get a bad helper, but i will still say my helper is a blessing to my family.
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