Posted by
tsuiwah
19 yrs ago
I'm debating whether to move this summer before my wife gives birth. Currently, we live in a flat that does not have a separate helper's quarters. If we stay where we are now, we would give one of our three bedrooms to the helper. While the bedroom is not huge (about 70sf), it is bigger than many of the "bedrooms" I saw during my flat search last year. Anyway, between my desire for a guestroom for relatives and friends, a quiet study area to do work, and a nursery, I'm running out of rooms.
So, one of the reasons for moving is to find a standard three-bedroom flat with a separate sleeping area for a helper. But, I've also seen some of these helper's sleeping areas and they look very small.
I read a post in a different thread where the author said something along the lines: "helpers do not expect/get a standard bedroom." Given how expensive rents are, I could see how this makes sense.
Do any of you set aside a bedroom for your helper but expect her to share it with a newborn at night during the first year?
Thanks.
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Adding to TC's comments, why you want your helper to share the room with your newborn? I thought it IS the mother's responsibility to be with her child and the helper is just there to help. What do you do if you dont have a helper, like when you are living in western countries?
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I personally know two Chinese families who make their DH sleep in a closet.
Whatever you do, don't subject your DH to this cruel treatment.
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TC/Mighty, I've seen plenty of posts on this website with mothers having their helpers take care of/sleep with their infants overnight. Perhaps, I didn't mean newborn but rather toddler. In any case, how large is your helper's sleeping quarters?
I certainly consider myself reasonable and am shocked at some of the comments directed towards DHs here. If providing a 70-80 sf room for your helper is the norm or the minimum, then I may just hold off on hiring a helper until I can find a larger flat, because as you say I can survive without a helper. What I would need though is a part time baby sitter.
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J.D.
19 yrs ago
To answer your direct question, our helpers room is about 2m by 2.2m, plus a bathroom that is about 1.3m by 2.2m. These are very rough as I haven't actually measured it - and I don't know how it translates into sqf.
But I think ours is a relatively large maid's room as most of the ones we saw were smaller than this. And some of the bathrooms we saw didn't even have a shower - just a toilet and basin jammed into a tiny room.
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I dont think maids are really fuzzy with this room issue....the only thing they want is to give her own room to have her privacy at night...no matter what its small or big....as long as she can sleep...she is your maid she knows what she is entitled to...(I am talking according to my experience)
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@@
19 yrs ago
40 sqf is the size of our helpers room. Personally I would move so that the helper had her own room. I think for your own sense of privacy and family you are better off with seperate living arrangements. While our helpers room is not large it is nice and clean, we also took our helper shopping to buy a table and nice bedlinen. We have provided a TV and Cd player and I know at the end of the day our helper enjoys her (own) small space.
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Of course they're better!
Isn't that why expat women hire them? To make a better bed? Speaking as an expat, I too have a hard time making my bed, so it's not only expat women who aren't as good as DHs in bed management.
Thanks for sharing, Ultra8.
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Hey, after a long, hard day of work, the last thing that expat woman's husband wants to do is clean! And knowing that she's helping make life easier for everyone, the DH just smiles away while she toils, knowing that her employers are happy and that 2+2 does always equal four.
Thanks for sharing again, Ultra8.
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RiceT
19 yrs ago
"What do you do if you dont have a helper, like when you are living in western countries?"
I keep seeing this come up. People (super rich or not) in "Western" Countries also have live-in help; it's not exclusive to "Non-Western" places. It's less-expensive here for sure, thus more people can afford to consider it as an option.
Our maid's room is about 9 feet by 6 feet. We've been interviewing DH's and I show them the room. All have been happy with it and some say it's way bigger than what they have even in bigger flats in Sai Kung, etc. Nice windows, nice tiles, nice spot. When we first saw it, we thought it was very small, since in the States, most DH's have a normal or even big size room and bathroom. But the DH's interviewed were really pleased with it. I don't yet know if there's a stipulation in the law as to what size it should be; I have seen employers here with helpers sleeping in the living room.... : (
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