[cerberus]

does the gov't subsidize domestics? for example, my next door neighbors, in their 500 sq ft apt, have: two parents, a kid, two grandparents...and a domestic. why on earth would you pay 3500 monthly for a domestic when there's two perfectly bored senior citizens on hand to cater to the little spoiled brat? is it one of those schemes where they get reimbursed or something?

thanks for the info, just curious.

[discobay]

No the govt does not. I doubt that the grandparents could be trusted to look after the child especially on the school run. And then there's the cooking and house chores.

[cerberus]

jeez disco, why are they so spoiled? people all over the world take care of kids without having a domestic. it really irritates me, especially since they're bad neighbors. why do you say the grandparents can't be trusted?

[discobay]

Well cerb, grandparents are rather old and worse of all do things "the old way". Their children do things "the modern way" - yes the same as in our culture too.
The three generations in one home is not out of choice as you may know but for financial reasons.
In a different life I would probably employ a domestic helper too. If I grew up here I would think that the ability to employ a person to look after my children and perform chores a big boost to my standing in social circles. It would also allow both parents to go to work to earn more (and to get out of looking after the babies/children).

[Baron]

Originally Posted by discobay

(and to get out of looking after the babies/children).

Why have kids in the first place then? I think if you feel the need to 'get out of looking after' your own child, you don't deserve to have kids anyway! (not having a go at you DB, as i know there are plenty of these parents around)

[discobay]

No offence taken Baron. It's a very selfish society we live in.

[Baron]

True. There is a need for two parents working now days, as schooling, clothing, food etc cost sooo much. But what these parents who hire others to look after their child/ren find, is that later on they have no real bond with them at all. The emotional support they need at the beginning hasn't formed.

[discobay]

Not to mention the "tinged" English that their children have picked up from their domestic helper.

[Max]

Originally Posted by Baron

True. There is a need for two parents working now days, as schooling, clothing, food etc cost sooo much. But what these parents who hire others to look after their child/ren find, is that later on they have no real bond with them at all. The emotional support they need at the beginning hasn't formed.

I agree...children who are raised in the presence of domestic helpers develop (rather disturbingly) an attachment to their domestic helpers and look upon them as the figure of authority as opposed to their parents.

[carang]

i always wondered if i would hire a helper. once i got pregnant, it became a much discussed issue in our house. my hubby is local but his parents live about an hour away.

we considered every option.
1)one of us stop working and staying home with baby
2)part time (legal) helper so i could work part time to help pay for all the necessities
3)full time local helper
4) full time foreign helper

we decided against the part time helper because it would cost us more per month than a full time helper would. same holds true for a local helper. we couldn't see how we could make ends meet without both of us working (we already live in a $6000/month flat, can't really get much cheaper than that!). daycare is NOT an option in HK. so, we decided to hire a helper. we do NOT try to "get out" of caring for our child. we ask that as he gets older she discipline him the same way that we do. but he KNOWS who his mum and dad are. there is NO QUESTION about that.