Life with help

It has been 10 years since YL & I decided to set up house together that we have lived without domestic help, both by choice and design.  We could not bear to give up our privacy when we were still a twosome in the apex of our romance (now our relationship is better described as trying-to-not-piss-each-other-off-more-than-once-a-day), and establishing ourselves in our careers, so home was just a place to crash at the end of the day.  We engaged the services of housekeeping agencies that provided part-time maids, who came once a week to do the necessary.  That did not go smoothly, as the quality of work was inconsistent at best.  

When Sophie came along, despite the unhealthy and expensive habit of eating out every day, or the anguish of tingkat food (catered meals), living with a dusty and dirty apartment 6 days a week (a housekeeper came once a week), and having to leave her at a full-day childcare from 8am-7pm (sometimes she would play in his office while waiting for him to finish his work past 7pm), we still could not justify having a maid live-in domestic helper.  If you know us, you would also know that we are gullible people who are too considerate (not a compliment), and if we had a one, she would probably be our boss very soon.  




On those occasions when we were absolutely desperate, Nai Nai & Popo graciously offered their help, and came to Singapore to babysit, or took them back to KL during emergencies to relief us, or we would drop them off there for several consecutive weeks when we just could not manage.  Living away from home while running a small family does pose its lamentable challenges.  No revitalising tonic soup to drink, no Mummy's comfort food, running off for a dinner date or a gathering with friends on short notice, not being in the loop on hot gossips about relatives, less quality time with aging parents, lack of bond between the kids and their grandparents, etc.  

Anyways,...  

There are upsides, of course.  Along with doing our own dishes, laundry, cooking, and toilet-cleaning 6 days a week, we were also with our kids every minute of the day when they are out of school.  We bathe them, we feed them, we dress them, we accompany them on all their activities, we know their every ache and complaint (of which they are tonnes) - we were just literally and figuratively there with them every single step of the way.  I hope this place us in good stead later when we are feeble, retired old fogies :P 

It would have been relatively easy to hire a full-time domestic helper in Singapore, even though the requirements here are tougher than in Malaysia; for instance, you need to meet certain income requirements, you need to complete an employer orientation programme, you need to put up a S$5000 security bond with the Ministry of Manpower, etc.  

Now we have two school-going kids, a (slightly) larger apartment and jobs that are threatening to get even more demanding.  And despite that, we still resisted the easy way out by hiring one.  I spent the first couple of weeks back in Singapore investigating various alternatives, and in the end, concluded that we cannot escape from this route.  

So, off we went to join the crowds to apply for one on our own, eschewing the services of a maid agency (yes, you know, we loooove self-inflicted pain to test our threshold for adversity).  A fair bit of paperwork later, she is now finally here today.  

Those with helpers know what a nightmare it can be in the initial weeks of training a new helper.  The first challenge on my list is to train her to cook Chinese. 

.....

AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA....!!

<wipe tears of laughter away>

The blind leading the blind.  

Anyways,...

Check back with us in a few weeks to see how life with help has changed us.  Maybe you'll find me by the pool, reading, being served iced lemon tea, enjoying the evening breeze. 

One can hope.