Logo
    • Education
      • Pre-School
      • Primary Schools Directory
      • Primary Schools Articles
      • P1 Registration
      • DSA
      • PSLE
      • Secondary
      • Tertiary
      • Special Needs
    • Lifestyle
      • Well-being
    • Activities
      • Events
    • Enrichment & Services
      • Find A Service Provider
      • Enrichment Articles
      • Enrichment Services
      • Tuition Centre/Private Tutor
      • Infant Care/ Childcare / Student Care Centre
      • Kindergarten/Preschool
      • Private Institutions and International Schools
      • Special Needs
      • Indoor & Outdoor Playgrounds
      • Paediatrics
      • Neonatal Care
    • Forum
    • ASKQ
    • Register
    • Login

    Me Time!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Recess Time
    36.2k Posts 331 Posters 3.2m Views 2 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • lee_ylL Offline
      lee_yl
      last edited by

      Liew Nga Wing\" post_id=\"2134507\" time=\"1717212709\" user_id=\"195250:[quote=\"Liew Nga Wing\" post_id=2134507 time=1717212709 user_id=195250]
      如果母亲觉得去做清洁的工作会令她开心,可以跟顾客讲讲话,又可以锻炼手脚, 给她去做又何妨? 我们不是活在别人的想法中,跟母亲的开心,别人怎样看,哪一个更重要?她又不是去偷和抢,为何要在意无谓人怎样想?[/quote]
      说得好听但实际上却没那么美好。作清洁工人不用挨主管骂?不用看蛮不讲理的顾客的脸色?不用每天拖着疲惫不堪的身体辛苦工作? 要锻炼手脚,要继续与社会有联系,要身心愉悦, 有的是办法没必要只看到清洁工这条路。

      如果清洁工这么香饽饽,又不见得达官名人在退休后强着来作?

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • starlight1968sgS Offline
        starlight1968sg
        last edited by

        My late mum worked as a cleaner at many places.

        My dad worked as a cleaner when he was young.
        Hence i understood the prejudice faced by cleaners.
        They are usually being looked down upon. We need cleaners else who will sweep the common areas, wash the public toilets, clean the bus stop etc.
        Hence there is this Progressive Wage Model to assist them to earn a better income.

        My office has a cleaner. She often buys me breakfast though I dont really hv the habit to eat it. In return, i make an effort to save a packet of lunch (yes, my workplace has lunch) whenever possible for her bec i knew by the time she cleaned to my office, it is close to lunch time.

        Whenever I see her, she reminds me of my mum who told me some office people treated her nicely with respect. Others couldnt be bothered or even bullied her. I just hope that all treat each other with respect.

        A cleaner is somebody’s mum or dad. Whatever reasons they do this job dont matter, we hv to acknowledge we cant do w/o them.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • sharonkhooS Offline
          sharonkhoo
          last edited by

          lee_yl\" post_id=\"2134505\" time=\"1717211727\" user_id=\"17023:

          The sight of so many old folks in these low-skill, dirty and heavy jobs, is giving Singapore a notorious reputation.
          Just returned from Japan, and was told that many old people do litter picking and other menial jobs without pay, i.e. as a volunteer. I don't think their getting paid for it is a bad thing. Some people don't seek to do a job that pays better for reasons like distance, timing, less need for brainwork etc. We can't discern their reasons just by looking at them.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • sharonkhooS Offline
            sharonkhoo
            last edited by

            lee_yl\" post_id=\"2134503\" time=\"1717209854\" user_id=\"17023:

            Menial is just a description. Menial means not requiring much skills and lacking prestige. Describing a job as menial simply means it doesn’t require much skills and it doesn’t mean you don’t respect the person doing the job. No need to project one’s value onto an adjective used. Let’s just call a spade, a spade.
            \"lacking prestige\" means that people look down on that job, and by extension, the person doing the job. Yes, let's call a spade a spade.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • lee_ylL Offline
              lee_yl
              last edited by

              slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2134513\" time=\"1717219402\" user_id=\"28674:

              Just returned from Japan, and was told that many old people do litter picking and other menial jobs without pay, i.e. as a volunteer. I don't think their getting paid for it is a bad thing. Some people don't seek to do a job that pays better for reasons like distance, timing, less need for brainwork etc. We can't discern their reasons just by looking at them.
              I don’t know how many % of senior cleaners out there do it solely for social interaction purposes and how many really need the income for subsistence. Maybe my heart will feel better if a survey by govt says 90% of senior cleaners out there are doing it for fun.

              My aunt who was a cleaner previously before told me not just get scoldings from supervisor but also from unreasonable customers. So being paid also means supervisors expect staff to work and work, not paid to chit chat with others

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • sharonkhooS Offline
                sharonkhoo
                last edited by

                lee_yl\" post_id=\"2134515\" time=\"1717220934\" user_id=\"17023:

                My aunt who was a cleaner previously before told me not just get scoldings from supervisor but also from unreasonable customers. So being paid also means supervisors expect staff to work and work, not paid to chit chat with others
                Societal change is really needed in that case. Why should workers in certain jobs be scolded more than others?

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • EstéemaE Offline
                  Estéema
                  last edited by

                  starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"2134510\" time=\"1717216649\" user_id=\"14025:

                  My late mum worked as a cleaner at many places.
                  My dad worked as a cleaner when he was young.
                  Hence i understood the prejudice faced by cleaners.
                  They are usually being looked down upon. We need cleaners else who will sweep the common areas, wash the public toilets, clean the bus stop etc.
                  Hence there is this Progressive Wage Model to assist them to earn a better income.

                  My office has a cleaner. She often buys me breakfast though I dont really hv the habit to eat it. In return, i make an effort to save a packet of lunch (yes, my workplace has lunch) whenever possible for her bec i knew by the time she cleaned to my office, it is close to lunch time.

                  Whenever I see her, she reminds me of my mum who told me some office people treated her nicely with respect. Others couldnt be bothered or even bullied her. I just hope that all treat each other with respect.

                  A cleaner is somebody's mum or dad. Whatever reasons they do this job dont matter, we hv to acknowledge we cant do w/o them.
                  Agree. I’ve always taken a stand to treat everyone with due respect & try to stand up for those mistreated or bullied. When DH first got yo know me, he thot I was meddling but realized I stand up for ppl w/o feeling embarrassment even with those in authority.

                  They’re possibly our own mothers, aunties or someone related somehow - fellow human. Similarly, behind every policy & success of SG, we hv those working hard behind the scene to analyse & recommend fact-based directions for our fellow S’poreans whether in housing, tpt or workplace safety.

                  I always admire those architects, those who manage our reserves & economy to know how to pitch our exchange rates, etc. Policymakers depend on their diligence. A cleaner or tea lady presents themselves to provide that excellent warm cuppa of comfort & hygiene environment for all of us to work in.

                  No matter what, I truly appreciate how these cleanliness had helped us S’poreans to be thankful & proud we’re not living in unhygienic dumps. I s’times cringe at the toilets I hv to bear with when even crossborder in not far ashore my homeland, or suffer the potholes when travelling in the roads of foreign land. Grateful indeed hor our cleaners & road sweepers. They did a very decent job! Pun intended.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • 00skyblue000 Offline
                    00skyblue00
                    last edited by

                    lee_yl\" post_id=\"2134461\" time=\"1717131794\" user_id=\"17023:

                    Huh??? No way to tell which foreigner will genuinely treat SG as their home bah…. So I guess the cultural integration part must be done well or else Singaporeans will be irked by their cultural differences (such as food trays left uncleared after eating by FTs). I feel that Malaysians integrate easier into our country than PRCs and South Asians
                    Yes, i am referring to what is needed to be looked at. How to do that ? Is a million dollar qn. But should not deter us from addressing it.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • 00skyblue000 Offline
                      00skyblue00
                      last edited by

                      slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2134513\" time=\"1717219402\" user_id=\"28674:

                      Just returned from Japan, and was told that many old people do litter picking and other menial jobs without pay, i.e. as a volunteer. I don't think their getting paid for it is a bad thing. Some people don't seek to do a job that pays better for reasons like distance, timing, less need for brainwork etc. We can't discern their reasons just by looking at them.
                      Cleaning is a physical job. Not suitable for old folks actually.
                      There are many ways to keep themselves busy if there are better options. Now in hdb estates, there are elderly active centres with different programmes to sign up for. There are elderly day care centres to volunteer at, help older seniors. Travelling in public transport is discounted, can go library to read news papers. Cc, parks?

                      Think the discussion has disgressed from the OP. Actually, all jobs will be subjected to unreasonable bosses and customers. Not just cleaning jobs. Most of us are not looking down on cleaners. I throw my own waste in my own small plastic bags and throw it at another main bin point instead of my own desk bin. I feel uncomfortable (heartache) to have seniors clearing my bin. One has to bend down to reach the bin. Even if we pass the bin to the cleaner, she still has to carry the whole bag to bring it to the collecting point. Same with vacuuming. Need to bend down to reach the power plug on the floor. What's more to see them clear tables and tray at hawker or food courts. Have to carry the dishes balancing them on the trays and pushing the fully loaded carts, can be very heavy. Heart pain to see that.

                      So it is the right direction that there is no need now. In the uk, we see old folks at cashier instead, doing non physical jobs. I see aunties here at self checkout or cashier at ntuc. This is alright.

                      I don't think we were talking abt cultural integration issues, lnw has misread. Seeing more inappropriate scenes, and hoping for changes in future should not be discouraged. No feedback, no better future isn't it.

                      A future where there is no need to have so many cleaners; we all clean up after ourselves, so there is no need to dependent on cleaners for our cleanliness.... And with self cleaning toilet bowls... Hopefully, this future is near.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • lee_ylL Offline
                        lee_yl
                        last edited by

                        slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2134516\" time=\"1717221699\" user_id=\"28674:

                        Societal change is really needed in that case. Why should workers in certain jobs be scolded more than others?
                        Hmmm… not say look down on cleaners lah, just that some jobs get more scoldings because they face the public? Like hospital nurses, hearsay even doctors, restaurant managers, customer service officers etc., are all in this group of public-facing staff who face the heat from the public. Not to mention demanding supervisors who drive their staff mercilessly to deflect any blame from the public.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0

                        Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.

                        Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.

                        With your input, this post could be even better 💗

                        Register Login
                        • 1
                        • 2
                        • 3566
                        • 3567
                        • 3568
                        • 3569
                        • 3570
                        • 3615
                        • 3616
                        • 3568 / 3616
                        • First post
                          Last post



                        Online Users

                        Recent Topics
                        New to the KiasuParents forum? Tips and Tricks!
                        How do you maintain your relationship with your spouse?
                        Budgeting for tougher times ahead. What's yours?
                        SkillsFuture + anything related to upskilling/learning something new!
                        How much do you spend on the kids' tuition/enrichments?
                        DSA 2026
                        PSLE Discussions and Strategies

                        Statistics

                        1

                        Online

                        210.6k

                        Users

                        34.1k

                        Topics

                        1.8m

                        Posts
                          About Us Contact Us forum Terms of Service Privacy Policy