I have a 1/32 Synwin beginner violin used briefly for only one term in Mac’s Music School for sale. Interested parties, please PM me. Thanks.

http://www.timeout.com.hk/big-smog/feat ... ction.html


HK has another alternative - assessing and rejecting work permit applications of helpers who have changed employers frequently.

We have built our families and society largely based on significant economic participation by mothers with cheap foreign labour to support domestic needs. As foreign labour becomes uncertain and not necessarily cheap, our model of society needs to adjust to adapt. However, I don’t think it is moving fast enough at this point as most infrastructure and support need time to build up and materialize.


More childcare and elderly daycare centres are now being built/set up in anticipation of the problems. I don’t think the government is not aware of this longer term problem. However, we are still importing foreign labour to fill up these care positions. You either hire foreign domestic helper to take care of your kids at home or pay a hefty sum to send your kids to a "premium" childcare centre to be taken care of by the same foreign teachers at an even high child: caregiver ratio.

Mothers in Japan/US often do not work to take care of the family. Some say that the low economic participation of women contributed to Japan’s stagnant growth.

Scandinavian countries are the developed countries with a workable model that allows maximum economic participation by mothers. From what I have read, they have very good state childcare services and the fathers take up an almost equal burden in parenting. Employment conditions and the prevailing culture are also more favourable to parenting with more generous maternity/paternity leave and possibly more regular hours.

I think it’s quite unlikely that we would reach Scandinavian standards any time soon. Hence what’s most likely to happen is that birth rates remain low or go lower or more mothers would become stay at home mothers if current childcare options are not significantly improved within the next 5 - 10 years. I don’t think the quality of the foreign domestic helpers coming out in the next 5 - 10 years (if they continue to come to work) would be better than previous generations. Don’t forget many could well be the pampered offspring of foreign domestic worker who have not suffered much and may have a greater sense of entitlement.

I have interviewed numerous transfer helpers in my current search. My last search was several years ago. I can see a distinct deterioration in the quality of the helpers.


Instead of the typical difficult amah story or genuine abuse cases, the more common issue I have seen is that the helpers are simply shopping for a better deal, often without completing contracts, and generally have a disproortionate sense of entitlement. Big houses - no, no. I want a single in a small apartment. Third baby on the way? I need to go. Curfew hours? I want no curfew. Food not to my taste? Complain not enough food.

Even expat employers are the victim of this demanding mentality. Expat employers have been deemed perfectionistic, not honoring curfew hours or days off, not providing enough food etc. And some expat loving helpers have also been let go after just a few months by expat employers, due to maid not meeting standards or not sure what else.

This is basically a helper’s market due to reduced supply from the traditional sources. You can pay $600 and above and what you are going to get is a very mediocre transfer helper with very mediocre experience, often complete with an attitude to boot.

I am not even sure if we can blame HK or Taiwan for the current situation. Even HK is looking to expand to new sources like Bangladesh as helpers get more demanding.

On further thoughts, not allowing transfers might indeed help a little. This puts all employers on the same level playing field and stops excessive shopping by helpers. But making a major change requires revamping an entire framework, possibly involving reallocation of costs and salary adjustment. Personally, I would rather pay a higher salary than to pay high upfront costs or be constrained by placement fees/loans.

I am not sure what the government can do but certainly, young couples who need 2 incomes, should consider very carefully the care options and actual costs before committing to having a child.

In the long run though, Singaporeans have to be prepared for the day that like other developed countries, the average person would not be hiring live-in help. And one of the common things in developed countries (other than some Scandinavian countries with good childcare infrastructure) is that mothers often do not work due to lack of affordable good childcare options.

Actually there is no need to wait for MOM to implement the no transfer rule. The employer has the right to consent or not to the transfer. If you feel that the maid does not treat you right as an employer and there is no outstanding loan left that your agent would force you to bear as a result of sending the maid home, you have every right to send her back. After all, the maids are not citizens or PRs having a permanent right to live or work here. They are only here because you hired them. Their rightful place, if they are not interested in fulfilling their contract, is their own country, not with another employer. The other employer can incur the hefty cost in bringing in the maid of their choice, if they so wish.

How are you going to load the dishes?

osim:

Can I put a standalone dishwasher on top of my washing machine? Thinking perhaps it can share water inlet and outlet with the wm. cannot put beside my wm because has counter already.

Thanks Icemountain. I do use rinse aid. I have just done a major clean out of the filter and used Oust descaler. Hoping to see a difference when I next use it. Also trying out yet another brand - Somat powder detergent. I don’t see Seventh Generation dishwasher gel in the supermarkets anymore. But I found environmentally friendly and highly rated Smarty Dish tabs in HomeFix at a reasonable price but not keen to use tabs.

Thanks Icemountain for the detergent tip. May I confirm that it is not necessary to use dishwasher salt based on Singapore water condition?


I have halved the Finish Advanced Double Action tabs but still find a film on the dishes sometimes and it requires an additional rinse.

Hi does anyone have any recommendations on detergent? I have been using Seventh Generation automatic dishwasher gel but I am thinking of changing to something stronger. Just tried Finish Advanced Double Action Power Tabs but find that they leave a residue on the plates which require an additional rinse.

Jetsetter I would like to see the fees of those new centres before concluding that government subsidies will result in affordable rates. The old bungalows can be owned by private owners and rents have gone up according to PSH. Also, happy land for kids can be found in much cheaper options. Some church kindergartens have much larger grounds and no rental pressures.


Working parents precisely like to spend more quality time with their children during the weekends, not on enrichment classes.