Tagging Tuna :)

Why some employers go everywhere with their maid?

Why not? The luxurious life in Singapore. :)

This morning, I was helping my friend with her RSVP card for her wedding. One of the card said that the guest would come with her whole family AND HER MAID.

Just like any stressed out bride-to-be, she started ranting for a bit. "Why on earth are they taking their maids with them??? I sometimes wonder??!! It's my wedding!!! Food is served! And you basically sit down and eat! Do you need to be fed by the maid??? Or why is there the need for the maid to be there! It's $100 worth of food here!!! "

A little lost, I extended my arm & handed over my Royce chocolate in the hope to calm her down. "I'M ON DIET!!!!"

Ok ... that didn't work.

Why wouldn't she be? Her wedding is coming, she's nervous, she's probably not even sure about this whole marriage thing, her low sugar level is driving her nuts - typical isn't it?

Mandy, probably the most calm among us all, said that it seems to be a norm here in Singapore. So, the debate started.

Which the bride seemed more willing to indulge than to really stress about her RSVP cards.

"I know too many people who goes everywhere with their maids. On one hand I can understand where they are coming from. Especially if there have kids, young babies or senior citizen. You kindda understand that they need help when they are out. Imagine dealing with children running off while you are trying to assemble the pram. You need more than 2 hands!"

"But my wedding!!!! Honestly??!! Do they go everywhere with their maid? Like a dolphin with a tagging tuna!" Sara, the bride squelled.

Notice that I kept my mouth shut here? ;) Never get into water which is already boiling - you will be burnt! I did, however take a mental note of the "tagging tuna" term she just used.

I understand her predicament. Taking maids to wedding is still rare here. You still see people taking maids to birthday parties though. I have seen too many parties where among the guests, you see the maids chasing after the kids.

Maybe Mandy is right. Mandy thinks that the parents have been working all week. And when they go to parties, they do not feel like dealing with petty things that their children may create. They may not even want to deal with any tantrums at all. They just get the maid to deal with them.

It is quite understandable when there are some actvities involved. Like when there is swimming involved. You may need an extra hand to take one child out of the pool etc. Or when you go to a friend's for dinner & she doesn't have a live in maid - bringing yours and having her help out with the dishes would help your friend out a bit. That makes a bit more sense.

But to a wedding or to a kid's birthday party where all you actually do is just eat & socialise, do you really need a maid to be around for that?

Mandy claimed that usually both parents work during the week. Therefore the maid spends more time with the children & therefore knows how to deal with them more than the parents. Hmmm, it's hard to really imagine that but I have to agree that I do have parents going to kids party & actually have little contact with the kids.

I do take my maid to my friend's place whereby they do not have a live in maid. But it's not too much on the kids but more on helping out with the dishes, making their lives easier so they could actually sit down & sit with us while the maid help clean up the mess.

I have two tiny kids which do make them sigh in relief to have their place all clean when we leave their premises.

Having said that, I do everything else without a maid. If my husband is around (and therefore already extra hand to help), I do not take my maid with me. Maybe it's just me but I felt like it may put the host in an awkward position. Plus it's nice to have family time with just us four.

While I'm not against people who does, it did create a good debate which calm our little miss princess.

The discussion saved the day :)