KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

Our family has a maid for the last 7yrs, since my first DS was borne. Now that DS is in P2 and DD in K1, I am thinking of leaving doing away with a maid and leave them in Student Care and Child Care (by the way, both kids has been in Child Care since they were 18mths). But Hubby thinks we need a maid at home.

Any Mummies can share if you have the same issue with your Hubbies? How to convince Hubbies the advantages of no maid? Any real cost savings? Kids become more independent? Hubbies more hands-on in taking care of kids?

I have no idea about this,but i get information about your question.

Are you able to handle all the laundry, housework and cooking?
Who will be taking leave when the child falls sick or when the centre closes?
If you can answer all question above, i do not see a major problem why should your hubby protest.
Having no maid is definitely cost saving for us and we enjoy more privacy and space.

Can consider getting a part-time maid to come in once a week to do some cleaning work, so that you only need to worry about cooking, washing clothes and dishes on your own.

Your hubby is not keen to do away with the maid becos it will mean he has more work to do n less free time for himself. Unless, of course, if you are willing to be maid/driver/tutor all by yourself.

Nopes, I can't be convinced that we don't need a maid.

Fact is, we do. Household chores aplenty.

Sorry if I sound spoilt.

After 6months of dilemma whether to send the maid off earlier, and hard-selling of the idea of "maidless" to my hubby, I am officially going to send my maid off next month. I show hubby that 2 kids attending tuition for all subjects costs me more than $1K per month. Plus, the car which I am driving to/fro work and the maid salary and levy, I am left with practically nothing.

I told hubby that I am able to take over all the academic coaching, forgo the luxury of driving my own car, forgo the early/half-yearly overseas holiday, close 2 eyes to the dust accumulating at home (anyway the home has never been kept to the clean condition that I wanted it to be with a maid).

Furthermore, with the kids in kindergarten and lower primary, it is still better to have a parent always talking to them after their class giving them more attention, and not leaving it to the maid to do the communication with the kids.

Now, I shall look forward to spending more time with the kids, teaching them life skills so that they will be more independent.

Dilemma-mom wrote:After 6months of dilemma whether to send the maid off earlier, and hard-selling of the idea of "maidless" to my hubby, I am officially going to send my maid off next month. I show hubby that 2 kids attending tuition for all subjects costs me more than $1K per month. Plus, the car which I am driving to/fro work and the maid salary and levy, I am left with practically nothing.

I told hubby that I am able to take over all the academic coaching, forgo the luxury of driving my own car, forgo the early/half-yearly overseas holiday, close 2 eyes to the dust accumulating at home (anyway the home has never been kept to the clean condition that I wanted it to be with a maid).

Furthermore, with the kids in kindergarten and lower primary, it is still better to have a parent always talking to them after their class giving them more attention, and not leaving it to the maid to do the communication with the kids.

Now, I shall look forward to spending more time with the kids, teaching them life skills so that they will be more independent.

u mean that u will be a SAHM soon?

Hi jjxy mum,

Yes, I am now officially a SAHM. I have quitted my permanent job 3 yrs ago, working on-and-off on contract basis. Now, I have informed the recruitment company which I have been working with, that I no longer want to work regardless of whether permanent or contract basis.

I used to work in finance line, working past midnight during month-end or year-end closing. Financially, I find that ultimately the money earned was spent on the tuition, maid, car and holiday, leaving little or not much saving. Maybe the only saving is the CPF contribution and the occasional splurge that I have.

Being a SAHM, I have to be mindful of my spending. Every cents spend, is every cents lost 'cos I can no longer replenish the loss in my bank balance. I begin to "Unlike" the airline FB and online boutique, so that I don't get tempt by the offer.

Emotionally, I begin to connect more with my kids cos I have a one-to-one time with each kid when I pick them from school.

To be a SAHM, I need to forgo financial freedom. Frankly speaking, I am still trying to adjust to the changes. I hope my kids will grow up appreciating and remembering the time we spend together.

CONGRATS!!! I feel very happy for you.