I have a lot of friends who secretly have a live-in maid (usually Indonesian). I say secretly because people, women especially don't like to publicize that they have a maid taking care of their children. There is a feeling of inadequacy in the air when you tell people you have a maid. As if you don't love your children as much since you are willing to put them in the care of an Indonesian lady.
I don't get it.
So, your Indonesian maid is not a person who deserve the benefit of the doubt? So, she doesn't have a heart with the capability of loving your children (never the same as you love your kids of course) too? So, if she's a foreigner then she's definitely going to feed your kids dirt and hit your children when you're not looking? Why so gloom?
Alhamdulillah. I have a maid who is patient with my boisterous toddler. I have a maid who is gentle with my sweet 2-month old boy. I have a maid who can take my mood swings and sometimes prudish nature and turn it into something we both can talk about and laugh at together sometimes.
I am her employer, I am her boss but I also consider myself her daughter-like friend. And many times, I am the one learning from her the art of parenting. She learns from me and I learn from her too.
Without her, I won't be able to have my morning runs. Without her, I won't be able to have my me time to keep me sane. Without her, I won't be able to go for circles or talks and have a peace of mind enough to listen to what is being discussed. Without her, I won't be able to do a lot of things. When I am able to do something good (unrelated to motherhood) because of her, I will send a small prayer that she will receive some of the rewards (pahala) too.
Don't get me wrong. WAHM, SAHM, working mommies who look for the best babysitter for their children or best nurseries for their children - they all have my respect in their choices of childcare. But please, take a more positive outlook towards foreign live-in maids.
Yes, there are a lot of very bad apples out there and it's compulsory to be careful. But not all of them are monsters. A lot of them are mothers trying to make a living for their children too. They are all human beings.
Yes, you are taking a chance with them but aren't we all are in life?
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