- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
Apr 21, 2010
Let the term 'maid' be laid to rest
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I AGREE with the views expressed by Professor Kishore Mahbubani last Wednesday, 'What are Singapore's core values?'.
Singapore has come a long way and its achievements are lauded as those of a developed country. Yet, when it comes to 'good manners and right conduct', it still has a long way to go.
For starters, the term 'maid' has to be laid to rest. There is no longer any reason for that word to exist in modern day Singapore.
In my family, we refer to them as 'girls' as we do not have daughters, only sons. More importantly, they have been hired to help so they are not called maids.
When my son Sebastian was in Primary 1, his nanny went to his school to give him his antibiotics and some other medication. In the canteen, she could not find him but one of the classmates shouted out: 'Sebastian, your maid is here.' My son replied coldly: 'She is not my maid, she is my auntie.'
The nanny related the incident to us as she was touched by his sensitivity. I have never been so proud of him. I guess my sons have never heard their parents refer to the helpers as maids and learnt from there.
Maria Chan (Mrs)
Let the term 'maid' be laid to rest
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I AGREE with the views expressed by Professor Kishore Mahbubani last Wednesday, 'What are Singapore's core values?'.
Singapore has come a long way and its achievements are lauded as those of a developed country. Yet, when it comes to 'good manners and right conduct', it still has a long way to go.
For starters, the term 'maid' has to be laid to rest. There is no longer any reason for that word to exist in modern day Singapore.
In my family, we refer to them as 'girls' as we do not have daughters, only sons. More importantly, they have been hired to help so they are not called maids.
When my son Sebastian was in Primary 1, his nanny went to his school to give him his antibiotics and some other medication. In the canteen, she could not find him but one of the classmates shouted out: 'Sebastian, your maid is here.' My son replied coldly: 'She is not my maid, she is my auntie.'
The nanny related the incident to us as she was touched by his sensitivity. I have never been so proud of him. I guess my sons have never heard their parents refer to the helpers as maids and learnt from there.
Maria Chan (Mrs)
