Is having house helpers necessary?

[Roseline492]

Down here in Africa, middle class can't pay for a house help and they don't bother about it because it's not a necessity. Only the rich can afford to pay for house help, because their wives are always lazy and don't like doing house chores. Most times, they provide accommodation for the house help to stay with them.

That's right because the reason why the middle class doesn't bother having a house help is not about not finding them helpful but is because there wages or salaries is not enough to go round and still left the amount to pay the help, so actually I think that's one of the things OP failed to understand about this, however people see helpers as commoners but they have forgotten is also a work that has been very important but are undermining the value on the society because they cover up a lot of areas domestically in someone's home. In terms of accommodation there scope of work usually required that to be efficient.

[AmaGold70]

Recently, I found out that not all countries commonly have house helpers. I am not talking about really rich people but only those in middle class. A lot of them have house helpers and this seems to be common in countries in southeast asia. It seems like families of middle class from other cultures do not have house helpers.

It has been said that these house helpers allow the people to join workforce. For example with Singapore, a lot of the women work in offices because they have house helpers doing house chores for them and taking care of their children.

I am guessing that the reason why this is a cultural difference is because domestic help is an industry often common where countries have limited job opportunities and have a big income inequality. Can the normalization of domestic help in middle-class households perpetuate class divisions?

For some, it is necessary and for some people it is not necessary, I have these phobia for house helps because of the sad stories I've seen on the internet about leaving your kids at home with house helps, many rich folks around here have house helps and that's understandable because they really need the help considering the big houses they live in.

House helps are total strangers and I would never leave my kids in their care, my partner and I will have to find a way around our jobs and running the household especially our kids and if I'm going to have a house help in future I will have to install some CCTV cameras around the house in every corner of the house to ensure the safety of the kids.

[IIrik11]

Lolz, that's your own fear. There's an agency for these kinds of people and even though you have this fear that something might happen to your home, I'm sure that you may get compensated should someone whom you hired from the said agency does you dirty.

Only if you hire a Gypsy.

Usually people don't hire some strangers from the street. There is companies who provide these services, they work offiicially. And if something is gone from your home, person who did will have big problems.

not in india u don't

here people usually hire maids just from word-of-mouth reference

like asking neighbour or a friend 'do u know someone who cleans/cooks'?

and they hire them without even doing a police background in most cases

also, there was an incident in ghaziabad a family kept getting sick and they had no idea why

they ate healthy home made food (cooked by their maid ) and doctors couldn't find a reason

so they installed cctv cameras inside the house without telling the maid

and then found out the maid was feeding them her own piss in their food

don't believe me???.. here's the news:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/shocking-incident-cook-uses-urine-to-make-familys-rotis-leading-to-illness-and-arrest/articleshow/114294054.cms

and there are other incidents where maid/nanny kept beating owner's kids when left alone

stole things, made false accusations of rape etc.

nah man! i'd rather live in a small house and clean and cook myself than hire a maid 

[Lolipo]

It's common if the couple are working professionals. They don't have time to clean, to cook and even to take care of their children. So, the time that someone is going to spend in doing all of the chores that are assigned to them, they get paid well for that. While the couple professionals are working and both of them are helping in finances. It becomes necessary nowadays I think not just in the middle class but even the poor ones when they start to have more time to work and realizes that it will consume them a lot of time if they'll do the chores. So, hiring one is leveraging their time and using it wisely so they can be more productive with what they do.

Yes sir but also it's also a way of helping the poor, when u take a househelp from a poor home you have actually helped the parents in taking care of that child and if it's a good family that took the child, they will send her to school and take care of the child's need.

Lolz, that's your own fear. There's an agency for these kinds of people and even though you have this fear that something might happen to your home, I'm sure that you may get compensated should someone whom you hired from the said agency does you dirty.

Only if you hire a Gypsy.

Usually people don't hire some strangers from the street. There is companies who provide these services, they work offiicially. And if something is gone from your home, person who did will have big problems.

not in india u don't

here people usually hire maids just from word-of-mouth reference

like asking neighbour or a friend 'do u know someone who cleans/cooks'?

and they hire them without even doing a police background in most cases

also, there was an incident in ghaziabad a family kept getting sick and they had no idea why

they ate healthy home made food (cooked by their maid ) and doctors couldn't find a reason

so they installed cctv cameras inside the house without telling the maid

and then found out the maid was feeding them her own piss in their food

don't believe me???.. here's the news:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/shocking-incident-cook-uses-urine-to-make-familys-rotis-leading-to-illness-and-arrest/articleshow/114294054.cms

and there are other incidents where maid/nanny kept beating owner's kids when left alone

stole things, made false accusations of rape etc.

nah man! i'd rather live in a small house and clean and cook myself than hire a maid 

Exactly we have actually seen a case of a maid puting a child inside a fridge just because the baby was crying, the best thing is to manage our homes or rather we can take someone from either the wife's side or husband's side, things de happen now oh

[Lolipo]

This is a very important and at the same time a mind twisting question, getting a house is good but the big question is this 'did the person taking the house help make enquiry about the background of the family ' I think most family that both the parents are professionals are the once that needs house help, at times children will return from school and they won't see anybody at home, some of those children are left alone in the house and you know that children's mind are fragile. House helps are good but the most important thing is getting from a good family, make we no go carry wahala into our homes all in the name that we need house helps.

[o48o]

-cut-
water bill
sewer bill. this is about 50k
-cut-

This is the first time i have even heard that some people in the world have separate sewer bill, as my whole life i have paid for one single bill for water utility services. That includes fresh water from the tap and all waste/storm water treatment.

But when it comes to OP:s question, i never had house helpers in my life. I have enough free time to do household jobs, and roomba is doing the hoovering for me.

Helpers might save time depending on your work / housing situation, but in terms of cost / benefit, i don't really need any help.

[Akbarkoe]

Having a domestic helper can be considered both essential and unimportant. If you're pursuing a career and have a demanding job, you need to hire a domestic helper. However, if you hire a domestic helper simply because you're lazy, or because you're incapable of completing household chores like cleaning, cooking, childcare, and so on, you're in a bad position. You should have prepared for these things before starting your marriage.

I apologize in advance if anyone is offended, but one thing you need to realize is that domestic helpers are usually people with low levels of education. If they're only hired to clean, cook, and do other household chores, I don't think this is a problem. But how can you trust them to care for your children, whose education is quite low and their knowledge is still quite limited?

[Solodoski]

Recently, I found out that not all countries commonly have house helpers. I am not talking about really rich people but only those in middle class. A lot of them have house helpers and this seems to be common in countries in southeast asia. It seems like families of middle class from other cultures do not have house helpers.

It has been said that these house helpers allow the people to join workforce. For example with Singapore, a lot of the women work in offices because they have house helpers doing house chores for them and taking care of their children.

I am guessing that the reason why this is a cultural difference is because domestic help is an industry often common where countries have limited job opportunities and have a big income inequality. Can the normalization of domestic help in middle-class households perpetuate class divisions?

I think house help is necessary when the both parents are working, aside this reason I don't think it's necessary.  Some people might say it's very expensive to keep a house help, but when the both parents are working they definitely have more income for the family and that might help for the salary of the house help and also keep the family running.
Personally I would prefer my spouse to own a business of her own, so it gives her time to run the family and also have time for the kids, because I feel it's better for the kids to spend more time with their parents rather than a house help.

[LTU_btc]

not in india u don't
here people usually hire maids just from word-of-mouth reference
like asking neighbour or a friend 'do u know someone who cleans/cooks'?
and they hire them without even doing a police background in most cases
also, there was an incident in ghaziabad a family kept getting sick and they had no idea why
they ate healthy home made food (cooked by their maid ) and doctors couldn't find a reason
so they installed cctv cameras inside the house without telling the maid
and then found out the maid was feeding them her own piss in their food
don't believe me???.. here's the news:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/shocking-incident-cook-uses-urine-to-make-familys-rotis-leading-to-illness-and-arrest/articleshow/114294054.cms
and there are other incidents where maid/nanny kept beating owner's kids when left alone
stole things, made false accusations of rape etc.
nah man! i'd rather live in a small house and clean and cook myself than hire a maid 

Damn, that's really scary. She must be mad to do such things. If I would find that maid was doing such thing to my and my family food, I don't know what Iwould do for her. But be sure that she would regret doing such things for the rest of her life.
But this is what happens when you hire random strangers from streets. Different cultures, but here where I live I can't imagine such things happening.

[Apocollapse]

I think house help is necessary when the both parents are working, aside this reason I don't think it's necessary.  Some people might say it's very expensive to keep a house help, but when the both parents are working they definitely have more income for the family and that might help for the salary of the house help and also keep the family running.
Personally I would prefer my spouse to own a business of her own, so it gives her time to run the family and also have time for the kids, because I feel it's better for the kids to spend more time with their parents rather than a house help.

Lol.

First you said both parents who are working should hire a house help to take care the house and family. Which mean there are only two choices:

1. If only the husband is working, the wife can take care the house and kids.
2. If both parents are working, hire house helper.

Now why you're expect more the wife to do both by take care the house + kids and making money? why do you expect more when you're not giving more?

[POPOLUV]

Having house helpers is very necessary in the situation where by the both parents are working class, since the both parents  are working, it is necessary to employe a house helpers to be around the house that will be in  charge of the house work, like taking good care of the children that is coming up, also house helpers that will be keeping the compound and inside room clean and also house helpers is very necessary in the categories of people that are kings, governor's and presidents of a country, this are categories of people do employe professional helpers that can deliver in their duties given to them in the government house or kinds house because there are allot of work that required the needs of house helpers, this categories of people doesn't have time to do anything for their self.

[aioc]

Domestic helpers are a growing industry in our country due to a lack of job opportunities in the provinces. It also serves as a training ground for them to work abroad, where they can earn ten times more than they do here.
The average salary of house helpers here is $100, making it economical to hire one if you have a business, or if both you and your wife are working.
House helpers are necessary here in our country because they give jobs, and house helpers make life easy for the family so they can keep their business running.

[DeathAngel]

If you can afford it & you have a really busy work & social life then why not. Some people just don’t like doing chores, I don’t see it as a negative if you can pay somebody to do it for you. It’s not like modern slavery, these people do it as a job. In some countries, self employed cleaners & people who do laundry can earn well.

[Ishicryptic]

House help have become necessary in this age where men and women go out to work to earn money, they leave home quite early and come back late, it is the house helps that takes care of their homes and children. In most developed countries I believe that for an average family to have house helps will not be easy because labor is expensive but in undeveloped countries where there is high unemployment rate people who don't earn much can still afford house helps because labor is very cheap. In my country people who are not very rich can afford house helps and drivers because many people are willing to receive very poor salaries compared to developed countries where their governments protects the rights of people that works for private people.

[EluguHcman]

It becomes normal not just because there are people who also wants to work as domestic helper. The people in Singapore for example is not going to do the house chores and take care of their elderly as they also have future plans for themselves. They are pursuing careers.

Those who has the need to make money while has the passion to do house chores and take care of kids or elderly, I guess can do the work for them. If domestic helper is an industry, then it must have been worth it for them that middle class can pay high.

But what I know is they also live in the same house. Isn't this a modern day slavery?

I guess it is because the house helpers either don't have right of their own while in the same house with their masters or mistresses.
They don't do the house chores at their please regarded that they are human with limitations of energies to do work but stick to the superior orders of high disciplines while living in the house with whole lot of principles even when those rules are unbearable.

They are obviously helpless that they can not make decisions of their own, not even for a second and most of the employers do not not practice humanity towards them (house helps). They scold and trolls at them for every single mistake done like they are expected to work tirelessly and perfected like the AI.
And at the end what happens? Some of them only earns penny just because life has been so hard for them in the outside world where there is no job of sustainability. In other words... Has lost right of themselves for daily breads.

[robelneo]

Recently, I found out that not all countries commonly have house helpers. I am not talking about really rich people but only those in middle class. A lot of them have house helpers and this seems to be common in countries in southeast asia. It seems like families of middle class from other cultures do not have house helpers.

It’s different here in our country; house helpers are considered essential. If you have a business or are a single parent working in a big company, you will be surprised to learn that even daily wage earners have their house helpers.
House helpers are cheap here in our country; the basic salary is $120 a month. It’s easy to get one by providing their fare from the province. They just want to get out of the countryside and try their luck in the city, and being a house helper is their escape.

[Joy- maker]

house helpers aka maid are very expensive

and middle class people cannot afford them is the main reason

am hearing this for the first-time that house helpers are very expensive, although I don't know your country, but am seeing this your statement above to be true, maybe house helpers might be expensive in your country to the extend that an average man can't afford them, but in my country is different even a low income earner can afford a house helper, because House helpers are not expensive in my country.

plus if i leave my home alone with a maid in charge

i might come back to an empty house

buddy I doubt if this is possible, because haven't heard nor seen that some left his or her  home with a maid in charge and then came back to an empty house one day. Even if I see this your statement above to be true it's rare to hear nor see such thing happen. But in my country leaving a house maid in charge of the home is normal thing for us, we can even leave our kids with a house maid and travel for months and the say we will come back home everything will be in other, and the kids will be in good conditions and in good health.

[Danica22]

Recently, I found out that not all countries commonly have house helpers. I am not talking about really rich people but only those in middle class. A lot of them have house helpers and this seems to be common in countries in southeast asia. It seems like families of middle class from other cultures do not have house helpers.

It has been said that these house helpers allow the people to join workforce. For example with Singapore, a lot of the women work in offices because they have house helpers doing house chores for them and taking care of their children.

I am guessing that the reason why this is a cultural difference is because domestic help is an industry often common where countries have limited job opportunities and have a big income inequality. Can the normalization of domestic help in middle-class households perpetuate class divisions?

Good point kotajikikox, but it is not only cultural, it is something that also builds up class walls to having the middle classes use helpers too.



Yeah, in Singapore, there are more than 230000 migrant domestic workers who are barely earning one-third of the median income but are considered as the backbone of working women by taking up unpaid home care positions, with majority of the workers unprotected by the Employment Act and some finding themselves in forced-labour conditions as studies conducted on women by International Labour Organization and UN. So such divide doesn't flatten inequality, it locks it in by creating a care class on the unseen side of privilege.

[IjawMan]

I think house help is necessary when the both parents are working, aside this reason I don't think it's necessary.  Some people might say it's very expensive to keep a house help, but when the both parents are working they definitely have more income for the family and that might help for the salary of the house help and also keep the family running.
Personally I would prefer my spouse to own a business of her own, so it gives her time to run the family and also have time for the kids, because I feel it's better for the kids to spend more time with their parents rather than a house help.

Lol.

First you said both parents who are working should hire a house help to take care the house and family. Which mean there are only two choices:

1. If only the husband is working, the wife can take care the house and kids.
2. If both parents are working, hire house helper.

Now why you're expect more the wife to do both by take care the house + kids and making money? why do you expect more when you're not giving more?

In his thoughts the business will give the wife more time to spend with the kids and do her homely duties for which a job will not because she will be under a boss who hands her instructions when to resume, close or approve her leave when due. But in the business she will be here own boss in charge of her time.

Surprisingly the business takes more time than a job would. You have to give time to a growing business for it to gain life and be thoroughly established. If you don't give it your time it won't survive.

 How is it then that a house wife will have the time to as well be present at home, caring for the kids and the family all together.

The solution be it for a job or business is to hire a house help provided both parents are engaged in a source of income be it business or an employed job.

[Agbamoni]

no dining out

so paying the 17k is really hard and that is only for 4 hours a day 5 days a week

this is typical if you are in New Jersey USA

so if you have 50

The real reason you should consider having a househelp is not to feel comfortable not doing any house chores. It should be about having more time to focus on what actually gives you more money. So the more time you have to spend on those things, the more money you make to cover up the house help's payment. Take a look at it this way, if the value of your time is worth more than what you do pay them, I think you should consider it more.