Extracted from The Straits
Times
By Krist Boo
BEN (not his real name) went berserk when his mother fired their
maid a few months ago. Though only four, he began screaming at his
mother, saying he hated her.
The reason was clear enough to his mother, who did not want to be
named: She had got rid of his emotional blanket.
Like many children here, Ben was left primarily in the care of a
maid shortly after his mother's maternity leave ended.
He is still dealing with the maid's departure and wraps himself in
her T-shirt when he sleeps. He is not the only child struggling to
come to grips with problems that arise when maids double as
mums.
In interviews with The Straits Times, experts and parents warned
that parents who leave maids with the lion's share of child-rearing
may be creating an emotional void in their children.
While they busy themselves earning a living, their children pass
their days talking to imaginary friends.
Unknown to them, some coax classmates who have mothers looking
after them full-time to let them hang out in their homes, where
they enjoy an adult's attention.
Some learn to lie.
Signs that over-dependence on maids could lead to problems are
popping up elsewhere too.
A preliminary study of 445 case studies done at the Institute of
Mental Health (IMH) recently showed that 12.5 per cent of children
taken care of by maids show behaviour such as defying their
parents, playing truant and stealing. It is 10 per cent among those
minded by their parents.
Even in pre-school, teachers are able to spot those who are cared
for mostly by maids and those who are not.
ben, without your mum, there wont be a maid in the
first place.
looking at such incident.... would you still want
to get yourself or your child a maid in future?
