S'porean employer says the maid never finishes her meal when they eat out, asks S'poreans if it's mean to tell her to eat at home before going out

Independent Singapore

22-04-2025

SINGAPORE: 'When I take her to the grocery store, I always take her to eat with me too, but she never finishes her meal.' An employer took to an online forum on Monday (April 21) to air her frustrations about her new domestic helper of one month, claiming her work quality is mediocre and expressing confusion over her eating habits.
While the post drew mixed reactions, several users urged the employer to be patient, reminding her that it's only been a month and that helpers often need time to adjust and learn.
'Just hired a helper…' the post read. 'She has been staying with us for less than a month, and so far she has not been up to my standard. She told me she can iron, cook and clean well…but to be honest, it's (mediocre). I need to tell her to re-iron because everything is still wrinkly…have to tell her twice about cleaning because she always misses a spot or three.'
The employer also claimed that when they do groceries and eat out, the helper never finishes her food. She admitted this annoys her. 'This kind of ticks me off,' she shared. 'Even though let's say the meal is only less than S$10…still, it's like she doesn't appreciate things.'
After airing her frustrations on the forum, she asked Singaporeans if it would make her evil if she told her helper to eat at home first before they went somewhere.
A handful of online users responded to the post. A common theme that came up was the anticipated learning curve that comes with hiring a new maid.
'You need to give her proper training to meet your expectations,' said one, who also urged the employer to make sure that her expectations are 'realistic'.
'Don't expect five-star service and you'll be fine,' the comment added. 'A helper's role is to relieve some household burdens, and their work won't be perfect. But it really sounds like your helper's issues are minor. My helper doesn't like to eat outside meals and prefers her own cooking, so I only get something small for her when we're out as a snack. Talk to her about it…she might not like the food you're eating, or the portion is too big for her, yet you expect her to finish it and be grateful?'
Others echoed the same sentiments, saying that when it comes to household work, the helper could learn over time. As for the employer's concerns about the food, a few questioned why the writer seemed to equate not finishing one's food to a sign of ungratefulness, arguing that there could be other reasons behind it.
In similar news, a woman took to social media to vent out her frustrations with how her mother allegedly treats her helper. The writer claimed that her mother treats the domestic worker poorly and threatens to cut her salary.
See also: Maid gets treated poorly and threatened with a salary cut by her employer, who doesn't want to fire her
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