Singapore Sling The threat of the 'maid-to-order generation' By Rennie Loh	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
メイド付き世代 シンガポールールでは、外国人のメイドを雇っている家庭は珍しくありません。働いている母親にとって、家事にかかる時間と手間が省けることはうれしいことですが、その反面、身の回りの世話をメイドに任せっきりの若者の将来には不安が残ります。

They lead a cushy, carefree lifestyle and have grown up with maids all their lives. If possible, they would have maids for their own children too. When asked by pollsters to rate on a scale of 10 how dependent they were on their maids, most gave between 6 and 8. As a generation, they do not yet have a name. However, young people in Singapore may as well be called the "maid-to-order generation."

The 104 young people, aged 16 to 19, who took part in this survey conducted by a local newspaper, have had maids living with them for at least five years. They claim that they are not hopeless when it comes to household chores, but that they are plain lazy or simply expect the maid to do her job. The survey revealed the extent to which Singaporean teenagers' are dependent on maids to do chores they dislike, mainly cooking, mopping, and doing the laundry, the ironing and the dishes. The survey concluded that the youngsters reliance on maids has caused them to be lazy or ill-prepared for independent adulthood, unless parents have played an active role in setting the house rules.

Some youngsters say that their parents will insist on their doing certain chores, like making their own beds and cleaning up the mess they have made. Chen Ting, 16, said, "My mother insists that I have to bring my cups and plates to the sink after I have used them and also to make my own bed every morning."

In contrast, some kids are simply spoiled. They expect to be waited on hand and foot by their maids. A maid who spoke to me under anonymity said that the daughter of her employer once told her to change the TV channel for her, while the son made her fetch something for him from the next room.

Maid employment is a common social phenomenon in Singapore. Maids come from neighboring countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. Today, about one-in-seven households have a maid to do the family's every bidding. Singaporean women usually work — unless they can afford not to financially — after marriage or even when they have young children. Like their spouse, they contribute significantly to the household income. To working mums, it is more cost-effective to employ maids to assist them in non-income generating activities.

Maids also help them to free up their time to pursue leisure activities outside work and home. "With my maid around to help me in my housework and tend to the needs of my 19-year-old son, I can afford to attend ballroom dancing class after work," said Ng, a working mother in her late 40s.

At times, maids seem to be forced into the role of surrogate mothers, performing duties like disciplining the children and ensuring they complete their school work. What many have failed to recognize is that these maids are basically general workers who may not have the necessary skills and experience to undertake such responsibilities.

It goes without saying the economic successes or failures of young people in Singapore are crucial for the nation. The "maid-to-order generation" will soon carry the burden of supporting the economic growth engines powered by the fast-aging society. Singapore's young people are all the more important given the country has literally no natural resources. Its only competitive edge has always been its labor force.

Associate Prof. Tan Teng Kee of the Nanyang Business School lamented, "With maids and doting parents, life is getting too comfortable for the younger generation. This kills their entrepreneurial drive." Perhaps, this explains why Singapore is not a fertile breeding ground for homegrown entrepreneurs. Why would one give up one's secure nine-to-five job or cushy lifestyle in return for the risks and uncertainties of being an entrepreneur?

Lim, a mother, begged to differ, saying, "Having a maid allowed more time for my child to concentrate on her studies, come up with new ideas and experiment freely. My child will not have to be weighed down by mundane household chores." She added, "Though depending too much on maids may make some children lazy, these kids may also be the ones who come up with brilliant ideas. We must not forget that an easy-going lifestyle is also linked to creativity."

Though maid employment is affordable and seems like a quick-fix to time-consuming and laborious household chores, parents should be mindful that their children may not learn to fend for themselves or learn good, old-fashioned hard work. Dependency on maids also breeds complacency and may diminish the entrepreneurship spirit among younger generations raised in households with maids. So, unless parents impose some house rules or set good examples for these youngsters to emulate, this growing "maid-to-order generation" will pose a social and economic threat to Singapore.

Shukan ST: May 31, 2002

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