According to Chinese culture, a kind boss should treat domestic workers as family members.
This is why some Hong Kong employers often ask their domestic workers to take food freely from the refrigerator and invite their maids to have dinner together with the family at the same table.
However, domestic workers may have different views. They may prefer not to take any food from the refrigerator for themselves and have their dinner alone in the kitchen. Many of them intend to keep a distance from their bosses.
It is hard for some Hong Kong employers to understand why their kind suggestions are rejected.
Fortunately, a woman has finally solved her long-standing puzzlement about her domestic worker’s meal preferences after she talked to some Filipino maids.
She realised that her intention to provide good food to her domestic workers might not have been the best idea, as many maids prefer to get the standard food allowance of HK$1,053 (US$135) and make their favorite dishes such as adobo, which consists of meat or seafood in vinegar and soy sauce.
Many domestic workers intend to keep a distance from their bosses as a way to show their respects. Some others are worried that a close relationship may come with a heavier workload. Many maids prefer to take their dinner in the kitchen alone simply because they want a private time after a full day of work.
Thinking from the domestic workers’ perspectives is what an employer should do.
(Updated at 11:50pm on Dec. 15, 2017)
Good employer…
Wew… Just want a free bfast … ???? idont ask for adobo or pinoy way of cooking food… Just free coffee nd biscuit… Shud be fine????
I thank God, that my employer have a good heart, both families they treat me like their family .i wish some employer like them they should understand the maid setuation.
Yes, indeed. I always eat alone and very seldom to eat with my employer outside. For more than a year with them, I only had dinner with them during chinese new year and another one with my female employer. It’s not that I don’t want to be with them but eating foods that we don’t eat or usually like is much more embarassing in front of them.
My Employer also is a good and favored employer thy are kind and got a good hearted..i pray for them also. ..
God Bless you kind employer..more favor from God be upon your family..you will recieved our declaration into your family. You are a Blessings to others..
One comment I heard was that families using serving plates do not adhere to the same rules at home as they do in a restaurant.
Thanks ASIA TIMES…this post is more than words can say…this will also help employers minimizing on their thoughts of counting how much we ate the whole day…while we donestic helpers were giving employers what their money can’t buy…AND THAT IS "WE DOMESTIC WORKERS" WERE DOING THE RESPONSIBILITIES WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY PARENTS MUST DO FOR THEIR CHILDREN ..????????????
This is the most love Asia times had been
postedI so far.. MAY GOD BLESS YOU.
I don’t have problem eating with my boss as i am incharge with the kitchen and the fridge as well,they like it when i could cook different dishes that are new to their taste,we do eat together and have fun talking while eating our meals,i don’t keep distance from them so that’s why they treat me as a family member,they never question about my marketing money they even told me to buy whatever food i want to eat and just take it from her own money,i think employer and helper knows what’s best for both of them,i’m so thankful to have a second family here in hongkong and they are also thankful to have me,we do laugh like friends and shares ideas like family…it is still important to be very close with our boss because we do live in the same house after all
Share n share para mabasa nila
Hahaha i’m one of those many who intended to keep distance to their boss, and yeah, its bec having a very close relationship includes heavier workload..
I got lucky .????????????????..my employer gave me when i requested to have my food allowance …they decided it for 1 month..????????…but the result is worth the wait…i always eat my favorite food now.. foods that we like to eat together with my kids when I was in the Philippines ????????????????????…less homesick if you are able to eat your home country foods..????????..
Talagang ang buhay natina bilang Domestic Helper ay iba iba din me mapalad at.meron din hindi nabibiyayaan hindi man tayo lahat ay naging mapalad sa mga amo.at masasabi ko ko din na isa ako sa mga pinagkalooban ni LORD ng mabait at itinuring akong hindi iba sa kanila.,since nag start ako nag work sa amo ko way back 1997 ay sabay sabay na kami kumakain in one Table..sabi ni amo ko pareho lang daw kami nandito ako to work with them to help look after her FAMILY para makapagwork din siya para sa Family niya at ganon din ako .nagpunta ako dito para magtrabaho to earn money for my Family .So all we need is to help each other.manager ako sa oggice namin at ikaw naman ang manager dito sa bahay yan ang sabi niya.awa ni LORD andito pa din ako sa pamilyang pinaglilingkuran ko for almost 21 years na.kay LORD ang papuri.now si amo kong babae.ay histo na din niyang kumain nh Filipino food.pinakbet ,sinigang adobo,nilagang okra.lalo na ang pritong maliliit na isda w/ kamatis na me patis.minsan magtetequest ng maliliit na pritong galunggong na me kasamang kamatis at patis.minsan sya na nag sasabi can we eat pritong galunggong kamatis w/ patis tonyt / today please? ganon siya masasarap daw ying maliliit ma isda keaa ying malalaking isda.
sa mga kababayan ko manalangin lang tayo at kapit lang tayo kay LORD.
GOD BLESS PO SA ATING MGA DOMESTIC HELPER.
You’re one of a kind employer Ms.Chen Jun-chen! Thanks a lot for your understanding to your helper of what she needs to eat everyday…hope this will enlightened some employers to be considerate enough to their helper.Your helper is lucky enough to have you as her rmployer…may God bless you more Madam!
Sana meron din seminar ang mga employers before they hire a domestic helper in order to let them have some knowledge as well sa culture ng filipino or indonesian and most esp respect one another
Mrs Chen as iread your story,so far your the best employer and i salute you for being understand our culture.
I hope this will enlighten to all Employer to give more respect to their helper.
If your kind to us we are more respect you double and work more deligent….,
isa na ako sa lucky na helper dito sa hk,, sa tagal ko na din n naging helper dito ,, ang dami ko din naranasan na hirap sa mga nakaraan kung mga amo,,.pang 6 na amo ko na ito,, my break din ako at my termanate,, now nakatagpo din ako ng amo na ,,easy work ika nga, hindi ako nag luluto ng food nila ,,kahit sa alaga ko,,sa labas sila kumakain,, madalas kami lang dalawa ng alaga ko sa bahay,, laging nasa business trip ang amo ko,, ung pinaka da bes lahat ng gusto kung food nakakain ko at naluluto ko,, thanks god ,,, na share ko lng po
Employer ko makapal muka ayaw bgay fud allowance ko dhil katwiran nya sem lang daw kinakain nmin cnu ba mabuisog s 3 hiwa ng.maliliit na.karne at 3 pirasong talbos ng gulay….d ko kayang kumain ng oatmeal araw araw at noodles..kaya buy ako sarili ko pagkain kahit nakikita nya s ref na bumili ako wla.pakialam tlaga manhid….sahod ko 4500 2 bata 2 yers old at 8months old pinangako na taas ng sahod at bonus d tinupad…
How you can eat with them they use their chop stick instead the serving spoon with menu.. It is better to eat alone.. And make your own food ????, if I have tomato ???? and potato tops I’m happy already..