Comments on: Saudi Arabia: Is a housemaid necessary?

By: fofo

fofo — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:19:02 +0000

i think it is not rediculuse thing to have a housemaid if you need one

By: Umm Ibrahim

Umm Ibrahim — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:40:35 +0000

A very refreshing post to read! It does seem to be that in Saudi Arabia generally if you can afford a maid, you have one and people do look at it as a necessity which is ridiculous. I see people with 1 child and it is always the maid out walking the child to the park or the swimming pool; the maid cleans the house, does the preparation for cooking (peeling, chopping etc.) and I wonder what these people actually do for themselves.

I agree with the blogger that anyone living in a regular sized house would have no privacy in their own home.

I didn’t have a maid/housekeeper in the UK, I don’t need one here in Saudi Arabia.

By: Pratibha

Pratibha — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:32:16 +0000

The blogger here sets a good example for all !! Kudos !

By: Ayesha Saldanha

Ayesha Saldanha — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:52:45 +0000

I agree with Masooma that the question differs from one household to another. Sadly, however, many people in the region (of different nationalities) have come to consider having a housemaid or other servants as an absolute necessity – and many are not treated with the respect that ‘housekeeper’ implies, so I haven’t used that term deliberately.

By: Nash Suleiman

Nash Suleiman — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:09:11 +0000

“Thinking of a housemaid as NECESSARY is just ridiculous”, that is true as Jillian puts it. I guess it is becoming more of a convenience in many households, and sadly more of a trend in others. There are situations where hiring a housemaid is an necessity no doubt, but in the general and in the Arab region in particular this phenomena is spreading so fast with little awareness to its consequences.

By: Masooma

Masooma — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:47:56 +0000

I think that the question of having a housemaid differs from one household to another. Sometimes, a family does need a housekeeper (I don’t refer to them as ‘maids’, it’s insulting) to help. I have 2 sisters and a huge house. My mother is growing old and she’s starting to have health problems which can’t be solved. The only possible solution is to “relax” but it isn’t something that can be done when you have such a big house. Plus, my mother’s obsessed with cleaning. She loves to have her house polished and tidy. More importantly, my younger sister is ill and she needs someone to look after her every minute of the day (and I’m not joking, trust me!) My point is – there are families who need housekeepers and there are those who don’t. You shouldn’t get a housekeeper because you “want” one, you should get one because you NEED one!

Masooma

By: Jillian York

Jillian York — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:19:26 +0000

I don’t think the blogger is wrong at all. While I don’t think having a housemaid is wrong, I also don’t think it’s necessary. My mother too stayed home until I was of school age (in the US, no less, where it’s not quite as common) and we managed. Thinking of a housemaid as NECESSARY is just ridiculous.