Letters | Give Hong Kong’s domestic workers who are mothers the space and respect they deserve
- Readers pay tribute to domestic worker mothers, and discuss marriage equality
Like many families in Hong Kong who rely on migrant domestic workers to care for children and elderly parents, I am only able to work thanks to the support provided by my domestic worker.
As a mother, I can’t begin to imagine the pain behind every goodbye. Yet, we hear many stories of domestic workers and their children maintaining strong connections despite the distance.
These mothers make concerted efforts to be present in their children’s lives. No child can truly be left behind when a mother is a constant part of their life while relying on a caring guardian to meet her child’s needs.
If you employ a domestic worker who is also a mother, encourage her to take short breaks during the day to connect with her children. I know how transformational this seemingly small gesture can be.
In her previous job, our domestic worker wasn’t encouraged to speak with her children, who were asleep at the end of her working day. Within two months of being with us, she said their relationship had grown and she was grateful for the time and energy to connect regularly with her children.