SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man has found himself caught between his wife and his mother after his wife insisted that his mum should pay S$400 a month to live in their home, even though she had moved in to help care for the family.
Posting anonymously in the Complaint Singapore (Anonymous) Facebook group on Tuesday (July 14), the man explained that his mother had encouraged the couple to let go of their domestic helper, saying it would save them around S$800 a month.
To make it work, his mother moved into their home, taking on responsibilities such as bringing the children to school and cooking for the family.
But according to the man, his wife later argued that the room his mother occupies would normally be worth about S$1,200 a month in rent. Since getting rid of the helper only saved S$800, she believes his mother should still contribute the remaining S$400.
Unsure whether his wife’s reasoning was fair or unreasonable, the man turned to the online community for opinions, asking, “My wife insists she [my mum] still needs to pay us S$400. Is her thinking right?”
“Your wife should offer your mum some money”
In the comments, many people were furious on the mother’s behalf, questioning why she should have to pay rent when she was already doing her son and daughter-in-law a huge favour.
One even told the post author to “change your wife,” adding, “You and your mother deserved a better life without the presence of your wife.”
Another commented, “The math should be – your wife should offer your mum some money because she saved S$800, helper levy S$60 plus the medical checkup every 6 months.”
A third added, “Then you should pay your mother a salary of S$800, cover her food, give her a monthly allowance, and pay her for cooking. Change your wife away.”
Not everyone was on the mother’s side, though. Some felt the man should never have let her move in in the first place, saying it was bound to create friction at home.
One commenter wrote, “One mountain cannot have two tigers. Don’t get your mum involved in your household because she will bring her culture to your home and your wife might not be happy about it.”
Another suggested the wife’s demand for rent wasn’t really about the money at all, but a subtle way of saying she didn’t want her mother-in-law living with them.
“You are heading to hell if you listen to your mother. That sentence about your wife demanding fees from your mum, as a woman, I can tell you that your wife is trying to reject her moving in, in a nicer way.”
In other news, an employer took to social media to share that her domestic helper keeps asking her for an additional day off each month without any salary deduction. T
On Monday (July 6), the employer posted in the SINGAPORE TRANSFER (No Fees/SD), DIRECT HIRE & NEW HELPER Facebook group, saying her domestic helper had become increasingly demanding when it came to requesting extra days off.
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