SINGAPORE: After a woman reportedly saw a domestic helper slapping a young boy at a play area, she took to social media to write an open letter to the boy’s parents to tell them about the incident.
In a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group page on Tuesday (Dec 31), the woman said the incident occurred on Saturday (Dec 28) shortly before 7 pm at Wan To Play KINEX.
The woman had just arrived at the play area when she said the boy, being mischievous or playful, pushed the helper.
However, the helper reportedly spun around and gave the boy “a very hard loud slap at his neck/face.” The woman added that the helper would likely have aimed for the face but missed.
She wrote that she had been “super shocked” because she would never have let her helper “lay a finger” on her own children, no matter what. While her helper may complain about her children’s behaviour, she cannot hit them.
As the helper had slapped the boy in public, this gave rise to the concern as to what she would do behind closed doors. “It was also a very natural and quick and harsh reaction; I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not the first and only time she hit him,” she wrote.
She then talked to the helper, expressing shock that she had hit the child. While the helper was embarrassed, she kept reprimanding the child, telling him he had pushed her and expressing her desire to quit working for the family.
The boy, still needing a stroller, did not hit the helper back, the woman added.
“Mummies/daddies, please, please don’t blindly trust your helpers. Always check in with your children (to see) if Aunty is treating them right, especially if they’re able to express themselves already. Please do spot checks.
And if you can, please do not leave your child with your helper alone for long hours without your supervision,” she further wrote, appealing to parents to “please protect your children.”
Many commenters on the post agreed with the woman, with some even urging her to file a police report against the helper. Others thanked her for standing up for the child and posting out of concern for his welfare.
Other netizens hoped that the post would reach the boy’s parents so that the incident would not recur.
The Independent Singapore has reached out to the post author for further comments or updates. /TISG