A Daughter's Story: Domestic Worker Recounts Years of Disrespectful Children and Parental Indifference

A domestic worker's account reveals a stark and unsettling approach to child-rearing by a family in the city, where she served for over five years. The woman, who took the job after her husband's death to stay close to her children, found herself in a household where the children exhibited a profound lack of basic manners and respect.

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According to my mother, the couple have four children, with the eldest being about 13 years old. My mother said that the first time she was scolded by the children’s father was the day the 13-year-old reported her to the parents for not polishing the shoes he wanted to wear to lessons. My mother said that she was beyond shocked that the man actually ordered her to go and do as the son said and instructed that she never fail to polish the boy’s shoes again.

Her experiences included being reprimanded by the father for not polishing the shoes of their 13-year-old son, who expected the task to be done for him. The domestic worker also recounted how the 11-year-old daughter would summon her to flush the toilet after use, indicating a failure by the parents to instill basic self-sufficiency. The children routinely marched off to school, leaving their bags and lunch boxes in the car for the domestic worker to retrieve and carry upstairs.

When the domestic worker attempted to instill discipline, the children's mother firmly reminded her that her role was to serve the family, not to train their children. This directive led the domestic worker to abandon any attempts at discipline, focusing solely on her duties of clearing the table and managing household tasks. The children's behavior was characterized by disrespect, with the domestic worker reporting being called "idiot" and "stupid" by them.

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I have finished, come and flush the toilet.

The narrative, shared by the daughter of the domestic worker, serves as a commentary on parenting and the values instilled in children. It raises questions about the responsibilities of parents in shaping their children's character and their ability to coexist respectfully with others, suggesting that a failure in this regard can have lasting consequences.

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She said that when she first got there, she tried instilling discipline in the children but was promptly reminded by their mother that she was employed to serve the family and not to train their children for them. So, she humbly learned to just clear the dining table after they had finished eating, instead of telling each child to take their plates to the kitchen.