Dependence on maids

Ahmed Al-Arfej INTELLIGENT people always search for viable solutions for their pressing problems. If they find a solution not working, they will try another. We should have a Plan B for dealing with any problem. These days we are suffering from shortage of maids to look after our children. It is very difficult to get visas for recruitment of maids. I have checked all available solutions to solve this problem but could not find a Plan-B, which is to get rid of maids. A friend of mine had gone to the US with his wife for higher studies. When they heard about complications of keeping a maidservant in the US they decided not to appoint any maid to help them in home affairs. The wife and children became accustomed to shouldering household duties. My friend explained to me this success story with extreme happiness. We had to review our home duties and I would like to request all husbands, wives and children to cooperate with one another in cleaning their homes and organize their home affairs. When I was in UK I lived with a family. Every one of us used to clean our plates after eating food and each one of us used to clean and arrange our bedrooms. This way we cleaned the whole house together realizing the Qur’anic verse: “Cooperate in goodness and piety.” I am surprised about those women who look like pregnant although they are not and they walk back and forth to burn calories and reduce weight. If they had used their physical energy for cleaning their own homes they could have achieved two prizes; the prize for sports and burning calories and the prize for achieving excellence in home cleaning without the support of outsiders. The high rates of obesity and osteoporosis (the condition of having weak and fragile bones) in our society warn us about dangerous consequences. Why don’t we think of reducing obesity and strengthen our bones by engaging ourselves more actively in cleaning our homes and running its affairs. I cannot understand why some of our families seek recruitment of maidservants. There are others who recruit more than two maids without any actual need but just for showing prestige and excessive pride. As a result we cannot live without depending on maids for everything. We have taught our children that keeping the home clean and taking care of their affairs are not their responsibility. Consequently we have to take maids to Europe, US and wherever we go.