List of Tasks and Responsibilities for Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Which I Used

I grew up without a domestic helper - so I never knew how it’s like to live or deal with one. I must also admit I have had some unwarranted perceptions of those who do have a helper. When my wife and I decided to have our second child - we knew we were gonna engage one.

As a good friend of mine put it to me - it’s about using money to buy time - time you save from not doing the washing, cleaning and chores, etc - so you can spend quality time with your partner and children. Now after 2 years of having a helper in the house, I can’t agree more. I am thankful and I often think they are the invisible unsung heroes which make day-to-day parenting/family life a lot more bearable. However, having a stay-in helper can also bring an entire set of issues altogether and be a constant source of agony and frustration.

Regardless, my wife and I needed to learn how to manage having a stay-in helper living in our house. We created a list of tasks and responsibilities as a starting point. It also helped us to be clear and aligned on what the helper’s key priorities are. I’m gonna share this list with you here.

If you're getting a domestic helper for the first time or you're simply tired of repeating your instructions all the time, this template is for you.

[Using this template will save you time]

Note: This list was created for a fresh (i.e. no prior experience in Singapore) helper joining a family of 3 - Father, Mother (Mdm) and Child (2.5 years old), with Mother 3 months pregnant with 2nd child.

Feel free to use this as a template to customise for your own needs.

Get the list / template here.