WHAT do children really need? This is a good question raised by Ms Estella Young ("Cooperation, not competition, the key"; Tuesday).
Children need time to play, draw, sing and dance to express their thoughts and feelings, and to make sense of their immediate environment and experiences.
If a child is attending pre-school, then she may need some private time away from prying eyes to indulge in private thoughts and speech.
Children need connection with people who care enough to be mentally and physically present with them.
It could be a peer, a maid, a grandparent, a parent, a teddy bear, or a smart gadget offering instant visual gratification.
Mostly, children desire companionship without feeling judged, with people who share their thoughts and views.
Children need someone to read stories to them and to be responsive to their needs without being directive.
So, has paid caregiving affected the parent-child relationship?
It boils down to the value system of parents. If children are important to them, parents will make time for them.
Make time to interact, to check in. Make time to enjoy a story or movie, or to be at the playground, together.
It is really not about how parents can better manage their maids in order to spend more time with their children.
Instead, it is about how parents manage their perspective of value - what is their priority in life?
Rebecca Chan (Dr)
