Di persimpangan dilema

My mom, had worked in HK for a rich fler for a short stint of 3 months before she came here to stay with me 2 years ago.

It was a babysitting job, twin babies of 1 month old. The parents tried a long time to conceive and when they finally succeed, it was extremely precious to them. They recruited my mom through a sister of hers who was working in HK for another rich tycoon.

Mama had been very envious of her sister's life thus far, who not only earning a fat income and receiving tips here and there, she also had the privilege to travel together with her employer and the kids in tow. Shanghai, Sydney, Caribbean cruise, UK... it surpassed my list of places I visited already. I too felt envious, don't talk about my mom!

So, when the opportunity came, she dived into it, not knowing the days would be so torturing. 3 months, and it seemed like 3 years to her. Taking care of twins, the new mom wouldn't allow the twins to sleep separately, and it was a very stringent and rigid environment where the comfort to the new nanny wasn't even a priority. The stress was too hard to bear, coupled with the fact that her employer ate back her words on some of the conditions and she wanted out after a month. But this fler held her wages and wouldn't let her come home until 3 months full, after my aunt (mama's sister) went over to take over the task from her.

The work environment was so bad that this aunt too, had wanted to quit after 1 month.

Anyway, when she did return home, she looked a few years older and so much thinner. Poor mama, I felt bad, really bad. It's simple to me. If our parents are suffering so much to work for money at this age, it's us, the children who failed miserably to provide them a comfortable and happy retirement.

Now, after these 2 years, the employer called her again, and trying to coax her to go to HK with my aunt to work as a babysitter one more time. She's having her 2nd pregnancy and going to deliver soon, I suppose. Mama is very tempted to dive in again, though I strongly disagree. Is it worthwhile? Not that she doesn't have enough to spend, really. Though it's just plain rice everyday, not with sharks fin and abalone, but at least can afford fish and chicken.

Why she wants to be separated from dad at this old age? Why does she want to suffer? And with the bad records of the employer eating back on her words, why she's still trusting her?

I guess it's plainly, all for money. And it falls back on us, we fail miserably, don't we?