My wife is from Kenya (as a single mom mid career government employee could afford a 24⁄7 household help last year) and even the poor have much better child care support than even middle class in eg Germany. That can take the form of communal or familial support and the quality may be lower, but it is definitely the case that it is in some sense easier or “normal” to care of esp. small children.
Also note the impossibility that over half the population has full time house help
It’s not numerically impossible for over half the households to have full-time house help; by some combination of ① some housekeepers working two full-time shifts for different households, and ② some families having more than one member who works as a housekeeper (in someone else’s house).
A lower-income worker without family nearby may still have communal support. Support networks are the bread and butter in Africa. You are not going to make it far if you do not know a lot of people to trade favours with. Loners will be regarded with deep suspicion. For example, if I had shown up to the bride price ceremony without family, my wife’s family might not have agreed to the marriage.
That said, a lower-income worker without family nearby may not be able to “afford” child care and esp. not full-time house help. I’d expect that to be a relatively rare case, though.
Other than the issues raised below, I’d like to point out that the help doesn’t need to be full time to make a massive difference. Just having a cleaner in once a week or someone to cook every evening helps!
India’s birth rates are falling rapidly, and already below replacement.
Also note the impossibility that over half the population has full time house help… cheap labour only helps the well off.
My wife is from Kenya (as a single mom mid career government employee could afford a 24⁄7 household help last year) and even the poor have much better child care support than even middle class in eg Germany. That can take the form of communal or familial support and the quality may be lower, but it is definitely the case that it is in some sense easier or “normal” to care of esp. small children.
It’s not numerically impossible for over half the households to have full-time house help; by some combination of ① some housekeepers working two full-time shifts for different households, and ② some families having more than one member who works as a housekeeper (in someone else’s house).
Ok, you are technically correct, but in practice even in cheap labour societies a lot less than half of households have full time help.
not sure about India, but disagree for many African countries. See my comment above.
Can you explain more, could a lower income worker without family nearby afford child care and full time house help?
A lower-income worker without family nearby may still have communal support. Support networks are the bread and butter in Africa. You are not going to make it far if you do not know a lot of people to trade favours with. Loners will be regarded with deep suspicion. For example, if I had shown up to the bride price ceremony without family, my wife’s family might not have agreed to the marriage.
That said, a lower-income worker without family nearby may not be able to “afford” child care and esp. not full-time house help. I’d expect that to be a relatively rare case, though.
Other than the issues raised below, I’d like to point out that the help doesn’t need to be full time to make a massive difference. Just having a cleaner in once a week or someone to cook every evening helps!