A Hong Kong mother has expressed anger after discovering that her domestic helper had allegedly been rewarding her four-year-old son with chocolate after bath time and telling him to keep it a secret.
The mother shared her experience on social media, saying her son had always resisted taking baths, often refusing to get in and taking a long time to finish. After the helper took over bath duties, however, the child suddenly began finishing in record time.
Believing the helper had simply found an effective way to persuade her son, the mother said she was impressed until the boy revealed the reason behind the change.
According to the post, the helper gave the child chocolate after every bath despite the mother's rule against it. The boy also claimed the helper told him to eat it secretly in his bedroom because there were no surveillance cameras there and his mother would not find out.
The revelation left the mother furious, saying she was more upset that the helper had encouraged her son to keep secrets from his parents than by the chocolate itself.
The post sparked discussion online, with many users joking that young children are incapable of keeping secrets. Others shared similar experiences of domestic helpers ignoring parents' instructions for the sake of convenience.
Some commenters, however, felt the incident was relatively minor, arguing that occasional chocolate would not harm a four-year-old.
Others suggested parents provide helpers with approved rewards, such as healthier snacks, stickers or small toys, instead of sweets. Some also recommended making bath time more enjoyable with games, bubbles or bath toys to encourage children to cooperate without relying on treats.
