PM Lee urges more babies in Year of Rabbit
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If Singapore is desperately in need of MORE babies, then the PM should be more creative and think of MORE constructive ways to convince Singaporeans to procreate. In the first place, matching dollar for dollar is chickenfeed to the govt. The govt should show more sincerity.
Of course, the couples themselves must also want children and not be drawn to any carrot dangling in front. A child is for life.
Is there really fair and balanced work-life balance in S’pore ? Does the management frown on parents who leave the office early to spend time with the children ? My hubby’s company (MNC) takes some months to approve the childcare leave given by the govt. -
janet_lee88:
matching dollar for dollar is chicken feed for individual but collectively, it adds up to a huge sum. How many babies were born last year? About 38000? And if I am not wrong, new citizens can also apply for CDA and get the dollar for dollar match.If Singapore is desperately in need of MORE babies, then the PM should be more creative and think of MORE constructive ways to convince Singaporeans to procreate. In the first place, matching dollar for dollar is chickenfeed to the govt. The govt should show more sincerity.
Of course, the couples themselves must also want children and not be drawn to any carrot dangling in front. A child is for life.
Is there really fair and balanced work-life balance in S'pore ? Does the management frown on parents who leave the office early to spend time with the children ? My hubby's company (MNC) takes some months to approve the childcare leave given by the govt.
And not to forget, whatever the govt dishes out, we will eventually have to put back in the form of taxes. -
tamarind:
Ho Ho ! I second this ! Actually I worry for my children, the rising standard of living (house / car etc), how are they going to survive if they don't have a well-paying job? (btw, good in studies does not equate to a well-paying job)
I think that the government really has to give much better incentives. One of my wish is for each of my child to be able to own a HDB flat before 10 years old
, and allow parents to use CPF to pay for it. Then I can buy over my neighbour's flat and use it collect rental money when my kids are still young.
Agree with the mummies here that people have kids because we want to..not because of the government incentives. However, there are many factors that make people want / do not want to have kids, here are only some which I can think of :
1) the caregiving support - the lack of quality childcare support, which is very important if both parents are working.
2) the stressful job environment - which means parents have less time for children. For info, govt jobs nowadays are stressful too, where people can shoot emails at 2am !
3) the stressful education environment - parents can no longer depend on the school totally for children's education. Schools always say that it's a collaboration between parents and school and parents have to attend talks that teaches the parents how to teach the children. After a tiring day at work, parents still have to go home to teach the children. After teaching children, put them to bed, we still have to continue to work! -
toddles:
1. Caring for the child in the first 5-6 years
- infantcare and childcare (not desirable, but no choice for many parents, and preferable to unsupervised maid unless can find a very very trustworthy maid)
Govt could regulate the sector more, such that caregivers/teachers are better trained (NIE type system), get paid much better (at least $2k). And the whole system becomes akin to pri sch, where teachers are paid well, and parents don't have to pay an arm and a leg. If they can do this for pri sch onwards, why can't they do so for the first 5-6 yrs? It's a matter of political will.mamemo:
Agree with the mummies here that people have kids because we want to..not because of the government incentives. However, there are many factors that make people want / do not want to have kids, here are only some which I can think of :
1) the caregiving support - the lack of quality childcare support, which is very important if both parents are working.
2) the stressful job environment - which means parents have less time for children. For info, govt jobs nowadays are stressful too, where people can shoot emails at 2am !
Totally agreed to this too! Having a quality support be it coming from caregiving system or FDW would be very much appreciated from both working parents. This is important as every parent want to provide the best environment to bring up the kds. Personally I will not fret so much about comments on reliance on FDW. I quit arguing with hubby on the notion of sharing the workload in taking care of kids and doing household chores. I rather spend the precious time with kids and have a good relationship with hubby after coming back from work and over the weekend. That is why.....to some, having FDW works fine.
Giving the situation for me and some of more close gal friends, it is extremely difficult to get our dear partners to use the paternity leave. Just take my for example, don't know and don't want to bathe babies. Don't even want to coach kids in their studies. No patience in feeding kids as well. Rather surf internet and play with hi-fi system. :roll:
That is why I salute to men out there offering to do household chores and looking after kids. :celebrate: -
laughingcat:
Oh dear, your DH is really missing out! For years, before I hired a maid, I used to give my eldest his daily baths. He enjoyed it soooo much and it was just such a joy watching him play with the suds and bubbles! It was MY task and my DW seldom had to do this.
Just take my for example, don't know and don't want to bathe babies. Don't even want to coach kids in their studies.
Then I went and hired a FDW and spoilt it all....
-
3Boys:
DH only knows how to capture pictures for the precious moment. Ask him to bathe babies is like asking him to be in the operating theatre with me. :shock: He think babies are too fragile.....as if can \"break into pieces\". That is why I salute father who takes on active role as a father-to-mother figure. And that is just like you :celebrate: Your wife must be damn proud of you. :love:
Oh dear, your DH is really missing out! For years, before I hired a maid, I used to give my eldest his daily baths. He enjoyed it soooo much and it was just such a joy watching him play with the suds and bubbles! It was MY task and my DW seldom had to do this.laughingcat:
Just take my for example, don't know and don't want to bathe babies. Don't even want to coach kids in their studies.
Then I went and hired a FDW and spoilt it all.... -
laughingcat:
DH only knows how to capture pictures for the precious moment. Ask him to bathe babies is like asking him to be in the operating theatre with me. :shock: He think babies are too fragile.....as if can \"break into pieces\". That is why I salute father who takes on active role as a father-to-mother figure. And that is just like you :celebrate: Your wife must be damn proud of you. :love:[/quote]Ha ha,
Oh dear, your DH is really missing out! For years, before I hired a maid, I used to give my eldest his daily baths. He enjoyed it soooo much and it was just such a joy watching him play with the suds and bubbles! It was MY task and my DW seldom had to do this.3Boys:
[quote=\"laughingcat\"]
Just take my for example, don't know and don't want to bathe babies. Don't even want to coach kids in their studies.
Then I went and hired a FDW and spoilt it all....
I do like to engage with my boys. I do a lot of the English language, Math, general stuff (geography, wildlife) and sports. Couldn't think of a more fun thing to do. I think DW does appreciate, although I ain't too popular with too many of the ladies here in KSP...... -
Hi Toddles,
Your points are very interesting 'cos a few days ago i wrote to the MCYS ministry to give my suggestions... Many of them are the same as yours :lol:
So hopefully they'll come to implement some of them!! toddles:
Yup totally agree that we have kids because we WANT to have kids. No amount of govt action can make my friends who have decided to be childless, have children. and they should stick to their beliefs. rather than be lousy, uncommitted parents.3Boys:
As someone said in the ST forum today, have children NOT because the g'ment wants us to, but because we want to have them.
To enrich our lives. To be a blessing to God and society.
The whole discussion about P1 registration and maids and so forth as predicates to child-bearing just really sounds so calculative.....
My children are the joy in my life, none of the above matter one whit to me. If they have to go to the lowest ranked P school in Singapore, or I have to handwash their clothes myself at 1am in the morning, I would still do it.
However, there are people who would love to have kids but find it a struggle in our work/living environment. So if the govt wants to help, HURRAH, we should let them. They want to give surveys to find out \"what a parent really wants\", then send us those surveys! Quite a smart move on the part of govt, since for ages past people have been saying their incentives are dumb, their policies miss the mark... so yah, let us tell you what we really need, within reason.
PM Lee said in late 2008 (have the newspaper clipping on my wall) \"In Singapore, the number one priority is: Let's get more Singaporean babies\".
However, this hasn't really translated into concrete, meaningful action. I felt it was rather snarky of him to say during the National Day Rally speech last year, \"we still don't have enough babies, but when I announced more incentives in aug 08, the birth rate fell the following year (so I'm not going to grant any more incentives)!\"
Personally, I would say it's tough to figure out what would really work. Tried to rack my brains to come up with what the top challenges/needs are for Singaporean parents.
[Some people cite the scandinavian countries as the only ones who have been able to reverse the birth rate decline through free childcare, generous maternity + paternity leave etc.
but we are not scandinavia. We will never be able to have that kind of economy, that kind of welfare state environment, for geopolitical reasons. I can just imagine my single friends/colleagues bemoaning the injustice if parents get all that (plus it's not that they don't want to get married or have kids - it's just really hard to find good spouses these days), whilst the singles become some second-class citizen/worker.
Personally, I feel that there should be more help for sahms, but since this goes against our whole \"economic progress sacred cow, how can we lose half the working population to motherhood\" thing, I think this will not fly. So sahms will still have to be the saintly sacrificial beings they now are.]
Top challenges/needs:
Suggestions for discussion here!
1. Caring for the child in the first 5-6 years
- infantcare and childcare (not desirable, but no choice for many parents, and preferable to unsupervised maid unless can find a very very trustworthy maid)
Govt could regulate the sector more, such that caregivers/teachers are better trained (NIE type system), get paid much better (at least $2k). And the whole system becomes akin to pri sch, where teachers are paid well, and parents don't have to pay an arm and a leg. If they can do this for pri sch onwards, why can't they do so for the first 5-6 yrs? It's a matter of political will.
2. Finding time to be a parent
- Time (instead of coming home only after they are asleep)
this will take a mindset change, and govt can lead by example by being the most family-friendly employers around (right now I think some enlightened ang moh MNCs might put them to shame). and legislate if necessary, more parental childcare leave, and have more flexible working arrangements for women with young children. these mothers will have to accept less promotion chances, less pay, etc etc, but these are the trade-offs to be expected when one embraces motherhood. In Aust, even the dads come home by 530pm or 6pm. and whilst their economy isn't in great shape, I bet their families (and their children) are. Most aussie kids have fantastic childhoods, even if they don't have stellar grades.
3. Cost of having a child (first 3 yrs)
- formula milk (some ppl spend hundreds on this a month!), doctor visits and diapers etc
no GST on children's products? this is already in place in UK and US.
the $3k bonus goes some way, and the CDA too. Dual income families have less trouble milking this, but it's sadly ironic that the lower income don't have the spare cash to deposit, so they lose out on the govt's 'free money'. Perhaps the matching could be more generous for them? for every $6k they only need to put in $2-3k?
4. Space
- Housing
Subsidies/priority in queue for those with children. Flats are so small, really need at least a 4 rm flat if you have kids. Perhaps those with 3 kids can qualify for larger flats more easily, or pay the equivalent of a 4 rm flat for an EA.
- Transport
no COE / less COE if you have 2 kids? subsidies for SUV if you have three? Even if you wanted to squeeze, quite impossible to have three carseats in a normal sedan, if both parents are still to be in the car, not to mention any domestic help/grandparent.
5. significant jump in incentives for third child onwards
there are high barriers to entry for those considering having a third child, not least the space issues mentioned in point 3.
already there's $6k bb bonus, and $12k CDA matching. No harm throwing more resources to this group of wei da parents who take the plunge to have a third child. remove the maid levy, train special maids to help larger families, etc etc. If we have the third largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, and the \"Number ONE priority is to get more Singaporean babies\" why not?
6. none of this eugenics nonsense
Regardless of how poor / uneducated the family is, there should not be a sudden drop in subsidies for like 6th child onwards. The onus in on our education system to give them fair opportunities and to educate them to contribute to society. And for our social safety net to be strong such that these children do not fall through the cracks due to less capable/responsible parents. Sure, the odds are stacked against them, but can we at least not be so blatant? Apparently there is no subsidy for delivery of 4th or 5th child at KK! Shouldn't every singaporean count?!
sorry this got so long... ! :!: -
Hi Toddles,
Your points are very interesting 'cos a few days ago i wrote to the MCYS ministry to give my suggestions... Many of them are the same as yours :lol:
So hopefully they'll come to implement some of them!! toddles:
Yup totally agree that we have kids because we WANT to have kids. No amount of govt action can make my friends who have decided to be childless, have children. and they should stick to their beliefs. rather than be lousy, uncommitted parents.3Boys:
As someone said in the ST forum today, have children NOT because the g'ment wants us to, but because we want to have them.
To enrich our lives. To be a blessing to God and society.
The whole discussion about P1 registration and maids and so forth as predicates to child-bearing just really sounds so calculative.....
My children are the joy in my life, none of the above matter one whit to me. If they have to go to the lowest ranked P school in Singapore, or I have to handwash their clothes myself at 1am in the morning, I would still do it.
However, there are people who would love to have kids but find it a struggle in our work/living environment. So if the govt wants to help, HURRAH, we should let them. They want to give surveys to find out \"what a parent really wants\", then send us those surveys! Quite a smart move on the part of govt, since for ages past people have been saying their incentives are dumb, their policies miss the mark... so yah, let us tell you what we really need, within reason.
PM Lee said in late 2008 (have the newspaper clipping on my wall) \"In Singapore, the number one priority is: Let's get more Singaporean babies\".
However, this hasn't really translated into concrete, meaningful action. I felt it was rather snarky of him to say during the National Day Rally speech last year, \"we still don't have enough babies, but when I announced more incentives in aug 08, the birth rate fell the following year (so I'm not going to grant any more incentives)!\"
Personally, I would say it's tough to figure out what would really work. Tried to rack my brains to come up with what the top challenges/needs are for Singaporean parents.
[Some people cite the scandinavian countries as the only ones who have been able to reverse the birth rate decline through free childcare, generous maternity + paternity leave etc.
but we are not scandinavia. We will never be able to have that kind of economy, that kind of welfare state environment, for geopolitical reasons. I can just imagine my single friends/colleagues bemoaning the injustice if parents get all that (plus it's not that they don't want to get married or have kids - it's just really hard to find good spouses these days), whilst the singles become some second-class citizen/worker.
Personally, I feel that there should be more help for sahms, but since this goes against our whole \"economic progress sacred cow, how can we lose half the working population to motherhood\" thing, I think this will not fly. So sahms will still have to be the saintly sacrificial beings they now are.]
Top challenges/needs:
Suggestions for discussion here!
1. Caring for the child in the first 5-6 years
- infantcare and childcare (not desirable, but no choice for many parents, and preferable to unsupervised maid unless can find a very very trustworthy maid)
Govt could regulate the sector more, such that caregivers/teachers are better trained (NIE type system), get paid much better (at least $2k). And the whole system becomes akin to pri sch, where teachers are paid well, and parents don't have to pay an arm and a leg. If they can do this for pri sch onwards, why can't they do so for the first 5-6 yrs? It's a matter of political will.
2. Finding time to be a parent
- Time (instead of coming home only after they are asleep)
this will take a mindset change, and govt can lead by example by being the most family-friendly employers around (right now I think some enlightened ang moh MNCs might put them to shame). and legislate if necessary, more parental childcare leave, and have more flexible working arrangements for women with young children. these mothers will have to accept less promotion chances, less pay, etc etc, but these are the trade-offs to be expected when one embraces motherhood. In Aust, even the dads come home by 530pm or 6pm. and whilst their economy isn't in great shape, I bet their families (and their children) are. Most aussie kids have fantastic childhoods, even if they don't have stellar grades.
3. Cost of having a child (first 3 yrs)
- formula milk (some ppl spend hundreds on this a month!), doctor visits and diapers etc
no GST on children's products? this is already in place in UK and US.
the $3k bonus goes some way, and the CDA too. Dual income families have less trouble milking this, but it's sadly ironic that the lower income don't have the spare cash to deposit, so they lose out on the govt's 'free money'. Perhaps the matching could be more generous for them? for every $6k they only need to put in $2-3k?
4. Space
- Housing
Subsidies/priority in queue for those with children. Flats are so small, really need at least a 4 rm flat if you have kids. Perhaps those with 3 kids can qualify for larger flats more easily, or pay the equivalent of a 4 rm flat for an EA.
- Transport
no COE / less COE if you have 2 kids? subsidies for SUV if you have three? Even if you wanted to squeeze, quite impossible to have three carseats in a normal sedan, if both parents are still to be in the car, not to mention any domestic help/grandparent.
5. significant jump in incentives for third child onwards
there are high barriers to entry for those considering having a third child, not least the space issues mentioned in point 3.
already there's $6k bb bonus, and $12k CDA matching. No harm throwing more resources to this group of wei da parents who take the plunge to have a third child. remove the maid levy, train special maids to help larger families, etc etc. If we have the third largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, and the \"Number ONE priority is to get more Singaporean babies\" why not?
6. none of this eugenics nonsense
Regardless of how poor / uneducated the family is, there should not be a sudden drop in subsidies for like 6th child onwards. The onus in on our education system to give them fair opportunities and to educate them to contribute to society. And for our social safety net to be strong such that these children do not fall through the cracks due to less capable/responsible parents. Sure, the odds are stacked against them, but can we at least not be so blatant? Apparently there is no subsidy for delivery of 4th or 5th child at KK! Shouldn't every singaporean count?!
sorry this got so long... ! :!: -
Hi Toddles,
Your points are very interesting 'cos a few days ago i wrote to the MCYS ministry to give my suggestions... Many of them are the same as yours :lol:
So hopefully they'll come to implement some of them!! toddles:
Yup totally agree that we have kids because we WANT to have kids. No amount of govt action can make my friends who have decided to be childless, have children. and they should stick to their beliefs. rather than be lousy, uncommitted parents.3Boys:
As someone said in the ST forum today, have children NOT because the g'ment wants us to, but because we want to have them.
To enrich our lives. To be a blessing to God and society.
The whole discussion about P1 registration and maids and so forth as predicates to child-bearing just really sounds so calculative.....
My children are the joy in my life, none of the above matter one whit to me. If they have to go to the lowest ranked P school in Singapore, or I have to handwash their clothes myself at 1am in the morning, I would still do it.
However, there are people who would love to have kids but find it a struggle in our work/living environment. So if the govt wants to help, HURRAH, we should let them. They want to give surveys to find out \"what a parent really wants\", then send us those surveys! Quite a smart move on the part of govt, since for ages past people have been saying their incentives are dumb, their policies miss the mark... so yah, let us tell you what we really need, within reason.
PM Lee said in late 2008 (have the newspaper clipping on my wall) \"In Singapore, the number one priority is: Let's get more Singaporean babies\".
However, this hasn't really translated into concrete, meaningful action. I felt it was rather snarky of him to say during the National Day Rally speech last year, \"we still don't have enough babies, but when I announced more incentives in aug 08, the birth rate fell the following year (so I'm not going to grant any more incentives)!\"
Personally, I would say it's tough to figure out what would really work. Tried to rack my brains to come up with what the top challenges/needs are for Singaporean parents.
[Some people cite the scandinavian countries as the only ones who have been able to reverse the birth rate decline through free childcare, generous maternity + paternity leave etc.
but we are not scandinavia. We will never be able to have that kind of economy, that kind of welfare state environment, for geopolitical reasons. I can just imagine my single friends/colleagues bemoaning the injustice if parents get all that (plus it's not that they don't want to get married or have kids - it's just really hard to find good spouses these days), whilst the singles become some second-class citizen/worker.
Personally, I feel that there should be more help for sahms, but since this goes against our whole \"economic progress sacred cow, how can we lose half the working population to motherhood\" thing, I think this will not fly. So sahms will still have to be the saintly sacrificial beings they now are.]
Top challenges/needs:
Suggestions for discussion here!
1. Caring for the child in the first 5-6 years
- infantcare and childcare (not desirable, but no choice for many parents, and preferable to unsupervised maid unless can find a very very trustworthy maid)
Govt could regulate the sector more, such that caregivers/teachers are better trained (NIE type system), get paid much better (at least $2k). And the whole system becomes akin to pri sch, where teachers are paid well, and parents don't have to pay an arm and a leg. If they can do this for pri sch onwards, why can't they do so for the first 5-6 yrs? It's a matter of political will.
2. Finding time to be a parent
- Time (instead of coming home only after they are asleep)
this will take a mindset change, and govt can lead by example by being the most family-friendly employers around (right now I think some enlightened ang moh MNCs might put them to shame). and legislate if necessary, more parental childcare leave, and have more flexible working arrangements for women with young children. these mothers will have to accept less promotion chances, less pay, etc etc, but these are the trade-offs to be expected when one embraces motherhood. In Aust, even the dads come home by 530pm or 6pm. and whilst their economy isn't in great shape, I bet their families (and their children) are. Most aussie kids have fantastic childhoods, even if they don't have stellar grades.
3. Cost of having a child (first 3 yrs)
- formula milk (some ppl spend hundreds on this a month!), doctor visits and diapers etc
no GST on children's products? this is already in place in UK and US.
the $3k bonus goes some way, and the CDA too. Dual income families have less trouble milking this, but it's sadly ironic that the lower income don't have the spare cash to deposit, so they lose out on the govt's 'free money'. Perhaps the matching could be more generous for them? for every $6k they only need to put in $2-3k?
4. Space
- Housing
Subsidies/priority in queue for those with children. Flats are so small, really need at least a 4 rm flat if you have kids. Perhaps those with 3 kids can qualify for larger flats more easily, or pay the equivalent of a 4 rm flat for an EA.
- Transport
no COE / less COE if you have 2 kids? subsidies for SUV if you have three? Even if you wanted to squeeze, quite impossible to have three carseats in a normal sedan, if both parents are still to be in the car, not to mention any domestic help/grandparent.
5. significant jump in incentives for third child onwards
there are high barriers to entry for those considering having a third child, not least the space issues mentioned in point 3.
already there's $6k bb bonus, and $12k CDA matching. No harm throwing more resources to this group of wei da parents who take the plunge to have a third child. remove the maid levy, train special maids to help larger families, etc etc. If we have the third largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, and the \"Number ONE priority is to get more Singaporean babies\" why not?
6. none of this eugenics nonsense
Regardless of how poor / uneducated the family is, there should not be a sudden drop in subsidies for like 6th child onwards. The onus in on our education system to give them fair opportunities and to educate them to contribute to society. And for our social safety net to be strong such that these children do not fall through the cracks due to less capable/responsible parents. Sure, the odds are stacked against them, but can we at least not be so blatant? Apparently there is no subsidy for delivery of 4th or 5th child at KK! Shouldn't every singaporean count?!
sorry this got so long... ! :!:
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