PM Lee urges more babies in Year of Rabbit

[dramamama70]

Chenonceau:

The thing is... you and I are educated mothers with time to spend with kids. What about mothers too busy and not as educated? How many kids with high IQ fall by the wayside because they dunno how to source for references... and can't enrich themselves? The textbook is what they have. They work hard and only pass. So demoralizing!! Actually, I am not sure whether if you meet the level of the textbook, you will even pass!

So right. I used to volunteer at an after-school center targeted for underprivileged kids - they mostly have parents who were either in jail, rehab or the kids are under someone else's care. And most time, their caregiver are too busy working to make ends meet.

I was there to supposedly read to the kids but I end up helping them with homework instead. I can tell you the kids struggled just to complete their homework. There was no enrichment or additional assessment work made available - due to either lack of time, funds, or even interest from the kids. Very sad, really. These are the ones who will most likely fall by the wayside because as the standards and expectations are raised, these kids will fall even further away.

[tisha]

dramamama70:

Chenonceau:

The thing is... you and I are educated mothers with time to spend with kids. What about mothers too busy and not as educated? How many kids with high IQ fall by the wayside because they dunno how to source for references... and can't enrich themselves? The textbook is what they have. They work hard and only pass. So demoralizing!! Actually, I am not sure whether if you meet the level of the textbook, you will even pass!

So right. I used to volunteer at an after-school center targeted for underprivileged kids - they mostly have parents who were either in jail, rehab or the kids are under someone else's care. And most time, their caregiver are too busy working to make ends meet.

I was there to supposedly read to the kids but I end up helping them with homework instead. I can tell you the kids struggled just to complete their homework. There was no enrichment or additional assessment work made available - due to either lack of time, funds, or even interest from the kids. Very sad, really. These are the ones who will most likely fall by the wayside because as the standards and expectations are raised, these kids will fall even further away.

dramamama70,
You have pm.

[janet88]

I had a BAD dream last night

I dreamt that I was expecting #3 and gynae told me, 'Congrats'...asked the gynae to check again.
Told hubby this morning about it...no way am I going to agree to have #3, even if govt is giving $50K. The torture of waking up nights, porridge and jabs are too much.

[bebe]

janet_lee88:

I dreamt that I was expecting #3 and gynae told me, 'Congrats'...asked the gynae to check again.

It is a sign :siam:

[Mrs Ang]

bebe:

janet_lee88:

I dreamt that I was expecting #3 and gynae told me, 'Congrats'...asked the gynae to check again.

It is a sign :siam:

bebe, you are scaring her :lol:
My DH has mentioned the idea of #2 again.....sign.....I'm still thinking

[janet88]

Mrs Ang:

bebe:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]
I dreamt that I was expecting #3 and gynae told me, 'Congrats'...asked the gynae to check again.

It is a sign :siam:

bebe, you are scaring her :lol:
My DH has mentioned the idea of #2 again.....sign.....I'm still thinking[/quote]No way. Anyway my 'good friend' just finished. But the dream was so real.

[DesertWind]

Mrs Ang:

My DH has mentioned the idea of #2 again.....sign.....I'm still thinking

Hi Mrs Ang,

Why not? Having a second one is not a lot more, company for your #1. Plus garmen now quite generous, go for it!?

[DesertWind]

greenbean2011:

if this year of Rabbit got more babies produced, next year - year of Dragon even more ! for those born in dragon year, entry into Pri 1 is so competitive !

To have Rabbit babies, must make sure you got it by March. Otherwise, its Dragon year already! Therefore the call to have more Rabbit babies should have come much earlier, in the previous year!

Anyway, it is not as if you want a BB you will have (at least not for some couples lah!), therefore, be it Rabbit or Dragon, Tiger or Lion, take the BB however it comes!

[DesertWind]

3Boys:

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 hand-wash their clothes myself at 1am in the morning, I would still do it.

I tend to agree with this. Children are a joy to our lives. If I earn very little, I would still have kids and make do however I can eg. give birth at KKH and do not choose the doctor, just take whoever doctor on duty to deliver your baby, it costs very much less! Go PAP kindy and childcare for the most subsidized education. It does not mean the quality is less if the kid is by nature intelligent. He/she will rise up in life. Enrichment? Cheapest possible tuition available. With the current CDAC and baby bonus, it goes a long way to help pay for medical, fees etc. Of course everything got to be pared down ie. clothes, food, transport etc. But I still believe it can be done. What is priceless is give the kid lots of love and stability at home.

I share the above from how my siblings and I grow up in my family. HDB dwellers not rich but my parents are hardworking. My mum is a SAHM yet work full-time as a hair-dresser from home. Last time where got maid one? I now marveled at such hard-work and endurance.

But I think costs is still a consideration, it will decide on how many kids I would have.

[DesertWind]

MMM:

Just wondering if one would take p1 registration into consideration if they should have kids. My impression is that some parents are not originally kiasu. But along the way, they become kiasu due to the pressure from the society But if P1 registration is also a contributor to low birth rate then that is scary :!:

I don't think so. I think it is the other way round, that is, couples have kids and then once they have a bao-bei, O boy, the length that they would go and the extra mile they will run for their precious one!

Thereby the kiasu-ism! Most 1st time mums are sotong (I think) but once they have \"learnt their lesson\" with pre-schools, they became super-kiasu and super-expert by P1. Thereby contributing to the \"problem\" and thereby leading to the sprouting up of KSP forum. Wah...hah...hah!