Parents, let's solve this problem for our kids

[Busymom]

beanbear:

Hi SilentHermit,


It's commendable of you to do this. I've 4 kids and the only comment I've had from many people who know meet me is \"You're so brave\", not \"How wonderful!.\" That's the reality of Singapore. It takes courage to have babies in Singapore because the perception is that life is tough here. Every child I've had given birth to, I've had little help from the government. My first child born 12 years ago came at a cost of $20,000 from our savings in order to pay for fertility treatments.

We've been blessed to have 3 more without any interventions. Praise God.

Because I've had the experience of knowing how difficult it can be to conceive, I've on my own accord, spoken with colleagues, friends who delay having babies, because they think they are not ready. They don't even think they may have a problem if they choose to have one later.

My suggestions would be:

1. the government should make fertility treatments financially affordable because this is the group that have so much desire to have babies and would love to have multiples after that. Give this group a leg up. Give lots of subsidy please.

2. Publicize more inspiring stories of family life. Build communities of people with good family life built on solid values & commitment to their children. Promote activities that bring families together frequently, not just eat the cursory \"eat with your family\" campaign, or father or mother's day celebration. In my community of friends, we all have at least 3 children. We celebrate our children's existence and we have a great time taking our kids on holidays and outings together. We need more stories celebrating family life, stories of large families. The reality show on \"The Duggars family\", a family with 19 children is a great example of America celebrating a large family. Maybe we could have a Singapore reality show celebrating large Singapore families.

3. Government needs to be more sincere about helping people with lots of children. it's a lot of money trying to bring up kids, from childcare to maids. People put off having children when they don't feel confident about their supporting structure. I know many friends who don't have more kids because they don't have extended families to help them with childcare and they rely on maids to help. Nowadays there's higher barriers to getting maids. Support families by offering them first priority in having maids, much higher subsidies for maid levy, painless school registration, etc. The baby bonus they give out pale in comparison to the flat grant they give to first-timers. They can give an outright $40k for housing grant but they give out baby bonus in piecemeal sums. Please. There's got to be more sincerity than that. If babies are that important, show me some sincerity when dishing out the bonuses.

:goodpost:

I will add one more: need to look into providing more quality infantcare and childcare at affordable price.

Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

[concern2]

Busymom:

Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

Need to send to such expensive childcare?

I'd think the more children one has, the less each child gets in terms quality and quantity, unless the parents have unlimited resources (and attention) to spread out amongst the children. So based on our household income for instance, I may not want to have more kids as having more imply being able to give each child less.

Question: Are we giving too much to our children than they really need?

[limlim]

Busymom:

I will add one more: need to look into providing more quality infantcare and childcare at affordable price.

Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

$1250? PCF kindy cost like $125/mth only mah.

Luxury costs as matter of choice should not be passed to the govt.

Mebbe, reducing the kindy costs to maybe $25.. with subsidies for those who needs it.

That, I feel is fairer.

[Busymom]

concern2:

Busymom:

Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

Need to send to such expensive childcare?

I'd think the more children one has, the less each child gets in terms quality and quantity, unless the parents have unlimited resources (and attention) to spread out amongst the children. So based on our household income for instance, I may not want to have more kids as having more imply being able to give each child less.

Question: Are we giving too much to our children than they really need?

I think all parents want the best for their children. In essence, what you said above (in bold) would be very true.

And so back to P1 registration, if there is priority for that coveted school xx, would anyone consider having a 3rd child?

[concern2]

limlim:

$1250? PCF kindy cost like $125/mth only mah.

PCF isn't childcare.

[concern2]

Busymom:

concern2:

[quote=\"Busymom\"]
Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

Need to send to such expensive childcare?

I'd think the more children one has, the less each child gets in terms quality and quantity, unless the parents have unlimited resources (and attention) to spread out amongst the children. So based on our household income for instance, I may not want to have more kids as having more imply being able to give each child less.

Question: Are we giving too much to our children than they really need?

I think all parents want the best for their children. In essence, what you said above (in bold) would be very true.

And so back to P1 registration, if there is priority for that coveted school xx, would anyone consider having a 3rd child?[/quote]Not for me, cos I do not covet for that coveted school

[Busymom]

limlim:

Busymom:

I will add one more: need to look into providing more quality infantcare and childcare at affordable price.

Like what someone said in another thread, if it costs $1250 a month to have 1 child in preschool, multiply that for 12 months over 4 years, it would cost $60,000 a child for his preschool years. If you have 3 kids, it would be $180,000 without factoring in inflation.

Have I scared anyone away from having a third child?

$1250? PCF kindy cost like $125/mth only mah.

Luxury costs as matter of choice should not be passed to the govt.

Mebbe, reducing the kindy costs to maybe $25.. with subsidies for those who needs it.

That, I feel is fairer.

I am just quoting what a parent said in another thread (hopefully I remember the figure correctly, I just remember this figure $60,000...).

You may say whatever you like about the need for such expensive CC, but in reality, parents may do what concern2 mentioned in her post, which is don't have more children if having more children means being able to give less to each child.

[Busymom]

concern2:

Busymom:

I think all parents want the best for their children. In essence, what you said above (in bold) would be very true.

And so back to P1 registration, if there is priority for that coveted school xx, would anyone consider having a 3rd child?

Not for me, cos I do not covet for that coveted school

Then would priority for HDB flat help?

[Imami]

concern2:

limlim:

$1250? PCF kindy cost like $125/mth only mah.

PCF isn't childcare.

PDF or any other kindy, are not considered childcare ctr. But how about preschools :?

I always thought preschool is another kind... Different from childcare ctr. To me, cc is more \"care\" (meals, shower, nap) than academic. Kindy = no care, maybe only snack. All academic.

How about preschool? Certainly it offers more academic stuff than cc?

[Busymom]

concern2:

limlim:

$1250? PCF kindy cost like $125/mth only mah.

PCF isn't childcare.

That's true. If there is no one at home to look after the child, then PCF is not an option. Correct?