Government, what you really want us to do?

[resgmom]

removed

[resgmom]

nightlone:

I agree with not hiring maids.

I lived in the States for a couple of years and observed the ang mohs. they have 3, 4 kids. Maybe 1 kid goes to a preschool. The other 2 goes to middle school. The other is, maybe, an infant. The mum brings the kids to school with no external help at all. She puts the car seat in the stroller and drops her preschooler off. Then drives off to drop the other 2. Or vice versa.
I suppose it is much easier with a car and big roads. I just do admire how they are able to do it.
The Singaporeans who have a young child and then give birth there (which makes 2) grumble and whine about how difficult it is to take care of 2 kids. But the ang mohs can do it in the same environment, so why can't the Singaporean?
I concluded that we are all molly-coddled in singapore so cannot adapt to make things work.

I raised my children in the States from they're born to P3 and Nursery, and they're now in P5 and K2 in the Singapore system, please allow me to share my views.

I think it's a little unfair to compare States and Sg. However, people in States are generally more relaxed and the operating environment is different. Many dedicated SAHM who chose to stay home (even when they can't really afford it) have normal spouses, they rent a crappy apt/house, drive a crappy second hand car, but the ones dedicated to their kid's education/upbringing will quit their jobs and rent a house in the best school district they could find (even if it means an old/small apt which need constant fixing - that they do it themselves) and spend time nurturing their children, spending time with them, teaching them discipline, and make them responsible for their own behavior while getting them to help with housework (all these take time and effort). They buy many things second hand, from garage sale, or get it free (e.g. freecycle, craigslist). Clothing new/brand new only cost a couple dollars from the thrift stores. We don't have this kind of environment in Singapore. In the States (e.g. Walmart) you have entire walls of toilet paper to chose from, from super cheap to super expensive. The SAHMs there spend tons of time going through newspaper ads and clipping coupons and getting things for a fraction of prices as a result. We don't have these choices in Singapore.

In terms of education, the dedicated parents may not need to send their kids for tuition, however, they have no lack of physical activities/art/drama type \"enrichment\" and those cost money too.

To sum up, many in Singapore can chose to be SAHM if they want to. But the social pressure to \"measure up to the jones\" is more apparent in Sg compared to western countries, where freedom of choices are highly valued. In Singapore, an educated woman who chose to stay home will get constant nagging from, first and foremost, her own parents who \"didn't raise her and send her off to uni to be a housewife\".

[mamago]

Calling Chief.... we are experiencing input problem since afternoon.... resulting in multiple postings.....Please help troubleshoot.


:salute: :salute: :salute:

[corneyAmber]

mamago:

nightlone:

I agree with not hiring maids.

I lived in the States for a couple of years and observed the ang mohs. they have 3, 4 kids. Maybe 1 kid goes to a preschool. The other 2 goes to middle school. The other is, maybe, an infant. The mum brings the kids to school with no external help at all. She puts the car seat in the stroller and drops her preschooler off. Then drives off to drop the other 2. Or vice versa.
I suppose it is much easier with a car and big roads. I just do admire how they are able to do it.
The Singaporeans who have a young child and then give birth there (which makes 2) grumble and whine about how difficult it is to take care of 2 kids. But the ang mohs can do it in the same environment, so why can't the Singaporean?
I concluded that we are all molly-coddled in singapore so cannot adapt to make things work.

But a lot the angmoh expatriates in Singapore are having maids, some even having 2 or 3 maids...like my neighbors... Why? :scratchhead: Cheaper to hire maids in Spore? :scratchhead: Expatriate's employment benefit? :scratchhead:
Where won't they live their lives here without external help? :scratchhead:

I think Mawar mentioned early....our surroundings affect us eg...the clerks in the office have maids, one would be affected to get one... so in the ang mo countries, they do not have this option, they are conditioned to manage. In Singapore because the option is available, people are conditioned to manage with helpers so the ang mo also follow suit.

[mamago]

ksi:

mamago:

[quote=\"nightlone\"]I agree with not hiring maids.

I lived in the States for a couple of years and observed the ang mohs. they have 3, 4 kids. Maybe 1 kid goes to a preschool. The other 2 goes to middle school. The other is, maybe, an infant. The mum brings the kids to school with no external help at all. She puts the car seat in the stroller and drops her preschooler off. Then drives off to drop the other 2. Or vice versa.
I suppose it is much easier with a car and big roads. I just do admire how they are able to do it.
The Singaporeans who have a young child and then give birth there (which makes 2) grumble and whine about how difficult it is to take care of 2 kids. But the ang mohs can do it in the same environment, so why can't the Singaporean?
I concluded that we are all molly-coddled in singapore so cannot adapt to make things work.

But a lot the angmoh expatriates in Singapore are having maids, some even having 2 or 3 maids...like my neighbors... Why? :scratchhead: Cheaper to hire maids in Spore? :scratchhead: Expatriate's employment benefit? :scratchhead:
Where won't they live their lives here without external help? :scratchhead:

I think Mawar mentioned early....our surroundings affect us eg...the clerks in the office have maids, one would be affected to get one... so in the ang mo countries, they do not have this option, they are conditioned to manage. In Singapore because the option is available, people are conditioned to manage with helpers so the ang mo also follow suit.[/quote]
Thank you, Dr Ksi. now i get it....mmmm, so, it's the environment, that made requirement of external help, it's not the people lor....

[resgmom]

ksi:

mamago:

[quote=\"nightlone\"]I agree with not hiring maids.

I lived in the States for a couple of years and observed the ang mohs. they have 3, 4 kids. Maybe 1 kid goes to a preschool. The other 2 goes to middle school. The other is, maybe, an infant. The mum brings the kids to school with no external help at all. She puts the car seat in the stroller and drops her preschooler off. Then drives off to drop the other 2. Or vice versa.
I suppose it is much easier with a car and big roads. I just do admire how they are able to do it.
The Singaporeans who have a young child and then give birth there (which makes 2) grumble and whine about how difficult it is to take care of 2 kids. But the ang mohs can do it in the same environment, so why can't the Singaporean?
I concluded that we are all molly-coddled in singapore so cannot adapt to make things work.

But a lot the angmoh expatriates in Singapore are having maids, some even having 2 or 3 maids...like my neighbors... Why? :scratchhead: Cheaper to hire maids in Spore? :scratchhead: Expatriate's employment benefit? :scratchhead:
Where won't they live their lives here without external help? :scratchhead:

I think Mawar mentioned early....our surroundings affect us eg...the clerks in the office have maids, one would be affected to get one... so in the ang mo countries, they do not have this option, they are conditioned to manage. In Singapore because the option is available, people are conditioned to manage with helpers so the ang mo also follow suit.[/quote]Can't compare the angmos in their own countries to expats - those who could enjoy expats packages are the cream of the crop even in their own countries. But I'd bet if you really get to know the expats, many would chose to stay at their own countries sans maids and sans the international schools (if the career progression remains the same). Many have no choices but to be sent to Asia since this is the happening place in the world now.

In Singapore, maids are cheap and plentiful, and easy to find than reliable hourly cleaners, so they hire them. Also good quality nannies are non-existent in Singapore. In Western countries, the rich (and many middle incomer) hire external helper/cleaner to come in several times a week, and nannies (who don't live with them). Thus (maids in sg = cleaners + nannies in their own countries)

[verykiasu2010]

mamago:

Thank you, Dr Ksi. now i get it....mmmm, so, it's the environment, that made requirement of external help, it's not the people lor....

it is not required by law to conform

it is not needed to compare with the receptionist or the expat families

the environment is also very much shaped by the occupants

[mamago]

verykiasu2010:

mamago:

Thank you, Dr Ksi. now i get it....mmmm, so, it's the environment, that made requirement of external help, it's not the people lor....

it is not required by law to conform

it is not needed to compare with the receptionist or the expat families

the environment is also very much shaped by the occupants

Hallo, Romeo. Can you let me act dumb for once?! :spank: :spank:

[verykiasu2010]

mamago:

verykiasu2010:

[quote=\"mamago\"]
Thank you, Dr Ksi. now i get it....mmmm, so, it's the environment, that made requirement of external help, it's not the people lor....

it is not required by law to conform

it is not needed to compare with the receptionist or the expat families

the environment is also very much shaped by the occupants

Hallo, Romeo. Can you let me act dumb for once?! :spank: :spank:[/quote]sorri, din know you could be sarkar stick...got pay tuition fees or not ?

[janet88]

The Angmoh expats here hire Filipino maids. These Filipino maids love their Angmoh employers bcos they have the freedom to do anything. Back in their own countries, angmohs would not have the means to get a foreign domestic helper.


The Govt wants us people to listen to whatever they have to say.
If flood, then it’s called pond-ing. Every school is a good school. Flat size is the same now and 15 years ago. If you can afford, give birth to 3 or more.