PSLE leave: For or Against?

[kwcllf]

BeContented:

3Boys:

Chen,

so here is where I have a different reading of JT's post. I don't think she said that one should not take leave during PSLE or other exams. My read is that she basically says we shouldn't give it a name and objectify it and 'feed into fears'. People DO take leave during exams, it is accepted. But we don't have to give it a name, and now the reverse effect is in force; i.e. what if I am a PSLE parent and DON'T take PSLE leave.

You see where she is coming from? She is against OCBC labelling as such.

Inversely speaking, what if I am a PSLE parent and want to take leave. If there is no labelling and be clear, there is a risk of leave application not being approved.

[limlim]

Daddy

Perhaps 政府 can consider child care leave till 12 years old?
:?

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[Chenonceau]

BeContented:

Actually, when I read JT's post this morning, I also interpret the same way as 3Boys.

This 'feed into fears' is very real.
These days, I feel like a minority. Almost every other parents I came across (face-to-face/online) would be asking me about the stress level, the need to tuition, teachers not teaching, exams too difficult.....because they read & hear from so-&-so-&-so-&-so ...... Even a short encounter is enough to make me feel the stress emitting from them, I wonder what kind of stress are the kids under. Much as we parents often claim that we will try not to stress the kids, give them emotional support etc.....I believe kids will FEEL our stress.

It's far worse to leave your kids at home without the emotional support to face their first major test. So PSLE leave may not be a bad thing. I did notice that many parents, even the chronically stressed ones allowed their kids to take it easy near exams whilst still taking leave to be with them.

If you wanna stress your kids, you will stress your kids... whether you do it at night after work... or you do it as a SAHM... or you do it during PSLE leave. It has nothing to do with OCBC if a parent chooses to stress. Some parents stress at every small thing and it isn't the fault of PSLE leave. Before PSLE, stress. After PSLE, also stress. Before results release, stress. After results release, also stress. Go secondary school, also stress. Such parents may well be stressaholics. As much as I pity the kids of these unduly stressed parents, it still has nothing to do with OCBC's PSLE leave.

I don't believe in abolishing PSLE because I also agree with Minister HSK that a lot of the stress is in parents' heads. PSLE the exam, on its own, does not contribute to stress and abolishing it won't reduce stress. A lot is in the head. For those who believe that much stress is in parents' heads, why blame PSLE leave if you can't bear to blame PSLE itself?

I am quite consistent. I don't see the tough PSLE exam as a source of unmanageable fear and stress. Hence, I think even less of the ability of PSLE leave to cause stress and fear. Without PSLE leave, parents will stress anyway. With PSLE, those who don't stress, won't. Like me, they'll just take the PSLE leave and stay home to buy milk, make spaghetti, eat a lot and wonder at kids who play Rubber Band Wars everyday for 2 weeks before PSLE.

It's just a name. Quite unlike the actual PSLE itself. THAT is not just a label. It's a really tough exam. It's funny that the actual PSLE exam feeds no fears (and it's all in parents' heads) but PSLE leave does feed fears (and it doesn't matter what is in parents' heads).

[WeiHan]

Hi,


What is PSLE leave use for?

brew chicken soup?
Staying at home to stare at the psle kids?
insomnia because the kid is taking psle soon?

[BeContented]

kwcllf:

BeContented:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]Chen,

so here is where I have a different reading of JT's post. I don't think she said that one should not take leave during PSLE or other exams. My read is that she basically says we shouldn't give it a name and objectify it and 'feed into fears'. People DO take leave during exams, it is accepted. But we don't have to give it a name, and now the reverse effect is in force; i.e. what if I am a PSLE parent and DON'T take PSLE leave.

You see where she is coming from? She is against OCBC labelling as such.

Inversely speaking, what if I am a PSLE parent and want to take leave. If there is no labelling and be clear, there is a risk of leave application not being approved.[/quote]SAHM too long....cannot remember :oops: Correct me if wrong.
Believe there is a 'Remarks/Reason column' that employees can fill in. If Mgt has given the 'directives' to approve PSLE leave, labelling is not required isn't it?
Otherwise, I believe most leave can be disapproved regardless of labelling or not.

[Imami]

MMM:

Imami:

My employer offers extended childcare leave too. For those with kids below age 7, it's the standard 6 days we all know about. For kids from 7 to 12, my employer is offering 5 days per kid, for up to 3 kids. In this extended 5 days childcare leave, 2 of which are to be supported by mc or medical appt letter. I think it is nice of the employer. Give up to 3 kids, shows it's support for govt's drive to get Singaporeans to have more kids.

Per kid??? No, we don't have it per kid. The threshold is based on the youngest child's age.
But my company does offer dependent sick leave (which applies to my parents too). Like our usual medical leave so that is a good gesture as well.
Hope to see my companies exercising such gesture.

yup, per kid, up to three kids. If the husband and wife in same organization, 哇发达了！

Parent care leave, we also have - but 3 days only, regardless of how many parents/grandparents/parents in law. Still 3 days.

[Chenonceau]

WeiHan:

Hi,


What is PSLE leave use for?

brew chicken soup?
Staying at home to stare at the psle kids?
insomnia because the kid is taking psle soon?

For me, it was just to BE there... in the same way I attend birthday invitations. To be there for a loved one at a moment that means something to that person.

[Lilac66]

kwcllf:

Inversely speaking, what if I am a PSLE parent and want to take leave. If there is no labelling and be clear, there is a risk of leave application not being approved.

I see where you're coming from esp about the leave not being approved if it's not made clear. However, if it's an internal implementation, then leave it as that. There's no need to make public the company's \"pro-family\" move.
In fact, I'm wondering if this implementation will backfire on them ..

If there are a handful of PSLE parents in a dept requesting to take this leave at the same time, won't the rest of the colleagues be made to take on so much extra work? OCBC's HR also does not have any grounds to reject these leave as one PSLE parent is as entitled as the next one to take it.

Also , if every other company were to follow in OCBC's footsteps, \"feeding into parents' fears\" will indeed become a dreadful reality.

[beanbear]

If we emphasize the reason for taking leave to be JUST PSLE, it appears to be parents’ kiasu metality or over-kancheong-ness over an exam. However, if you’re the kind of parent who chooses to be with your child at important milestones of his life or believes in providing emotional support or being a cheerleader for anything THE CHILD regards to be important, then it makes sense to be around.


I took leave to attend my child’s first sports meet in primary school, first school music performance on stage, first drama performance, his first triathlon, etc, etc. PSLE is considered as important as the rest of these events, hence I took leave or at least schedule myself to be available when my DS skipped school for revision. As long as I make myself useful to my child ie a source of good emotional, intellectual and spiritual energy to my child, it’s good to take leave.

[kwcllf]

Chenonceau:

WeiHan:

Hi,


What is PSLE leave use for?

brew chicken soup?
Staying at home to stare at the psle kids?
insomnia because the kid is taking psle soon?

For me, it was just to BE there... in the same way I attend birthday invitations. To be there for a loved one at a moment that means something to that person.

WELL SAID!