Do you think there is still a future for our kids...

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:32:20 GMT

hokkiengirl — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:32:20 GMT

Another thing: about the migration issue, let’s put it this way. Most of us are here because our forefathers (mothers?) migrated. They obviously thought Singapore was a better bet than wherever it was they came from. That’s the whole point of moving to a better place, right?

So, if people want to migrate, do go ahead. But make sure you know what you are getting in terms of taxation, lifestyle, culture, treatment by the locals, etc, cos suddenly, you will be the much-feared PR who takes away jobs, uses govt money, etc. It could well be a shocking experience to be on the other side. All I am saying is, go in with your eyes open. To make it to a good uni in Australia, for example, still entails a lot of hard work and swotting. And to have a cushy lifestyle in Sydney still requires both parents to work very hard to have lots of money for the extras. Migration is about going in with one’s eyes open after making an informed personal choice.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:24:32 GMT

hokkiengirl — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:24:32 GMT

Frankly, our kids are not hungry enough. I know of many people in their thirties who are graduates and who have not worked for years because they are still looking for the 'perfect' job that pays well and gives work-life balance and job satisfaction, etc. In the meantime, they are living off their parents who don't give their butts a kick (I have no idea why not!!!).

I am not a hungry person myself. I have very low drive. If I were a factory worker, I would just do my thing and go home when the bell rings to cook dinner for my family. And I would be happy to do that. So I accept that I ain't gonna get very far in my career anytime soon. I say, if people want something, they've got to work for it. Otherwise, live with it.

It's not exactly true that there is no future for Singaporean kids. Even for those not academically inclined, money can be made if they learn to step back and assess the situation. A lot of towkays started off as chao Ah Bengs who never made it to the hallowed halls of RI, etc. They decided they didn't want to earn 2k all their lives as lower-level employees and found opportunities to make it work as hawkers. Or they took risks to enter businesses, eg. film lighting, selling stuff, etc.

It's more worrying to me that the internet is rife with young people who complain about EVERYTHING. Yes, I agree that life is not fair, things could be better and change needs to happen. In the meantime, we are responsible for our own lives and making it better for OURSELVES. After the ranting, the 'kids' need to get down to work and DO something. Then there will be a future. Ha. This is my personal rant. I will do MY thing and get my 3 kids to get a future in Singapore.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:58:38 GMT

Oppsgal — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:58:38 GMT

Canvas:
Talking about migration. Many countries like Switzerland, USA etc...usually keep the jobs for their citizens first. For immigrants, not as easy. Unlike in Singapore.

What can we do except to encourage better survival skills in our children and to remind them that we have to revolve around the world (changes etc), not expecting it to be the other way round.

:sad: send them overseas to study?

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:42:11 GMT

resgmom — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:42:11 GMT

Lizzie:
resgmom:
[quote=\"Lizzie\"]
\"Then we can see more of our senior citizens taking up jobs like museum tour commentators, tour guides , part-time teachers, less menial (more mentally challenging)\".
Museum tour commentators in Singapore are currently staffed by volunteer expat wives (who followed their professional expat husbands to Singapore, with much resources, maid(s) at home, while not having to work). It's a 500+ strong group, and each of them have to pay hundreds of dollars to be trained...there's another weekend group of guides, staffed by Singaporeans. i.e. museum tour commentators are not really \"jobs\" with pay..

If senior citizens were to ever to fill up these positions like museum commentators which as you said aren't really jobs, would that not be great? It goes to show that our senior citizens need no longer work at that advance age for a living but rather living to enjoy the finer things in life like sharing knowledge with others.[/quote]What's sad is you don't see many senior citizens taking up these volunteer posts, even though there are many volunteer positions available. :scratchhead: We're still some ways from other parts of the world, where (as far as I've seen) museum tour commentators were mostly local senior citizens, with a much smaller number of paid, regular museum staff doing the tours.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:55:13 GMT

Canvas — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:55:13 GMT

Talking about migration. Many countries like Switzerland, USA etc…usually keep the jobs for their citizens first. For immigrants, not as easy. Unlike in Singapore.

What can we do except to encourage better survival skills in our children and to remind them that we have to revolve around the world (changes etc), not expecting it to be the other way round.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:28:05 GMT

Lizzie — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:28:05 GMT

resgmom:
Lizzie:

\"Then we can see more of our senior citizens taking up jobs like museum tour commentators, tour guides , part-time teachers, less menial (more mentally challenging)\".
Museum tour commentators in Singapore are currently staffed by volunteer expat wives (who followed their professional expat husbands to Singapore, with much resources, maid(s) at home, while not having to work). It's a 500+ strong group, and each of them have to pay hundreds of dollars to be trained...there's another weekend group of guides, staffed by Singaporeans. i.e. museum tour commentators are not really \"jobs\" with pay..

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 06:47:16 GMT

resgmom — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 06:47:16 GMT

Lizzie:

\"Then we can see more of our senior citizens taking up jobs like museum tour commentators, tour guides , part-time teachers, less menial (more mentally challenging)\".

Museum tour commentators in Singapore are currently staffed by volunteer expat wives (who followed their professional expat husbands to Singapore, with much resources, maid(s) at home, while not having to work). It's a 500+ strong group, and each of them have to pay hundreds of dollars to be trained...there's another weekend group of guides, staffed by Singaporeans. i.e. museum tour commentators are not really \"jobs\" with pay..

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:24:18 GMT

Lizzie — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:24:18 GMT

lim72:
sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.

Education in Singapore should move away from the rote learning, exam smart route to nuture people who can invent, innovate and become critical visionary thinkers of the future. The current system, unnecessarily impose undue stress, forces children to be labelled , streamed and placed in their respective self imposed belief that they are not worthy (once failing that critical national exam or not getting into the desired/choice school).

It would be a dream if the authorities can consider the non competitive and self assuring education system of the Scandinavians where many grow up balanced and successful in life.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:16:55 GMT

Lizzie — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:16:55 GMT

Edureach:
Chenonceau

We must also teach our kids to be financially independent. Learn to start a small business from a passion or learn to trade and invest. No need to stay in private hse and incurr heavy debts. You can retire comfortably at 55 even setting aside CPF min sum. No problem!

All in all, ask for blessings, be wise and heck care to impress others.

Well said, Singapore education should emphasize and inculcate useful life skills competencies such as financial literacy, character building, resilience to handle crisis etc (latter is recently mooted and most laudable) which are more important to achieve success in life. In a country where the majority lives in 99 year leasehold assets, there is hardly any inheritance to speak of to pass down to the younger generation, hence the best asset would be to teach children how to manage their finances and and build the inner strength to handle any crisis or curve that life throws at them .

That said, to address growing income gap and the inability to compete with foreigners, is really to actually avoid competing in these industries altogether.

Actually there is no need to compete with foreigners in the lower wages and in the left brained oriented jobs where China , India, Vietnam are increasingly churning professionals (or blue collar workers) like IT, Accountants, engineers , manufacturing jobs in increasingly large masses at impossibly low wages.

Education in Singapore should move the bell curve of HER citizens performance in school \"rightwards\" i.e minimise failures (even if there is, we must pick them up and encourage them but not label and stigmatise them) and shift the median academic achievement of as many people as possible above average and beyond , so as to ensure that everyone is equipped with qualifications to compete in the higher value added jobs in creative industries where the right brainers rule. Why are the creative industries flourishing in western countries like the Scandinavians and US? Can we be ever have our Singaporean Steve Jobs, George Lucas , Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson?

If we achieve these, then we won't ever need to have any Singaporeans looking for jobs as cleaners or sweepers which low wage foreign workers can easily replace. Then we can see more of our senior citizens taking up jobs like museum tour commentators, tour guides , part-time teachers, less menial (more mentally challenging) and physically demanding work instead of waiting at hawker centre tables so that they can clean up after that young man finishes his meal or waiting to pick up your luggage to put into the taxi, the minute you land at Changi Airport. Then and only then we can say we have arrived and living the Swiss Standard of Asia.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:00:12 GMT

kiddo — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:00:12 GMT

LOLMum:
Oppsgal:
[quote=\"lim72\"]
If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.
migrant? Easier said then done.

Where to migrant? What are the conditions that the countries will welcome you to migrant there?
I wish to migrant. But so many things that stop allowing us to migrant. Most countries are strict in allow people to migrant there. :sad:
So stuck here.

nz? earthquake
australia ? floods
uk? too cold
cananda ? ice bergs melting
usa ? guns, drugs too many social issues
china ? fake food, poor air quality?

i think staying here is still a better choice.[/quote]LOLMUM - u really tickle me
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: there is no place like home

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:37:27 GMT

Sun_2010 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:37:27 GMT

LOLMum:
if ponding starts popping all over the island, that would be a major concern.

anyone knows where the minister lives? maybe can take shelter at his place which is definitely not ponding affected.

Haha, LOLMum,
Drop by my home. I will take you on a nice cosy walk to his house. :evil:

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:54:59 GMT

zeemimi — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:54:59 GMT

sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

while psle can be a contributing factor to your dd's defiance, i think you must address the attitude aspect too. The entrance into the teenage years can pose a lot of challenges and if you do not address the behavioural problems early, you will have lots of headache in the future.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:51:36 GMT

zeemimi — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:51:36 GMT

LOLMum:
if ponding starts popping all over the island, that would be a major concern.

anyone knows where the minister lives? maybe can take shelter at his place which is definitely not ponding affected.

most live along bt timah, holland, outskirts of orchard area, etc.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:49:16 GMT

zeemimi — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:49:16 GMT

marvic:
sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

Exam anxiety. Should be able to manage. Going away cannot solve problem. Who knows living in Australia would bring about another set of anxiety for kids.

i know got people migrate to australia and come back to singapore within half a year. Why? Can't find any job there. Even more stressful. Make sure you have a job waiting for you at the seemingly greener pastures before you migrate.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:33:19 GMT

pinky — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:33:19 GMT

LOLMum:
if ponding starts popping all over the island, that would be a major concern.

anyone knows where the minister lives? maybe can take shelter at his place which is definitely not ponding affected.

living in ivory towers so high definitely no pooling worries :evil:

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:24:32 GMT

LOLMum — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:24:32 GMT

if ponding starts popping all over the island, that would be a major concern.

anyone knows where the minister lives? maybe can take shelter at his place which is definitely not ponding affected.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:13:10 GMT

Oppsgal — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:13:10 GMT

LOLMum:

nz? earthquake

australia ? floods

uk? too cold

cananda ? ice bergs melting

usa ? guns, drugs too many social issues

china ? fake food, poor air quality?

i think staying here is still a better choice.

True too... but here also got \"ponding\"

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:44:52 GMT

LOLMum — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:44:52 GMT

Oppsgal:
lim72:
[quote=\"sweetiepie\"]I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.

migrant? Easier said then done.

Where to migrant? What are the conditions that the countries will welcome you to migrant there?

I wish to migrant. But so many things that stop allowing us to migrant. Most countries are strict in allow people to migrant there. :sad:

So stuck here.[/quote]nz? earthquake

australia ? floods

uk? too cold

cananda ? ice bergs melting

usa ? guns, drugs too many social issues

china ? fake food, poor air quality?

i think staying here is still a better choice.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:39:23 GMT

1amber — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:39:23 GMT

lim72:
sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.

I second that. :celebrate:

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:56:48 GMT

Oppsgal — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:56:48 GMT

lim72:
sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:26:21 GMT

lim72 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:26:21 GMT

sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

If I were you, I will migrant and forget about the PSLE. I find that our education system is too stressful and rigid. Ask yourself what do you want your child to achieve, a degree? There are definitely more than one way to achieve it. If I have a choice like you, I will migrant asap.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:24:36 GMT

UncleLim — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:24:36 GMT

kamom:
...here in SG?

What are your views?

Yes, but only if I were a foreigner.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:45:35 GMT

marvic — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:45:35 GMT

sweetiepie:
I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.

Exam anxiety. Should be able to manage. Going away cannot solve problem. Who knows living in Australia would bring about another set of anxiety for kids.

Reply to Do you think there is still a future for our kids... on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:37:33 GMT

sweetiepie — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:37:33 GMT

I am asking myself this question also. My gg is always buzy studying, going for tuitions and cca. She has become defiant and rude sometimes especially this year she is preparing for PSLE. This is only beginning and is already so stressful. Seeing her like that. I worry for my 4 yrs old going thru the same education system here. Already her teachers are complaining abt her behaviour. life here is not healthy for my family and I am so tired. Now thinking whether to forget about PSLE and migrant to Australia or finish PSLE and migrant next year.