New family support measures target time, not just money, for larger families: father of three
New family support measures announced at the National Day Rally on Aug 23 aim to make having more children less daunting, but the hardest resource for parents to stretch remains time. Father-of-three Malminderjit Singh reflects on the practical challenges of raising three children and how the latest
SINGAPORE: New family support measures announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally on Aug 23 could make the decision to have more children less daunting, but the hardest thing for parents to stretch remains time, says father-of-three Malminderjit Singh.
Writing in a commentary, Singh noted that parents of two children often ask practical questions before considering a third: Where will everyone sleep? How do we manage when outnumbered? Can we still afford a family holiday? For him and his wife, these questions came suddenly when they found out they were having twins, making them parents of three in two years.
The new measures target couples who already have children and are weighing whether to have another. The 2021 Marriage and Parenthood survey found that 35 per cent of married respondents felt three or more children made for an ideal family size, though only 25 per cent intended to have that many, suggesting an unrealised desire for larger families.
Among the measures is a S$10,000 Baby Gift at birth and annual Child Credits of S$2,000 for children aged one to 16. Singh said these provide greater flexibility than credits tied to specific uses, and predictability of support from childhood to teenage years helps address cost concerns. The government also promised additional support to help large families manage transport expenses.
Space is another key concern. First-timer families will receive an additional ballot chance for each Singaporean child when applying for Build-To-Order flats, and the government is studying further housing assistance for large families. Singh noted that for multi-generational families, the need for space becomes more acute as children grow older, especially if they are of different genders.
However, Singh emphasised that the hardest resource to stretch is time. The new childcare leave scheme, which accounts for the number of children aged 12 and below, could ease some pressures by giving parents more time for parent-teacher conferences, home-based learning days, or simply bonding with their children. Singh cautioned that while more time with children might not be relaxing — such as using extra leave to prepare for the Primary School Leaving Examination — the joys of having three kids have outweighed the costs for his family.
