SG woman shares why she chooses to stay child-free
In the now widely shared post on Facebook, the woman shares how she and her husband are part of a growing number of couples opting out of parenthood — not because they don't want kids, but because they simply can't afford to raise them in today's economy.
'We're a dual-income household. On paper, it looks okay. But after paying off the mortgage, bills, groceries, elderly parents' medical needs and daily expenses—what's left?'
ALSO READ: More married couples opting to go child-free
She highlighted that childcare fees can easily exceed SGD1,000 (RM3,292) a month, hiring a domestic helper comes with added responsibilities and costs, and asking one parent to stay home means sacrificing years of career growth—often with no return.
'We don't want to raise a child only to work ourselves to exhaustion every night just to stay afloat. We don't want to live on instant noodles by the 20th of every month.'
She also raised concerns about the future children would face: academic stress, screen addiction, mental health struggles, and the pressures of a hyper-competitive society.
'We're still in survival mode ourselves—how can we promise them a complete and safe world?
READ MORE: Child-free trend among couples a concern - Noraini Ahmad
She confessed that she has a deep respect for anyone who chooses to be parents but hopes society stops using the 'traditional family template' to define happiness.
'You can't keep complaining about low birth rates while making it impossible for us to breathe.
'It's not that we don't want children—it's that the reality we live in doesn't allow us to bring them into this pressure-cooker of a city.
'Please stop asking us, 'So, when are you having kids?' We're already doing our best—just to live well.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Vibrant flag display in New Villages
Point of pride: Choo (right) showing some of the 150 Jalur Gemilang that his committee had put up along the main roads of Bukit Merah Chinese New Village. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star IPOH: The Bukit Merah Chinese New Village here is proudly adorned with the colours of the Jalur Gemilang, with over 150 flags hoisted ahead of National Day. Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chairman Choo Choon Kee said its members began raising the flags last Friday and Saturday, focusing on main areas such as the market street, road junctions and the two arch entrances to the village. 'The flags are placed at prominent spots so that everyone can feel the spirit of Merdeka. 'The committee spent up to RM3,000 last year. This year, we received funds from the Housing and Local Government Ministry to buy the flags and poles, and pay for installation,' he said when met at the village yesterday. Choo said villagers were also encouraged to display the Jalur Gemilang outside their homes – there are over 1,000 houses in the village. 'We also remind them to display the national flag properly,' he said, adding that checks are made on the flags daily. Choo said strong winds and occasional vandalism pose challenges, but the committee has been quick to repair or replace damaged flags. He said the flags are placed in straight rows along the roads. 'This is about showing unity and pride. Every flag we put up carries that spirit,' he said. Over at the Changkat Kinding Chinese New Village near here, the JPKK began putting up the Jalur Gemilang at the start of the month. Its chairman Wong Chin Siang said about 10 flags have been hoisted at the main entrance of the village, adding that more would be added during a community gathering aimed at strengthening unity among villagers. 'SJK (C) Changkat Kinding in the village is also actively involved, with flags prominently displayed on their grounds. 'While some flags are distributed through parliamentary allocations, many families choose to buy their own. 'There are about 92 houses here and we encourage all to put up the Jalur Gemilang to showcase their pride,' he added. Meanwhile, Villager Lee Ah Lek, 85, is continuing a lifelong tradition of raising the Jalur Gemilang with pride. The ex-farmer has been doing so every year since his youth. On Aug 3, he bought a flag for RM6.50 and hung it outside his home. 'This is my country which I will always love,' he declared.
Barnama
a day ago
- Barnama
Pahang Sultan Calls For Collective Effort To Keep Jawi Script Alive
KUANTAN, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on the people of the state to take the lead in reviving the spirit and use of the Jawi script. His Royal Highness said that preserving the Jawi script was not just the responsibility of schools or religious institutions but a duty shared by all levels of society. 'The Jawi script is the lifeblood and true face of Malay identity. If it were to disappear from our lives, it would be as though part of the spirit and soul of this nation had vanished. 'Let it not merely become an obsolete treasure kept in a museum, but continue to live as the pulse of life, from remote villages to cities, from administrative affairs to the limitless virtual realm,' he said. The Pahang ruler made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Jawi and Malay Heritage Convention 2025 here today. Also present were the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, and Tengku Panglima Raja Brigadier General Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim Shah. At the event, His Royal Highness also launched the book Mahir Jawi: Panduan Komprehensif Untuk Semua Renggung, produced by Munsyi Dewan Jawi of Universiti Islam Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah (UniPSAS). Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he was aware of the challenges confronting the Jawi script in the current modern age, saying that it remained seldom used in daily life, sidelined in formal communication, and increasingly distant from the younger generation. To strengthen the Jawi script, he proposed several measures, including leveraging digital technology by developing Jawi-based applications and using social media platforms to ensure it remained relevant to the younger generation. His Royal Highness added that efforts should be made by local authorities to standardise Jawi script at business premises and tourist attractions in Pahang, train more Jawi experts through regular intensive courses, and strengthen research on Malay manuscripts written in Jawi script.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Pahang Sultan urges collective effort to preserve Jawi script heritage
KUANTAN: Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on the people of the state to take the lead in reviving the spirit and use of the Jawi script. His Royal Highness said that preserving the Jawi script was not just the responsibility of schools or religious institutions but a duty shared by all levels of society. 'The Jawi script is the lifeblood and true face of Malay identity. If it were to disappear from our lives, it would be as though part of the spirit and soul of this nation had vanished. 'Let it not merely become an obsolete treasure kept in a museum, but continue to live as the pulse of life, from remote villages to cities, from administrative affairs to the limitless virtual realm,' he said. The Pahang ruler made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Jawi and Malay Heritage Convention 2025 here today. Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he was aware of the challenges confronting the Jawi script in the current modern age, saying that it remained seldom used in daily life, sidelined in formal communication, and increasingly distant from the younger generation. To strengthen the Jawi script, he proposed several measures, including leveraging digital technology by developing Jawi-based applications and using social media platforms to ensure it remained relevant to the younger generation. His Royal Highness added that efforts should be made by local authorities to standardise Jawi script at business premises and tourist attractions in Pahang, train more Jawi experts through regular intensive courses, and strengthen research on Malay manuscripts written in Jawi script. In the meantime, Al-Sultan Abdullah urged that the practice of wearing the baju Melayu be continued. 'It is not wrong to wear a jubah (robe), but do not forget to wear the baju Melayu. I also wish to inform you that the Pahang Royal Council will seek to introduce new ceremonial attire at the Palace, incorporating the wearing of the tanjak (traditional Malay headgear for men),' he said. A total of 200 participants, including presenters from Japan, Singapore and Brunei, took part in the two-day convention that began yesterday, which aimed, among other things, to cultivate a culture of exchanging knowledge on Jawi script, Khat, Malay language studies, and manuscripts. – Bernama
