[News] Babies first, careers later, says PAP MP

[bigsale]

With longer lifespans, women can have kids first, careers later: MP

http://justwoman.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/justwomen/11Nov07/20071112.093448_josephine%20teo.jpg

AS PEOPLE live longer and retire later, women should consider putting their careers on hold to have children first, said a woman MP.

They will have plenty of time to focus on their jobs later, said Mrs Josephine Teo, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Mrs Teo, who has a son aged nine and twin daughters aged seven, was responding to concerns raised at a dialogue with PAP leaders over the low birth rate, despite national efforts to boost it.

The efforts have ranged from cash to tax incentives, including a parenthood package worth $575million in 2005.

But the increase in the birth rate has been small: There were 400 more babies in 2005 than the year before.

Last year, 36,200 babies were registered, 700 more than those born the year before.

Mrs Teo urged young couples to relook the conventional approach of putting career before children, as lifespans stretch.

'If we think of...85 and beyond being a likelihood, what is the hurry to do the things that can be done later?

'I would arrange my life so that I have more children, start a family earlier, start it sooner, and then when the children are a little bit older, I can put my heart back to work,' said Mrs Teo, a human resources director with the labour movement.

But putting children as a top priority was not an easy decision, she conceded.

Indeed, she and her husband had made a tough call to give up their careers in Suzhou, China, to return to Singapore, so that their families could help with caring for the babies.

Joining in the discussion, East Coast GRC MP Jessica Tan said parenthood was challenging but it was 'easier' in Singapore because of good childcare and health-care facilities, and the proximity to one's family.

Women could keep working after becoming mothers, she said, adding that some young women needed encouragement to believe they could do both.

A general manager with Microsoft, Ms Tan did not stop working even as she gave birth to three children, now aged 16, 14 and 12.

But it was a man who made the audience laugh when he came up with his baby-making suggestions.

Kampong Chai Chee branch activist Lawrence Chong suggested that society should accept single women having babies, with the Government running an institution to look after them.

But Mrs Teo questioned if letting women bring up children alone would set 'the right tone' in society.

Offering his take during the session, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that it was not money, but people's mindset and encouragement from society that would help pull up birth rates.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, chairman of the National Population Committee, was studying ways to boost baby numbers but there was 'no magic bullet', said Mr Lee.

'I think eventually it would have to be personal choices of what you consider important in life...to have children...and to balance that against your work, your career aspirations.'

Source: http://justwoman.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/Motherhood/Stories/Story/A1Story20071112-35816.html

[raven meow]

kids too expensive in spore lah.....:D

[hencpu]

if wife career gone due to kid, a bit hard for husband alone to support family dah...:o

[raven meow]

[B]

it was 'easier' in Singapore because of good childcare and health-care facilities, and the proximity to one's family.

Source: http://justwoman.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/Motherhood/Stories/Story/A1Story20071112-35816.html

bs, spore still have a long way to go as compare to Europe & Scandinavian countries

[Puddie]

Yea..it's easy to talk...

It was probably easier back then than it is now... They ever contemplated the commitments involved in raising a kid?

People in the government talking like this sets me firmly AGAINST having children...

These baby bonuses and all - barely enough. They're tokens, at best. And it's plain wrong to define a child by just dollars and cents...

I don't know why my parents were so obedient... -.- Sucks to them if the birthrate goes down... Not understanding the plight of your typical Singaporean.

Surreee.. we supposedly have longer lifespans now (gov thinks we can live till 85, no?). But has she ever wondered as to whether one can continue to be gainfully employed up to that age? What one loses out on if she takes time off to have children? Nooooo.....

[eleewhm]

when i saw this in the papers.. i was wondering.. Macdonals employ old ppl till wat age... ??.. and the salary is like $5.50 per hour.. i think...

have kids first.. then start work later losing to peers who have started work early and have a headstart in the coporate world.. unless they are talking about working in Mac, KFC , Pizza hut , 7-11


Surreee.. we supposedly have longer lifespans now (gov thinks we can live till 85, no?). But has she ever wondered as to whether one can continue to be gainfully employed up to that age? What one loses out on if she takes time off to have children? Nooooo.....

[eleewhm]

this few sentences is just like PSLE maths questions.. beat around the bush... dun give numbers at face value

2006 -> 36,200
2005 -> 36,200 - 700 = 35,500
2004 -> 35,100

my maths correct??

The efforts have ranged from cash to tax incentives, including a parenthood package worth $575million in 2005.
But the increase in the birth rate has been small: There were 400 more babies in 2005 than the year before.
Last year, 36,200 babies were registered, 700 more than those born the year before.

[mastersync]

Well, if the cost of living in Singapore is much lower than the current one, people might reconsider or having 2 or 3 babies.

You can't just say babies first and career later without knowing the situation the public is facing.

Without career, babies gonna suffer.

[booest]

Do the right thing...... tell the truth

[eleewhm]

knn.. they think their baby bonus a lot of money... no work.. no $$ to care for kids.. they think kids dun fall sick.. my both kids alone.. monthly medical bill about > $100.. until i scare...

Well, if the cost of living in Singapore is much lower than the current one, people might reconsider or having 2 or 3 babies.

You can't just say babies first and career later without knowing the situation the public is facing.

Without career, babies gonna suffer.

[booest]

Mrs Josephine Teo, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

how many kids does she have?
5~6?

[eleewhm]

talk cock sing song.. .. like she is telling the women to look for rich hubby... and only those cream of the crop in the workforce can ppl wait for you.. .. she HR director leh.. try telling that to some women who have just secondary education and need a job badly to support the family.. even tot hubby is working...

no work .. no $$ .. no care for family.. all boils down to plain simple.. got $$ got talk..

Mrs Teo urged young couples to relook the conventional approach of putting career before children, as lifespans stretch.

'If we think of...85 and beyond being a likelihood, what is the hurry to do the things that can be done later?

'I would arrange my life so that I have more children, start a family earlier, start it sooner, and then when the children are a little bit older, I can put my heart back to work,' said Mrs Teo, a human resources director with the labour movement.

But putting children as a top priority was not an easy decision, she conceded.

[booest]

if those that do not earn as much like them.....
expect us to have 3 or more..

they must have like 5~6 already right? with 2 milions that they earn?

[eleewhm]

ya.. me having 2 is already a challenge... and furthermore my wife not working.. :D.. lucky i man..

else i earn this amount and i female.. knn.. i tell my hubby.. no sex or baby till i earn comfortable...

all price go up.. petrol, flour , noodle , electricity , tax , GST , transport fare , ERP , .. only thing i do not see going up as quickly is my salary..

if those that do not earn as much like them.....
expect us to have 3 or more..

they must have like 5~6 already right? with 2 milions that they earn?

[booest]

ya.. me having 2 is already a challenge... and furthermore my wife not working.. :D.. lucky i man..

else i earn this amount and i female.. knn.. i tell my hubby.. no sex or baby till i earn comfortable...

all price go up.. petrol, flour , noodle , electricity , tax , GST , transport fare , ERP , .. only thing i do not see going up as quickly is my salary..


and they all go up by more then the 2% point increase in GST.... with such increases, GST should be lowed to balance out in fact :(

[eleewhm]

thie is the only sentence in the whole article i agree with.. but fact,.. you cant have best of both..

'I think eventually it would have to be personal choices of what you consider important in life...to have children...and to balance that against your work, your career aspirations.'

and they all go up by more then the 2% point increase in GST.... with such increases, GST should be lowed to balance out in fact :(

[LoNgMaO]

Didn't you ppl got brain wat is call 'NOT MONEY NO TALK' No career no money no baby U think living in singapore so cheap like 20 years ago everything Gahment want is money money money where got time for baby. Got so much to Pay And Pay...!!!! And so more lock our CPF so more.

[eleewhm]

with $$ you can do many things.. can even get as many surrogate mothers as you want.. and can have mutiple babies

[booest]

talk cock sing song.. .. like she is telling the women to look for rich hubby... and only those cream of the crop in the workforce can ppl wait for you.. .. she HR director leh.. try telling that to some women who have just secondary education and need a job badly to support the family.. even tot hubby is working...

no work .. no $$ .. no care for family.. all boils down to plain simple.. got $$ got talk..

if she HR manager...

and her company 10~20 get pregnant at the same time..
see how she handle

[booest]

government is not hitting the right note at all.

after the kid is born.. there is a lot more.. I am sure they are not stupid not to know. Go read up on what Swiss and Korea are doing for such dah.

stop all this unless speeches that upsets people lah

esp people who love kids but are not able to afford to have kids!!!!!

[eleewhm]

wahahaha... and all in her dept.. then she peng ...:hat1:

my dept one get pregnant and go for 3 months.. already engineers complian..

if she HR manager...

and her company 10~20 get pregnant at the same time..
see how she handle

[eleewhm]

government is not hitting the right note at all.

after the kid is born.. there is a lot more.. I am sure they are not stupid not to know. Go read up on what Swiss and Korea are doing for such dah.

stop all this unless speeches that upsets people lah

not only swiss.. check out ozzz... the uni education is just 1K a yr.... but swiss is free.. :D

[booest]

why is it that politicians talk as if they are not HUMAN ?!?!?!!??!?!?!

are they all controlled by aliens?!?!?!

[eleewhm]

source here (http://www.update.uu.se/~nea/universitet.html)

Several times, I have tried to explain the Swedish university education system to foreigners. Since these explanations tend to become rather confused, I've decided to write a Web page about it instead, where all who may be interested can come and learn.

So.


The education
If you study at a university in Sweden, you will either take a separate course or, if you know what you want to do with your life, a compound of courses known as a programme. Most programmes lead to a specialised education, while most sparate courses don't. If you take a number of separate courses, however, you can end up with the right compound to become, for instance, a teacher or a computer programmer (both of which also have programmes leading up to them).
Many students start their university lives by taking a couple of separate courses and then they go on to a programme. Those who are interested in an academic career keep studying separate courses in their subject until they get an exam. Many, many students jump from course to course until they find that soon they can't get a grant anymore and have to decide what to do with their lives.

You can take separate courses for as long or as short a time as you can afford; there is no "typical length" of an university education. Most subjects which give separate courses offer four terms, called level A, B, C and D, where the A and B levels are the basic courses and the last two terms attract students who are seriously interested in the subject. You usually have to write a medium-long paper on the C-level and a longer and more specialised one on the D-level.


The economy
Higher education in Sweden is free. That is, you have to pay for books and suchlike, but not for tutoring.You also get a grant (the bigger part of which is a loan) since it is usually impossible to study full-time and work at the same time, and you still have to pay for your living.
You will not get a grant if you cannot prove that you took your exams last term (unless you've just finished school), you only get it for 12 terms and you don't get anything during the three summer months. This is why education, although free, can become rather expensive in Sweden.

The universities themselves have no living or eating facilities for students. These things, as well as social care, pubs etc. for students, are taken care of by the student union at the university. In my home town, Uppsala, it is very, very difficult for new students to find anywhere to live, and I think that the other university towns in Sweden have the same problem.

[booest]

talk with your mouth.. farting and crapping with the mouth is very disgusting!!!

[eleewhm]

all these are not HUMAN... do not really understand the ground ppl ... they do not know how much time ppl put into work just to have a enough environment for the kids...

[Scop3]

What to do....... Dont have children lah... Unless you can afford it.... Stupid MP... Talk as if by giving birth to more babies.. The family will be more richer... She think having kids is expense free.. Dumbass govt we have here... ZZZZZZ.....

[eleewhm]

then looking at the Local Uni fees singaporeans have to pay compared to our dear FTs... how much diff... i think we are even subsidising some of the FTs fees

[booest]

interational standard my arse!
more like international disgrace

[booest]

all these are not HUMAN... do not really understand the ground ppl ... they do not know how much time ppl put into work just to have a enough environment for the kids...


their kind of elites = non human!

[Dr_ARCHer]

Having kids is a long term commitment. Extremely long term. Monetary incentives are short-term short-in-the-arm measures. It helps partially for a short time, but does not make raising kids any easier.

[Scop3]

Offering his take during the session, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that it was not money, but people's mindset and encouragement from society that would help pull up birth rates.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, chairman of the National Population Committee, was studying ways to boost baby numbers but there was 'no magic bullet', said Mr Lee.



Yah people mindset would change if only salary would be increased... And he is saying that it is not money? Is he even attempting to think of a possible solution?

And why the hell Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, chairman of the National Population Committee is doing? Can he see that the way to boost baby numbers is to increase salary as expenses are increasing... Are they all blind and ignorant!!! :fryingpan

[Scop3]

Having kids is a long term commitment. Extremely long term. Monetary incentives are short-term short-in-the-arm measures. It helps partially for a short time, but does not make raising kids any easier.


Agree with you doc.. But it will at least help you to even consider having a kid as you need money to afford one in the first place...

[eleewhm]

yes long term commitment... but with the current situation , nothing is long term... all basic needs seems to be going up up up...periodically.. of course all cant see the long term commiit... and when the kids are big...they will face more challenges.. which is good.. but again.. survival of the fittest.. may all the weak leave SGP.. thats what the govt is telling us...and dun call them quitters...

Having kids is a long term commitment. Extremely long term. Monetary incentives are short-term short-in-the-arm measures. It helps partially for a short time, but does not make raising kids any easier.

[Gollum]

money will never be enough one la..

[eleewhm]

for me.. i am looking at oppturnities even to relocate .. uproot whole family and move to maybe china or taiwan...since semicon in china is coming up...

[Civicguy]

mouth say, "LP" shiok...

[eleewhm]

who is this Mrs Josephine Teo

just came into view due to walkover in last GE .. not even in a real fight and dare say have kids first.. work later...

Sex first.. work later...

[realderty]

Only one thing to say about our gahment policy.
People never get the government they want.
People get the government they deserve.

[booest]

money will never be enough one la..

not enough is 1 thing...

not enough liaoz still ask people to make family bigger is a whole new story altogether!

[Scop3]

not enough is 1 thing...

not enough liaoz still ask people to make family bigger is a whole new story altogether!

:thumbs_up

How true!

[vermin]

give example of Microsoft general manager who proly earns abt 20k/mth. is that the average case? pap is living in a rich world.

[Gollum]

not enough is 1 thing...

not enough liaoz still ask people to make family bigger is a whole new story altogether!



they need more people to tax.

[dillion]

no need to comment liao ah boo and elee said it all...

really ah... some of these ppl really out of touch with reality..

[moneygod]

Co-relate such discussions with mental health of Singaporeans, income gap, etc etc and you will see why already. No need to make such wayang topics.

[dillion]

Co-relate such discussions with mental health of Singaporeans, income gap, etc etc and you will see why already. No need to make such wayang topics.

didn't u know politics is not a requirement to become a politician here

[ghostguy]

I think the minister should try to find out more about having / raising children for those in the lower and middle income before making such comments.

Does she knows how much does a average family spend on the baby? Mine easily 30%-40%..then balance have to pay this pay that..if both parents don't work..where got enuff...especially when things are going up...just last week went buy pampers for my son..the price jumped from 16+ to 19+ a $3 jump..

Strongly suggest think and find out before making such big statements.

[hencpu]

the MP thought everyone earns as much as the M$ manager, her husband might be some CEO or something...:boom:

for myself, we're planning to have a kid only on the 2nd-3rd yr of our marriage...or at least until my wife's career has taken off & we are in a better financial position to raise a child...

if my wife is not working, i'm alone have to feed 4 mouths...both my parents who are in their 70's are depending on me, plus my wife & a kid...jialat! :fryingpan

[Dr_ARCHer]

Agree with you doc.. But it will at least help you to even consider having a kid as you need money to afford one in the first place...

Yes, money helps, but that doesn't address the root cause. For example, I need a car because I use it to ferry my kid to my in-law/parents. Giving me money to offset the ERP increases is not going to help much. I rather they make the public transport more efficient so that I can actually do away with the car and still won't take up more than twice the travelling time.

[Dr_ARCHer]

the MP thought everyone earns as much as the M$ manager, her husband might be some CEO or something...:boom:

for myself, we're planning to have a kid only on the 2nd-3rd yr of our marriage...or at least until my wife's career has taken off & we are in a better financial position to raise a child...

if my wife is not working, i'm alone have to feed 4 mouths...both my parents who are in their 70's are depending on me, plus my wife & a kid...jialat! :fryingpan

As someone who married late and who have a child only after turning 40, I can understand the benefit of having children early. But the reality is that it is not just economically very tough for someone to have kids early.... its also very difficult if you are just embarking on a career. Some jobs require one to put in extremely long hours (banking, audit, accounting etc.), and it is simply not fair to have a child when you won't have much time to spend with him/her (not to mention your wife).

[kvm]

The whole article can be sum up to just 3 words 'Talk Is Cheap'.

[booest]

some more you think want to have baby so easy...
like baking cake!

tell all the minsters to lead by example... per S$10k they earn they should have 1 kid

give them discount... every S$30k the earn have 1 kid enough liaoz...

[PinGer]

have kids before career????????????????????????????

then wat do we use to pay for gynea? delivery fees?health care? diapers? milk powder? food?? education? transport?books and more assignment books ? and not forgetting the elitism extra lessons like piano lessons, ballet, abacus, violin, swimming, tennis blah blah blah

Then must save up for their tertiary education leh? tertiary ed in sg aint cheap. Then if suay the child or children can't get into local uni how? then send overseas, and worst thats even more expensive.......

all these no career is not possible........ then how to have kids? Dont say have kids... wanna get married also difficult

[concept|infinit]

Right. Have kids first then build careers? And who's going to pay for the kids in the mean time? *rolleyes*

[vermin]

cost of having a kid is roughly 6k ($4000 - hospital,gynae, $2000 - baby stuff). most ppl pay for hospital charges using part medisave (about 2k).
although govt gives baby bonus, you can only claim this later.
ministers really need to get out of their cosy homes and smell the poverty in singapore.

just to put things in perspective, the pm can pay the entire bill I stated above with his one day pay.

[evanshuang]

no money, even got honey (wife), also cannot have babies...

[yaoyao]

How about babies first, no NS?

[thelastname]

How about babies first, no NS?

:lol:

[Carbon Oxyride]

How about babies first, no NS?

This one lagi best~!! :o

[totoro17]

they bring down the standard of living...its so expensive...

[CHeeKMunK]

Talk cock la, she think diapers and milk no need money?
Raising a child from infancy to 21 can be a quarter of a million at least.

[GlowBoi]

Aiyoh..someone please pass the ministers the link to this website.. it will help alot, especially for Mrs Josephine before she make any insensitive comments..

Her comments do apply to woman who are better off in terms of education and financial background..but it is absurd when applied to commoners like many of us..

Seriously hear the voices of the people before making speeches and whatever the government say will be more digestable to the people..

[raysusan]

this show that what kind of leadership they have?
talk is so cheap now to them

[booest]

have kids before career... so in the meantime baby live on air -_-"

sorry... mother live on AIR.... baby live on AIR Milk -_-"


all sponsor by Nike -_-"

[raven meow]

basically they only wants the elite to have kids, thus they dont need to address you daily needs & issues.

the elites dont need to worry about these basic necessity

KNS!

[MK1]

hai~~ talk talk only... not easy to rasie kids. SG=$$, no $$=no survive, got $$ = got talk.
They got more den enough money of cos can talk until like tat... our salary is "peanuts" to them?? =X

[tarui04]

is she suggesting that women head for the bedroom then the boardroom?

Some couples are already experiencing problems even with DINK. Not to mention SIWK.

right now, employers are already discriminating against pregnant employees, married but childless employees who plan to have kids. Eg firing them without good reasons, citing poor work performance etc or even retrenchment.

Another pressing problem like some already mentioned, how many get employed past 55? or even 50? so waht if we can live to 85, or 185. Who's paying for their polyclinic visits? Who's paying for their plain rice, 1 fish, 1 veg with soy sauce? annuity? looks grainy to me

[hencpu]

As someone who married late and who have a child only after turning 40, I can understand the benefit of having children early. But the reality is that it is not just economically very tough for someone to have kids early.... its also very difficult if you are just embarking on a career. Some jobs require one to put in extremely long hours (banking, audit, accounting etc.), and it is simply not fair to have a child when you won't have much time to spend with him/her (not to mention your wife).

yeah, i guess i can relate to ur position...coz my parents had me when they were around ur age. now they are in their 70s already when i just had my own family...

anyway, my wife is in the banking sector & she's frequently overseas...so having a kid is probly not an option in the near future...in fact i haven't seen her much...:( well, on the bright side, freedom to me!:birthday: :hat1::hat1::hat1:

[naro]

Mrs Josephine Teo gave birth when she's 30. How 'young' do they want couples to have children?

[dillion]

hmmm thinking a bit off...

I've noticed that couples that remarry tend to have kids almost immediately. Usually they have 1 or 2 from their first marriage than a few more from their second. (got third but that is rare locally...)

so in the case of the second marriage, yup its babies first careers later... :hat1:

[longsiew]

How come always same old topic dah???

Babies???

One 'magic bullet' to boost babies is that reduce GST and flour and transport fee and education fee.

With everything going up. How to afford to have babies. Baby is a 'luxury item' to the rich. Sorry for using the word item.

[booest]

Another thing.... there are so many FTs (foreign talents) now. and more to come. The are mostly single, not much friends to hand out with.. not much relative to meet up....

they will go back to company even on sat and sun....this is the same if i was to go overseas also... even if i have family there.. there is much to do and you just work to kill time...

with such compeitition... you want our wives to go into the wild and have babies? THINK before you talk dah...

tell me which female MP have more then 2 kids????
they shouod be having 6~7 dah -_-"

[Typlo]

knn... MP tok witout thinkin da..... pui~!

[gohdorothy567]

huh, what the hell.....children hard to bring up, how can have babies earlier and career later.....no wonder youngsters nowadays hard to control cos parents are working.

[ktk]

have kids before career... so in the meantime baby live on air -_-"

sorry... mother live on AIR.... baby live on AIR Milk -_-"


all sponsor by Nike -_-"

AIR JORDAN in the making!:boom:

[MeteorFlare]

when i read the news.. i was like..

hmm, i think Singapore needs to build more orphanages and adoption clinics to cope with this "Babies first, Careers later"..

[mastersync]

Sometimes leaders say the damnest things, they should be ignored sometimes.

Good for Singapore economic but it would lead to other problems.

[eleewhm]

bottomline.. is having kids early .. ppl have to be prepared well.. they think having kids like baking cake.. cake come out hor seh liao... knn....

pui pui pui....

i had my first kid when i was just 30.. i started work when i was 26.. and had to work for 4 yrs.. between 26 and 30.. got my flat at 26yrs spent a yr $$ on flat renovation and basic items for my flat , married 27yrs old ... ( and mind you i paid for my wedding and all by myself.. no dependent on parents.. ) waited 3 yrs.. make baby at 30.. then 33 make another baby....