The childcare job is not for everyone

From TODAY, Voices
Friday August 29, 2008

Letter from Suzana Binte Mohamad Ali

I REFER to “The ideal teacher” (Aug 27).

A childcare teacher’s role is not as simple as it seems, and not all stay-at-home mothers (SAHMs) are suited to be one.

Taking care of your own children differs a lot from taking care of other people’s children. Other parents may have even higher expectations than you do.

In childcare centres, teachers have to look after more children than what a SAHM has to at home.

Most childcare teachers are married with children, and even if they are not, they are well trained in early childhood education.

The childcare industry is a feminine field. We are women and we do have the same soft spot in us. We learn from each other all the time.

My fellow teachers and I have come across highly-educated women who leave their kids to childcare teachers early in the morning and only fetch them home late in the evening even though they are SAHMs.

The teachers are the ones who change diapers, make milk, feed breakfast, and comb the children’s hair.

Some parents need to be reminded when to replace toothbrushes or bring a change of towels.

Sometimes, childcare teachers are treated more like maids.

Most times, parents only see the surface job duties that we teachers do, and not the preparations and processes necessary for daily operations.

It does not take only a SAHM to be able to understand a child’s needs or a parent’s concern, and thus be an ideal candidate as a childcare teacher.

Long hours, low pay and tons of work means it is a job that calls for passion.

Any woman who has this passion in her would be an ideal person for such a job.

Re-educate young parents on responsibilities

From TODAY, Voices
Friday August 29, 2008

Letter from Wong Yen Nee

THE Government needs to come up with a more holistic solution to boost the baby birth index such as (re)-educating parents and parents-to-be on family values and health rather than just giving financial assistance.

Young parents should be made aware that they should take on the full responsibility of raising their children and not leave them to be raised by others.

What do kids want from their parents? Love, patience and attention.

They do not care how much money there is in the bank or mind if their parents are not rich. Spending quantity and quality time with children to inculcate in them the right values is crucial in developing the next generation.

The importance of a healthy lifestyle should be emphasised to produce healthy, intelligent and well-developed children.

An entrepreneurial spirit should also be emphasised. The Government should increase public awareness and endorse homebased businesses so that parents who wish to work from home will find it easier to do so.

We need parenthood benefits, too

From TODAY, Voices
Friday August 29, 2008

SINGLE PARENTS
Letter from Carole Chen Shuyi

LIKE many others, I looked forward to what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had to announce in the Enhanced Marriage & Parenthood Package.

However, despite being a working parent with a Singaporean child below seven years old, I am not eligible for the Enhanced Childcare leave. This is because I am a single unwed mother. I have always wanted to form a nuclear family with as many children as possible but my partner has other more important commitments than to marry me. Desiring to have at least a child of my own, I decided to go ahead without getting married.

Being a single mother takes a lot of courage; people like us face rejection from family members and the scorn of society.

Juggling work and family life, I am responsible solely in meeting the basic needs for myself and my child, and coping with all the emotions that come with parenting.

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I may be a single mother, but I am no different from other parents. I need to spend time with my child to teach him values, attend to him and guide him as he grows. Why, then, am I not entitled to the enhanced childcare leave?
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I am not entitled to purchase a Housing and Development flat because I don’t meet
the eligibility condition of “having a proper family nucleus”. I find this is totally acceptable and understandable because our Government encourages a proper family nucleus. Therefore I accept this ruling.

But I am no different from other parents. I need to spend time with my child to teach him values, attend to him, understand his needs, and guide him as he grows. Why, then, am I not entitled to the enhanced childcare leave?

I am a Singaporean and my child is born in Singapore. He will have to do National Service when the time comes, so why can’t he enjoy the same priveleges as other Singaporean children? Does it mean that because of my (non) marital status, he does not deserve to spend time with his sole parent?

My parents help to look after my child until I come home from work every day. He brings them much joy and pleasure and keeps them busy and from feeling lonely. My child gives me much joy and happiness. I do not regret having him. The only regret is that it seems I am being penalised for having a child out of wedlock.

Four years ago, when Mr Lim Hng Kiang announced the New Package of Measures to Support Parenthood in August 2004, he said: “We have taken the approach of asking what we can do to help Singaporeans at each stage or aspect of their journey as parents”.

He also said: “This package is not only about helping to increase our birth rate. Ultimately, it is about making Singapore a great place for families.”

To me and my child, we are a family.