Singapore parent welcomes Government’s move to increase childcare leave
A Singapore parent has welcomed the Government’s move to increase childcare leave, saying the move addresses concerns they had raised just a day earlier.
The concerns raised were about whether two days of childcare leave were enough for parents of primary school children.
Government to increase childcare leave
On Sunday (23 Aug), the Original Poster (OP) @wushihome posted on Instagram, reacting to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement at the National Day Rally that working parents will receive more childcare leave.
In the post, the OP recalled asking the day before: “How are two days of childcare leave enough?”
Source: @wushihome on Instagram
They had questioned whether the existing two-day entitlement “really reflects the reality of raising a primary school child”.
The OP also pointed to situations such as school closures and home-based learning (HBL) to justify their concerns.
“Not forgetting..no matter how many kids..is still two day CCL…how to divide equally?” they quoted one commenter as saying.
Source: Instagram
The parent then highlighted PM Wong’s remarks that older children still need their parents, although their needs may differ from those of younger ones.
They went on to describe the announcement as “a big step forward”, while stressing that they were not claiming their social media post had directly influenced the policy.
Netizens appreciate OP and celebrate the news
A netizen appreciated the timeliness of the post and wondered when the new measures will start.
Source: Instagram
An Instagram user thanked the OP for the post and joked that they needed to post more, as 10 days of childcare leave is still not enough with two children.
Source: Instagram
A commenter also said that it was “such good news for parents”.
Source: Instagram
Another netizen lamented that they wouldn’t benefit as their youngest is 12, to which the OP replied that the next conversation should be about caring for teenage children.
Source: Instagram
OP realise two days is not enough
Speaking to MS News, the OP said they decided to post about the issue when her children came home one day and said: “Mummy, there’s no school.”
Upon checking, she realised that it was due to the PSLE oral examinations. As a result, her two children, who are in different levels, will be at home on two separate days.
Source: @wushihome on Instagram
“For our family that meant two separate days when I needed to arrange for them to be at home,” she explained.
To add to that, there are still HBL days, school closures, Youth Day, Teachers’ Day, Children’s Day and early dismissals to navigate.
“That was when it hit me. I only have two days of childcare leave for the whole year. Those two days could be gone just like that,” she said.
Shocked but happy with announcement
The OP had just posted about the two days of childcare leave, spent the day reading hundreds of comments from parents, and then, the very next day, the change was announced.
She knew it would already have been in the works, but the timing was unbelievable.
“My first reaction was honestly, ‘NO WAY. THE TIMING?!'” she said.
After the initial shock, she was genuinely happy. Going from just two days to the newly announced eight to 12 days, depending on the number of children, was a huge improvement.
Source: @wushihome on Instagram
When asked what more can be done, the OP said: “There isn’t one perfect solution because every family and job is different.”
She pointed out that WFH (work from home) may not be suitable for some jobs, and that colleagues need to provide cover for parents on childcare leave.
She also proposed that the school calendar could be more predictable and consistent in terms of HBL days, with closures and dismissals communicated earlier.
Conversations about teenagers should start now
The OP shared that her kids are not 13 yet, so she hadn’t really thought about what happens when they become teenagers.
However, she soon saw comments that said: “Wait until they turn 13. You get zero childcare leave.”
“That hit me quite hard. Because 13, 14, 16… they’re still kids. They may be more independent, but when they’re sick, they still need mummy or daddy,” she shared.
Source: @wushihome on Instagram
A parent shared with the OP that she had to ask her sick 13-year-old to go to the clinic alone because she did not have enough leave.
She noted that while childcare leave may not need to be extended until children turn 19, there could be value in considering a broader family or caregiving leave.
As children grow older, parents may also increasingly find themselves caring for ageing parents.
“So I honestly think, caregiving doesn’t disappear. It just changes.”
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @wushihome on Instagram.
