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Sandwiched Families: A Cultivate Commune (May) update

With delayed marriages and parenthood, low fertility rates and a rapidly ageing population, the number of sandwiched couples who have to care for both young and old is projected to increase. At our Commune on 16 May, we had a candid and uplifting discussion with two speakers in these circumstances, who left us with much encouragement and food for thought.

 How “Helicopter Parenting” Harms Children, and the Culture 

Overprotective Parenting
Helicopter parenting cause harm to children in the long-term. It hinders development of essential life skills and resilience in children, and also make things difficult for others when they unfairly criticise, harass or even sue those they disagree with. We need a reasonable balance between protecting children and allowing them to take risk.

Eyes on the Price: A Cultivate Commune (March) update 

eyes on the price text
The more people prize parenthood, the less deterred they are by its perceived price. The reverse is also true. These were the findings from our “Eyes on the Price” supplementary analysis released at our Commune on 28 March. With our society becoming more atomised and narratives thinking of children as a burden, can we refocus our values and priorities as a society?

Even in Old Age, Marriage Matters 

old asian married couple with their foreheads touching
As the foundation of family life, the benefits of marriage for children are well-known. But what about the elderly? Elderly who never married or are divorced or separated tend to have weaker intergenerational connections, being less likely to provide and receive support from their families. In “super-aged” Singapore, strengthening marriages must be a key priority, even as we look out for vulnerable seniors.

More For You

Why Family Matters to Every Individual, and to Society

“[Family] is a social institution… When that is broken, everyone suffers.” Cultivate SG executive director Darius Lee spoke at the Men's FoRM II Conference on 1 November 2025, on the "State of the Family". Here is an edited extract from the speech at the conference, about why family matters to individuals and society.

“So… Why Does Marriage Even Matter Anymore?” A Conversation Between a Mum and Her Two Gen Z Daughters 

"Just a piece of paper?" or "What if it doesn't work out?" In this piece, a guest contributor shares a conversation with her two Gen Z daughters on the topic of marriage.

Wrong or Not: A nuanced look at attitudes towards marriage definition

A survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found that local views on gay sex and marriage “liberalised significantly” over the past decade, while Cultivate SG’s “Marriage, Family and Social Discourse” suggests a high level of support for marriage as a man-woman union. We unpack these findings in this article. Could it be that society is becoming less “judgmental”?

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Articles here are for perspective and may not represent our views