articles catalogue

“Cinderella Effect”: Is risk of abuse higher in stepfamilies?

Drawing its name from the popular fairy tale, the “Cinderella effect” describes the tragic phenomenon where children have a higher risk of abuse by non-biological parents (married or unmarried to the biological parent). Though well-documented, the reasons for the trend are hotly debated. Nevertheless, understanding the unique and specific challenges and complexities faced by stepfamilies can guide us in preventing and addressing child abuse.

Becoming Mum: A Cultivate Commune (May) update

Jennifer Heng Safe Space
Becoming a mother can be a very challenging experience for some. At our Commune on 10 May, Jennifer Heng shared her story about how she came to start Safe Place, an organisation helps unsupported pregnant women and their families.

Fatherhood, Friendship, and Finding Community  

C.S. Lewis once wrote that friendship is born when one person says to another, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.” This Father's Day, hear the story of The Ordinary Dad, a group formed when some stay-at-home dads came together and found community.

Double-edged Sword? Do grandparents help build strong families? 

Building Strong Families Symposium 2025 Singapore
A study by Catholic Family Life found that strong families are undergirded by strong marriages. Four factors are key: family commitment, conflict resolution, marital satisfaction and family spirituality. But grandparents and intergenerational relationships could be a "double-edged sword" if values and attitudes are not aligned.

More For You

Singapore Large Families

Budget 2025 (Part 2 of 3): How Do Our Values Affect Fertility Rates?

In the second article of our three-part series on the Large Families Scheme announced in Budget 2025, we look at how our values shape attitudes towards fertility rates in today’s Singapore, including what some large families have taught us and the struggles they face.
Singapore Families Campaign

Budget 2025 (Part 1 of 3): From “Stop at Two” to Large Families Scheme

This is the first in a three-part series on the Large Families Scheme announced in Budget 2025. In this article, we take a quick trip through history, tracing Singapore’s family planning policies from the well-known “Stop At Two” campaign, to “Have Three or More, If You Can Afford It”, and finally to the Large Families Scheme announced recently.

“Concerted Cultivation” on Steroids? How Singaporeans’ ‘kiasu’ parenting arises from our notions of success

In child-rearing styles, sociologist Annette Lareau observed that middle-class families engage in “concerted cultivation” to develop children through organised activities, while working-class and poor families use the “accomplishment of natural growth” where children are typically free to go out and play. As Singapore progressed from Third World to First, has our society adopted a “pressure-cooker” attitude towards child-raising?

What we are reading

Articles here are for perspective and may not represent our views