articles catalogue

Budget 2025 (Part 3 of 3): Systemic and Structural Changes to Help Large Families

In the last of our three-part series on the Large Families Scheme announced in Budget 2025, we look at how large families may be better supported in their journeys, in a more systemic and structural manner. Such changes include transport, COE, housing, tax reliefs and more

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

Singapore Large Families
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.

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

Singapore Families Campaign
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?

More For You

Is Identity Politics Always Bad?

There are two kinds of identity politics. “Common enemy” identity politics tends towards polarisation, division and conflict, while “common humanity” identity politics tends towards social harmony. We should have more of the latter, and less of the other.

Update from Cultivate Commune: The Roles of Fathers and Mothers in Parenting

Our first Cultivate Commune – a breakfast conversation where we explore how big ideas are planted in real community experiences - kicked off on Friday, 12 April 2024. We saw two stay-home fathers anchoring an insightful discussion over various topics centred around parenting and children.

Prime Minister-in-waiting Lawrence Wong: What Challenges Lie Ahead?

Lawrence Wong will take over as Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister on 15 May. Some of his immediate challenges include the rising cost of living, falling total fertility rate, and threats posed by divisive identity politics and tribalism. Will he be able to rally the support of society to tackle them?

What we are reading

Articles here are for perspective and may not represent our views