I read that the government will be announcing new measures to help families cope with kids and to stimulate the birth rate for Singapore once again.
I have also read various accounts of complaints of singles who complaint about how they feel discriminated with these birth promoting measures offered. One common complaint is the additional work load when pregnant females go on maternity and unfairness of work allocation with mums. I can no longer empathise with these females, and even if I am single, I don’t think I will begrudge the state for handing out incentives to promote more births. And ULTIMATELY, IT IS A MYTH THAT MUMS DO LESS WORK at WORK. Dun even try to get me started on that account..
I mean if I don’t want to give birth because of my whole host of reasons, why must I begrudge what is given to those who want to? Essentially, childbirth is a personal matter, and yes the State may be interfering with something that is of a personal choice, but no one really gives birth simply because the state says we ought to right?!
Sometimes, I am appalled at the self-centredness and selfishness of people. The “What I can’t get (because I don’t want to) also means others should not get it too!” attitude is selfish. Period. Can us mums complain that the single woman climb the corporate ladder faster than us? No, cuz it is a choice and trade off we make. We may not like it, but we have to decide what is more important to us! So I don’t understand why single females have to betray their own sex by grousing about fellow females who go on maternity leave and get “perks” for childbirth, it is not even fair compensation for the loss of career opportunity lor!
Ok, I rest my case, cuz I so find this topic distasteful.
What I want to blog about are my wishes for the new measures.
I don’t need longer maternity leave, of course 4 mths will be good to have but not necessary for me.
Additional CDA top up is not necessarily very helpful either..
What I really want is more childcare leave. With more parents putting kids to childcare, and some earlier, and all the HFM and diseases spreading around, the childcare leave are not even sufficient for MC and for parents to stay home with kids on sick days.
We dig into our own leave to take care of sick kids, and we use our own leave to spend quality time with kids. And we do not have leave left for spouse or for ourselves.
So I think more childcare leave will be much welcomed for both dads and mums. That is all I ask and what will make me happy.
Anyway, this is the 3rd day since Melanie goes on home leave..
Hubby stays at home to look after the boys along with my mum. Xuan Xuan seems to be coping well, no apparent missing of Melanie as I feared.
And I work till 3 everyday for these 2 weeks, so I can be home during the “peak” period in the evening.. A bit tough for Hubby and mum who have to get up at 6plus but I think we should survive.
In times like these, I appreciate the flexi work arrangements. I think companies should really have less red tape and regulations around it so mums do not feel so guilty all the time!
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1 comment:
haha, I do agree with your wish. even with running own business, I take no-pay leave when my measely annual leave runs out, to be "fair" to everyone working in the company. when was working in another company previously, I was 'on call' most times even when not physically in the office.
And also yes, some single females don't see the prospective career advancement that they have as compared to most working mommies. Ok, I do know of some high-flying mommies, but most times they "sacrifice" time with their kids. So as you've said, 'trade-offs, trade-offs, trade-offs'. :)
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