On having children in Singapore

Yesterday, my hubs and i were watching Blogtv and the topic was about having large families- the benefits and drawbacks. Two families were interviewed, one had 7 children and the other only 1.

I find it ironic that today, people would gasp at large families of 7 or more. Think about it, throw a stone and chances are you'll hit on one who's grandparents had at least 6 children. What i'm saying is that, in our grans' days, it is very normal to have large families. I like to add that mothers in those days are expected to stay home- its a norm. The irony of it all is that they were very much poorer (of course things were less expensive & sophisticated as well) than an average family today. Yet, they went on to have multiple children, survived with the little they had and saw their children through education. Amazing isn't it? My own grans had 6 (actually 9 if the triplets had survived) children and i have to say, most of them turned out to be very successful, eloquent people.

Today, people are complaining and whining how expensive, stressful, tiring it is to raise a child in Singapore..blah blah blah. But it makes me wonder, is that really true? If the previous generation could survive with the little they had, what more about us? Is it because our values have changed? Is it because we've become too sophisticated to a point where we cannot live in simplicity? Or that we have become too materialistic that we cannot give up our coveted wants for the sake of our children? I like what Building the Ark said, it's because people today just cannot bring themselves to sacrifice their money, figure, time for another being- another wonderful creation. We don't see the value or joy that children can bring. Or like what my hubs plainly puts it, we have become too self centered.

I do think it is possible to have children in our country, even having multiple brood. I feel its only a matter of living more simply, not pursuing for the high life of condos, luxury cars, premium education etc.