‘No bandwidth left for the family’: why many Singaporeans want to be child-free   https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3364760/no-bandwidth-left-family-why-many-singaporeans-want-be-child-free?utm_source=rss_feed   ‘No bandwidth left for the family’: why many Singaporeans want to be child-free   Source: South China Morning Post — Kolette Lim, Published 21 Aug 2026       Overview   As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong prepared to announce family-support measures in his National Day Rally speech, a July 2026 YouGov survey found that nearly one in four Singaporeans aged 18–44 have no children and do not intend to have any. This figure sits against a backdrop of Singapore’s record-low total fertility rate of 0.87 in 2025 — far below the 2.1 replacement level .       Key Reasons People Are Choosing To Be Child-Free   ⏳ Demanding work culture — the biggest bottleneck   The article identifies long working hours and poor work-life balance as the most fundamental barrier. Even with financial incentives, many say the system leaves them with no time or mental energy to raise a family.   "Unless Singapore changes its work culture, no amount of money can change our minds." — Resident quoted in the article   "Besides money, time is something Singapore struggles to give back to its citizens. If you want to get enough sleep, your day is pretty much over in a few hours after work." — Zahir Latif, 42, who with his wife has spent eight years deciding against parenthood   Couples report that stable employment often means sacrificing flexibility and personal life; switching to freelance or flexible work brings income instability instead. Either way, there is no bandwidth left for family.   💰 Financial pressures   - High cost of living, housing, and raising children — estimated at S$250,000 to S$500,000 or more per child through adulthood - 51% of respondents in the YouGov survey said they simply cannot afford to raise a child to the standard they would want  - Concerns are especially strong among middle-income households, who do not qualify for maximum subsidies yet cannot easily absorb rising costs   🧩 Lifestyle, identity, and responsibility concerns   - 39% said children would negatively affect their current lifestyle; 38% view parenthood as too great a responsibility  - Many value independence, travel, career flexibility, and the freedom to make life choices without heavy responsibility - Fear of losing personal identity — having to put a child's needs above one's own indefinitely - 22% cite career disruption as a deterrent    🏠 Systemic and structural factors   - Education arms race — intense competition creates additional financial and psychological pressure on both parents and children  - Housing costs — larger homes suitable for families are prohibitively expensive - Caregiving burden — some young adults already carry financial responsibility for ageing parents with limited retirement savings, leaving no room to start their own families - Gendered career penalty — women in particular face setbacks in career progression after having children       Survey at a Glance (YouGov, July 2026)    Category Share of 18–44yo respondents  No children, no intention to have any 23% (~1 in 4)  No children yet but may want them later 22%  Want children 18%  Already have children & may want more 9%    Top reasons for rejecting parenthood:   1. Cannot afford it — 51% 2. Would compromise lifestyle — 39% 3. Too great a responsibility — 38% 4. Career impact — 22%   Notably, 30% said no government policy would change their mind about having children .       Core Takeaway   The article argues that while government subsidies and cash transfers can help, they are secondary to deeper cultural and structural issues. The central problem is captured in the headline: "No bandwidth left" — the work culture, pace of life, and cost of living together leave so little time, energy, and financial headroom that having children feels practically and psychologically out of reach for a growing share of the population. Until work-life balance improves fundamentally, financial measures alone are unlikely to reverse the trend.

Child, 10, scratches face while removing National Day tattoo, mother says school could have handled matter ‘differently’   The school has been checking in with the pupil and will continue to provide support.   😣 https://stmp.sg/gif8   @stompteam       10-Year-Old Scratches Face Removing National Day Tattoo — Mother Says School Could Have Handled It Better       📌 What Happened   On Aug 7, during her primary school's National Day celebration, Mrs Solomon's Primary 4 daughter wore temporary face tattoos meant to "enhance the festive atmosphere." Once at school:   - A fellow student prefect told her tattoos were not allowed - Afraid, the girl tried to remove it herself - A teacher also told her to remove it and offered only a wet wipe - Unable to get it off easily, the girl scratched and scrubbed her cheek, leaving redness, irritation and scratches that may scar   "My daughter was put in a situation where she felt she had no choice but to remove it herself... She felt frightened and kept trying because she believed she had to obey." — Mrs Solomon   📌 Mother's Main Concerns   - Not the rule itself — but how it was enforced: She respects the school's guidelines but says the matter could have been handled "differently" - Why wasn't she contacted? A single phone call would have let her come and remove it safely - Insufficient concern shown: Felt the school's initial reply focused on defending prior reminders rather than caring about her daughter's well-being - Raising awareness: Wants parents and schools to know temporary tattoos can be hard to remove and children shouldn't be left to scrub them off   📌 School's Account   - Students were verbally advised twice — on Aug 3 and again the day before — not to wear tattoos - The teacher believed a fresh tattoo would wipe off easily with a wet wipe - Acknowledged they should have called the parent instead of letting the child scratch at it - Outcome: Vice-principal called to apologise personally; principal confirmed the incident "could have been handled with greater care," has been checking in on the girl, and will strengthen communication with parents going forward   📌 Key Takeaways   - ✅ Rules should be clearly communicated to parents in writing, not just verbally told to children - ✅ When a child needs to remove something from their skin, contact the parent first rather than having them scrub it off - ✅ Temporary tattoos can be surprisingly stubborn — removal needs proper products, not wet wipes       🔗 Source: stmp.sg/gif8 — Published Aug 20, 2026

Underwear and carpets seen hanging over S’pore flag: ‘Please respect the flag,’ says Stomper A Sengkang resident claims he has spotted different carpets covering the flag on multiple occasions. 🇸🇬 https://stmp.sg/ggPM @stompteam   Underwear & Carpets Hung Over Singapore Flag: Disrespect Raised   Two separate incidents of the Singapore national flag being displayed alongside or covered by household items have sparked concerns over proper flag etiquette and respect.        📌 Incident 1: Underwear hung next to flag   - Stomper Anonymous spotted underwear hanging outside an HDB window in the north, right alongside a displayed Singapore flag.  - She called it disrespectful and off-putting: "Walao, put flag to honour your country then hang one underwear..."  - She hopes the incident serves as a lesson on how to properly display the flag, adding: "Please respect the flag. Why need to put underwear?"    📌 Incident 2: Carpet covering flag — repeated   - Stomper John saw a Sengkang resident covering the flag with a carpet — not a one-time occurrence.  - Photos taken Aug 16, ~5:45pm show the carpet draped over the flag; the resident removed it later that evening.  - John says this has happened multiple times before, back in 2021 (June–August).  - He raised both disrespect and practical concerns: "The carpet is dusty... dust easily flies into our rooms. This affects us, especially with asthma." "What if everyone just hangs their clothes and carpets along the staircase? It’s a common area, not a personal drying spot."    📌 Official Flag Guidelines (NHB)   The National Heritage Board states the flag must be treated with respect at all times:    - ❌ Must not be displayed below any other object or item - ❌ Must not be hung out to dry with laundry or other items - ✅ Should be hung vertically against a flat wall, crescent and stars top-left from viewer's perspective    📌 Public Reaction   Comments were mixed — some expressed anger and agreed on the disrespect, while others felt residents should mind their own business.        🔗 Source: stmp.sg/ggPM — Published Aug 20, 2026

‘Cannot hear news via earphones’: Commuter concerned about noise on Thomson-East Coast Line "And we cannot hear each other talking in TEL.” 🚇 https://stmp.sg/5QUe @stompteam   ‘Cannot hear news via earphones’: Commuter concerned about noise on Thomson-East Coast Line   A regular commuter on Singapore's Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) has raised concerns about excessive noise levels aboard the trains, saying they are so loud he cannot hear audio through his earphones or hold conversations with others.       📌 The Commuter's Experience   Stomper JK, who travels the TEL daily between Upper Thomson and Orchard, recorded noise levels consistently hitting 85–90 dB, peaking at 89 dB in one measurement.   "It is so loud that I cannot hear my news via my earphones! And we cannot hear each other talking in TEL." — JK   He notes being exposed to these levels for 15–20 minutes per trip, and says colleagues and friends on other TEL stretches face similar issues. He questions why the newer line is louder than older Singapore MRT lines and rail systems in cities like Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong.   JK has since switched to the North-South Line for his commute and suggests providing earplugs if noise cannot be reduced.   📌 Official Explanation   - LTA: Noise exceeds the 85 dB design threshold on certain stretches due to track curvature — a route alignment chosen to minimise land acquisition and shorten commutes . - Affected sections: Springleaf–Lentor, Stevens–Napier, Bright Hill–Upper Thomson  - Measures already in place: - Slowing trains in affected areas - Grinding track surfaces to smooth wheel-track contact - Trialling tuned mass dampers on the noisiest stretches - SMRT: Acknowledged feedback on Aug 17, 2026 and referred the matter to its maintenance team for review. - Minister Grace Fu: The MRT system is designed to keep average cabin noise below 85 dB, and LTA monitors levels closely.   📌 Public Reaction   Comments on the story were divided — some calling it a minor inconvenience part of train travel, while others sympathised, noting the noise is especially difficult for neurodivergent commuters or those sensitive to sound.       🔗 Source: stmp.sg/5QUe — Published Aug 20, 2026

😠 A man accused of harassing ABC Brickworks hawkers was fired by his security company.   He allegedly made unreasonable demands & would tell hawkers, “I’m going to make you famous” before taking photos of their stalls as a “threat”.   ➡️ https://bit.ly/4gmz61x   Follow us @mothershipsg   Full details: Man fired for allegedly harassing ABC Brickworks hawkers   📅 Reported: 20 August 2026 (originally posted around 9 August 2026) 📍 Location: ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre, Bukit Merah area, Singapore 👤 Suspect: A security guard, approx 60 years old, employed by Amber Regency       What allegedly happened   A member of the public posted about the incidents in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, detailing at least three separate occasions of alleged harassment:   - 🗣️ After causing a scene, he would tell hawkers: "I'm going to make you famous", then take photos of their stalls — seen as an implied threat, reportedly suggesting he would report them to NEA - 🍲 Asked for a soup refill without buying anything and continued arguing when refused - 🍜 Approached stall owners while they were busy preparing food and accused them of being rude when they couldn't respond - 🍚 Made a fuss when a stall couldn't serve a single-person portion of claypot rice - One hawker also alleged he used vulgarities during disputes       Company response   - Amber Regency confirmed they were aware of the allegations against one of their stationed security guards - Launched an immediate internal investigation - Terminated his employment with immediate effect for serious misconduct - Stated: "We will not tolerate employees harassing, insulting, intimidating, or engaging in any inappropriate behaviour towards the public"       Hawker perspective   - Affected stall owners described running their businesses as already difficult, saying: "We are just ordinary hawkers trying to earn an honest living… Hawkers are human too" - Some hawkers noted that NEA inspections happened shortly after confrontations, though no direct proof of connection was established       Source: Mothership / Shin Min Daily News / STOMP