Do we need incentives to have babies? (1)

So much persuasion is needed just to have a baby or two. Is it not something quite natural of mankind to procreate? Has there been a shift of priority over time? Do the 5Cs rank well above babies? Does the media have a part to play? etc etc ......

Well, while it is good of the government to put up more incentives to encourage couples to have more babies, I think we need to have the right mind set fundamentally. We don't have babies just because the government is dishing out incentives, monetary or otherwise. While the incentives would certainly help the less privileged couples, it would do little to motivate the professionals who are financially secured.

That said, I feel that there is a need to raise the standard of child-care centres. It is no secret that the pre-school teachers are not the most well-paid group. As a result, the early childhood profession does not attract many qualified individuals to pursue it as a career. Can you imagine putting your child at a centre which is purely a "baby-sitting" centre in disguise? I have personally been to a centre where the teachers were literally yelling at each other using "Singlish" and there was little discipline in place, if any at all. I was absolutely appalled!

There is not one centre which I am totally happy with but I am just living with it, simply because there is none. This is one reason for quitting my job. I don't want to see Nicole coming home speaking like an "Ah Beng".

One of my dreams would be to set up a childcare centre which is able to meet my own expectation of a quality childcare centre! Well, let's see how the government is going to help in bringing in more quality childcare centres to benefit our next generation. Perhaps, I would be one of the operators? Would you put your child with me? :) :)