I first came across something recently in Parliament that really made me pause.
Indranee Rajah shared that Singapore needs a “reset” in marriage and parenthood if we want to improve our fertility situation.
But what stood out to me wasn’t just the policy direction.
It was the underlying question behind it.
Have we actually built a world where families can thrive… or are we still expecting parents to adapt around work?
The idea of a “reset”
From what was shared, this reset isn’t just about encouraging people to have more children.
It looks at three deeper areas:
- How we view marriage and parenthood
- How workplaces support families
- How society collectively shows up for parents
On paper, it sounds comprehensive.
But when I sat with it a little longer, I couldn’t help but think about everyday life.
What has changed in reality?
To be fair, things have improved over the years.
Flexible work arrangements are more common. Hybrid work is more accepted. Conversations around mental health and burnout are more open than before.
For many parents, this has made a difference.
School runs feel slightly less rushed. Some days, being present at home and at work feels more manageable.
But even with these changes, many parents still describe life as a constant balancing act.
The lived reality for many parents
Despite flexibility being available, the experience is not always equal.
There is still:
- Pressure to be responsive at work
- Expectations to be present both physically and mentally
- Invisible mental load of managing home, childcare, and career
- Guilt, on both sides, when something gives way
So while the structure may have evolved, the lived experience often still feels stretched.
So has the workplace really evolved?
This is where the conversation becomes important.
Because evolution is not just about policies being introduced.
It is also about:
- Whether flexibility is truly usable without stigma
- Whether workloads are realistically aligned with family life
- Whether workplace culture supports boundaries, not just productivity
- Whether parents feel safe to prioritise family when needed
In other words, it’s not just about what exists on paper.
It’s about what actually happens in daily life.
Maybe the question is bigger than we think
Instead of asking only whether the workplace has evolved…
Perhaps the more honest question is:
Are workplaces, expectations, and culture evolving together at the same pace?
Because if only one part moves forward, parents are often the ones who have to adjust the most.
A conversation worth having
There’s no simple answer here.
But this is exactly why conversations like the “reset” matter.
They remind us that fertility, family life, and work are deeply connected, not separate decisions.
And maybe, beyond policies and frameworks, what many parents are quietly hoping for is this:
A system where building a family does not feel like something they have to constantly “manage” alongside everything else.
Hello! I am Mummy Kim!
A beauty-loving mum who believes that looking good and feeling good go hand in hand. My parenting mantra is raising happy, confident kids with strong self-esteem! Between facial masks and storybooks, I’m all about nurturing both inner and outer beauty, for myself and my little ones.
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