SINGAPORE: A recent interview with young people regarding Singapore’s birth rate showed that many believe fewer people choose to have children for several reasons.
The top two they mentioned are high living costs and concentrating on their careers.
With the birth rate in Singapore falling below one and society ageing fast, young people were asked how they felt about this “crisis” in an Asian Boss interview posted on YouTube on Nov 7.
Many respondents said they were concerned about Singapore’s low birth rate but added that there were other issues they were more concerned about.
“Have you seen the rain lately?” one young woman asked the interviewer from Asian Boss. Another said that the low birth rate is not at the top of her mind, noting that the weather is more concerning.
Many cited the rising cost of living when asked about the leading contributing factors to the declining birth rate.
One woman wants children but is concerned about expenses. She said day-to-day life is getting more costly than in recent years, while salaries remain the same.
One noted that migrant families have a hard time staying afloat; therefore, having children is not a top priority.
She added that since the standard of education is very good in Singapore, many young people desire to pursue career advancement.
Having a child requires a lot of resources, and some would rather invest these into their career, she added further.
“It’s not that we can’t do it, but it will be tough. So some people choose not to do that, which is valid.”
The “insane fast pace of society” is partly responsible, said another woman who works in design. She said people need to “really grind” to meet their housing needs and support themselves and their partner.
She added that the cost of living and healthcare are so high even for a single person, but how much more when having a family?
Another young woman said that having kids slows one’s professional life by at least five years, which some young people don’t want to face.
A young man even said many people he knows don’t want to get married, and his family has even given him the same advice. He sees marriage as a “burden.”
Meanwhile, a young woman said that others in her generation would rather have pets—fur kids instead of real ones. Pets, she added, are more low-maintenance, and children are more high-stress.
Another woman added that marriage has become less of a priority than self-growth and career.
When the young people were asked if they wanted to get married, many said yes, but not soon, as self, studies, and career came first. /TISG
Read also: Some Singaporeans say building more 1-room flats for singles could raise birth rate
