The Singapore Forum

Singapore wins in this respect.

There are more activities to do in Signapore with young children ( up to 6years old) than in the uk.

Parks, beaches, playgrounds are so much nicer (the ones here are pathetic generally and so old fashioned and dangerous - singapore had done away with these types in the 1990s) , swimming pools, indoor play (airport, vivocity, train rides, marina square, waterplay etc), zoo , birdpark , science centre, free skits/sketches,regional libraries are so tiny etc.

Outdoor activities are so difficult to do here...so much effort in dressing up just to go to our garden ! Another drawback is that there aren't very many toilets around let alone ones that are user friendly to chilren/babies. A real disappointment is how they go on about the disabled but there are steps everywhere - I cna't imagine someone in a wheelchair having an easy time moving about. (I have problems with moving my pram nearly everywhere I go).

On the plus side, i suppose at proper school age, the children here do have more time for play cf those who are in local schools in singapore.

Not much on things American also. CBBC channel on tv is either too young or too old for 3 or 4 year olds. And alot of the programmes are slapstick or hte children. Barney and Dora seem non-existant here.

Oddly enough, I much prefer driving in Singapore than here so far even though you get people changing lanes in singaporean without signalling and cutting into lanes, driving between two lanes etc. The parking here is horrible.. I've come across most people who don't bother straightening their parked cars (Mr. sate is one of them). and the side mirrors - I've not seen any parked car with its side mirrors pulled in. When I enquired on that feature, the car salesman found it a bit demanding..... Not quite sure of some driving ettiqute here most motorists are polite in giving way.

You don't like Britain, then?

Satellite wrote: Barney and Dora seem non-existant here.

LOL, all the more reason for living there


Actually Sate, all the reasons you stated Singapore is better are the problems/frustrations I encountered in Singapore. It all depends on perspective doesn't it?

When I leave Singapore, it will be because I have kids. Singapore is nice enough, but not anywhere I want to raise a family.

Which is not to say Singapore is bad, it just shows that people have vastly different views on this matter.

I'm happy enough raising the family here for now but come high school time I think it will be time to move, or send them them somewhere else for schooling.

The only stipulation I have for where my kids are raised is "no where near me".

But in all seriousness: sate, have you actually stopped to look at what Britain has to offer that Singapore doesn't? Or are you just too focused that "Singapore is better" and living in a state of culture shock?

I suppose it has gotten better here with regard to access for wheelchairs and prams, but when I was pushing my double stroller around in 2004-5 I had a heck of a time going plenty of places. Some places I couldn't get into at all unless someone was willing to help me carry the stroller in and out. I couldn't have gotten on the MRT at the station closest to me at the time (Orchard) because there was no lift and the escalator was single file (not that I would have attempted a regular escalator with a double stroller by myself anyway). There are lifts at the Orchard station now, I believe.

Hope you're actually happier than you are sounding lately, Sate. To be honest, you are sounding like someone still in the midst of culture shock. Try to take some time to get out and see the good things there are to offer where you are - there certainly are some and it can be difficult to recognize when you are feeling out of place and missing home. Good luck & hang in there!

Also bear in mind the time of the year. Everything looks bleakest in the dead of winter, but Spring brings a breath of fresh air.

I always thought that one of the good things of London (or England) is that you can do a much more outdoor activities than in Singapore

I always thought that one of the good things of London (or England) is that you can do a much more outdoor activities than in Singapore

Same here!

My childhood friend is living in London now and she's doing many outdoor activities there and how she loves winter, more clothes, more fashionable yet it needs a deep pocket too. Well, we should be adaptable, I think.

I posted in this topic when I didn't have a kid, and now I do.

I can say one thing, and only one really, for Singapore: if you are into servants and having other people raise your kids for you, this is a great place!

We're not, so it isn't.

Congratulations Daddy T2K!

I have a number of friends who've enjoyed Singapore with young kids, though many have left or about to depart as they get older.

Congratulations, T2K.

It's horses for courses. The lifestyle here in Perth, where you generally take your kids along* when you socialise, and where barbies and "bring a plate" are the norm suits us much better. Also, because no-one has maids, people are keen to build up support networks and so we have holiday child care swap arrangements and help each other out.

* Note: not recommended for Bruce Springsteen concerts.

Thanks, being a dad is great.

It's definitely a personal preference thing. I've met other foreigners here who clearly stated that the primary draw of Singapore for them was that they could have domestic help. They blend right into the local practice of bringing their "maid" out with them to mind the kids and carry groceries and such.

It's just not our cup of tea but, for those that are into it, Singapore is clearly much better than the UK, US, Aus, NZ, EU, Japan, etc where servants are not something that "normal" people have.

Congrats T2K...it's a bit of a life changer isn't it? A good one though.

I never took our maid with us anywhere when we went out, unless it was something she wanted to go to...like the movies, and then it was more for her enjoyment than child minding. The one thing I did like is that every so often I did get to out and have an adult night out, and feel safe and happy that my kids were being looked after by someone who cared for them and that I could trust. Oh, and I didn't have to get home by a certain time or whatever. It didn't happen often but it was nice to be able to do it. I can't do that here, without a network or family around (like I don't here) life can be pretty restricted. It is times like this that I miss having my maid around...oh and when I have a mountain of ironing as well.

Congratulations T2K! We have a banana for that! at least I hope that's a bonnet, pacifier and pamper.

Going out at night is one very good reason for having a live-in maid here, which I do not have.

We've never had a problem getting a babysitter here when we want to go out - friends, teenagers we know, au pairs, agencies. But then it costs for one night approximately the same as the average maid's weekly salary.

Congrats T2K

daffodil wrote:
I have a number of friends who've enjoyed Singapore with young kids, though many have left or about to depart as they get older.

With young children , sg is definitely better - as more things to do seriously yes. There are 15 or more places to take the children out in Sg cf 4 or 5 over here on a daily basis.

I'm hoping it would be better for primary school children and above here than there.

Maids: My opinion is it is better to have the maids mind the children when people go out then to have them run around and messing peoples' premises up like they do here and them being inconsiderate to others. The mothers don't care.. they have so many children (ok 3 or 4 seems average) and they just happily chat away while their children does disgusting things.

I do find maids (or servants as you call them) great for freeing up time for household chores so that I can play and teach my children . I find that in the uK, I have so little time to actually be with them and feel sorry for them when I am doing the household chores. They miss out on so much of the fun things I used to do with them - reading, crafts, beaches, gardens .

There is still opportunity to get some weekly help with the chores but past experiences with maids makes me very weary of letting strangers into our house. I much prefer it like the aristocrats used do to- leave their servants in the basement to do all the chores! Alas, that is a bygone era!anyway, lucky 'servants' as we would not have the money for that anyway.

The school here is also quite stressful. They come home at 4. Play till 5. HOme work (yes even for 4year olds who just started school 5 days ago) for an hour. Rest and Dinner. REst/play and bedtime. There would not be any time left for the children to go out to places. Places close anyway around 5 or 6pm. Other places takes 2-3hrs to get there so only a weekend thing just like in sg ifyou want to go to "more places" as it also costs just as much here! Just different places here and in Asia.

It really breaks my heart when the weather is sunny here and Mstr Sate says," lets go to the beach!" That said, children are adaptable and what they don't know, they won't miss....

Personally I would try for LA if only one of us was from that State. Too bad neither of us are Americans!

Satellite wrote:
There is still opportunity to get some weekly help with the chores but past experiences with maids makes me very weary of letting strangers into our house. I much prefer it like the aristocrats used do to- leave their servants in the basement to do all the chores! Alas, that is a bygone era!anyway, lucky 'servants' as we would not have the money for that anyway.

Downton has a lot to answer for !

LOL.

We went on a very interesting "Below Stairs" tour at Belton House in July, all about how many servants they had and what they did.

And, having visited loads of historical places during a three-week trip, I got very nostalgic for the UK and really wanted to be able to justify a National Trust membership.

Horses for courses ...

Congrats, T2K!

We resisted the live-in help thing for the first 2 years here, but 2 young children and a husband who has to travel for work made us cave We found a happy medium though, I think. We've never felt the need to drag the maid along to look after the kids if we go out to eat or shopping or whatever. However, there have been times when we/I've really needed the help. If Mr. S was out of town on swim lesson day back when a parent had to be in the water with the child, with twins, I wouldn't have been able to do it without the extra hands. Most recently, when I had my knee surgery, it meant Mr. S didn't have to take a week off work to shuttle kids around and do things for me that I couldn't do. These days, mine are still young enough to need a babysitter if we go out for an evening, so that is really the main reason we still have a live in maid - I guess we're a bit addicted to 'on demand' babysitting. If it were easy to find babysitters whenever you need them (I've never found them all that readily available here like they would be in the US - seems most of the teens here don't need the pocket money babysitting provides, so they aren't interested), I'd certainly consider going to a part time cleaning lady who could come in a couple times a week.