Advantages of having children younger

Heartwarming moments vs. sacrifices

Will you regret not having children?

Govt’s push for babies impact your choice?

Is parenting a 50/50 effort?

Do higher cash incentives promote parenthood?

Children can invoke feelings of joy, gratitude and fulfilment, but also thoughts of fatigue, financial stress, and lack of personal time?

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

For the first time ever, the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropped below 1, hitting 0.97 in 2023. Singapore's replacement TFR rate meanwhile stands at 2.1 - the level of fertility at which the population replaces itself from one generation to the next.

The instincts to procreate, it seems, are varied and personal, as hosts Sarah Koh and Aqil Hamzah - journalists from The Straits Times - find out from their guests. 

For Ms Charisse Grace Agustin, 29, being childless was a decision that she made at the age of 18, while still a junior college student.

Mr Sng Shan En, 27, on the other hand, is already a father to a three-year-old, with plans for more children in the future if his wife wants them.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 The advantages to having children younger rather than older

6:00 Heartwarming moments vs. material sacrifices of having children

10:17 The future regret in not having children

16:22 Would the government’s push for babies change your decision?

18:46  Is parenting a 50/50 effort between mom and dad?

21:04 Would higher cash incentives nudge more towards parenthood?

Produced by: Aqil Hamzah (haqil@sph.com.sg), Sarah Koh (sarahkoh@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong, Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified of new episodes:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: https://str.sg/i5gS

Read Sarah Koh’s articles: https://str.sg/CzpH

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times’ app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

---

#inyouropinion

Children can invoke feelings of joy, gratitude and fulfilment, but also thoughts of fatigue, financial stress, and lack of personal time?
Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
For the first time ever, the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropped below 1, hitting 0.97 in 2023. Singapore's replacement TFR rate meanwhile stands at 2.1 - the level of fertility at which the population replaces itself from one generation to the next.
The instincts to procreate, it seems, are varied and personal, as hosts Sarah Koh and Aqil Hamzah - journalists from The Straits Times - find out from their guests. 
For Ms Charisse Grace Agustin, 29, being childless was a decision that she made at the age of 18, while still a junior college student.
Mr Sng Shan En, 27, on the other hand, is already a father to a three-year-old, with plans for more children in the future if his wife wants them.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:00 The advantages to having children younger rather than older
6:00 Heartwarming moments vs. material sacrifices of having children
10:17 The future regret in not having children
16:22 Would the government’s push for babies change your decision?
18:46  Is parenting a 50/50 effort between mom and dad?
21:04 Would higher cash incentives nudge more towards parenthood?
Produced by: Aqil Hamzah (haqil@sph.com.sg), Sarah Koh (sarahkoh@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong, Ernest Luis &amp; Hadyu Rahim
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified of new episodes:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a> 
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/wukb">https://str.sg/wukb</a> 
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sV">https://str.sg/w7sV</a> 
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/">https://www.awedio.sg</a> 
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a> 
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a> 
Read ST’s Opinion section: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sH">https://str.sg/w7sH</a> 
Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/i5gS">https://str.sg/i5gS</a> 
Read Sarah Koh’s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/CzpH">https://str.sg/CzpH</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a> 
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a> 
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a> 
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a> 
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a> 
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a> 
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a> 
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a> 
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a> 
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a> 
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a> 
---
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a> 
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a> 
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a> 
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a> 
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a> 
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a> 
Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a> 
---
Get The Straits Times’ app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a> 
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a> 
---
#inyouropinion

Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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