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Are you serious?

Of all the reasons put forward to explain why Singaporeans are not having more children, I don't think I've come across one that beats this.

The letter writer feels that HDB and private apartments are too small for people to have more children. Although the argument does concede that '... the size of an apartment is not the main reason for couples not having more children, but I am quite sure it plays a part', the point of the letter is that the apartments are too small and therefore they restrict the size of the family.

I know that HDB flats today are smaller than those built, say, 20 years ago. As pointed out in the letter, people do decide to sell their smaller, newer flats and buy older, bigger ones. I'm sure it's a big hassle doing so, and then there are also financial and other considerations, but those aside, what's wrong with staying in an older but bigger flat?

And as for the argument that siblings who share bedrooms get on each other's nerves, which was the writer's experience, well, siblings will get on each other's nerves, whether they share rooms or not. Unless they never interact with one another.

I am aware that I myself can be 'attacked' for being a pot calling a kettle black, since we only have one child...
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fuzzoo said…
I think some people are taking every opportunity to link whatever grouse they have to the low birth rate because they know this is important to the gahmen so they think the gahmen will do something about those problems if they are shown to be a cause of the low birth rate. Look at me - I have 3 kids and I stuff all 3 of them plus mother-in-law into one room, no problem.
11:51 pm
Anonymous said…
So maybe soon people will be saying cars cost too much, public transport and GST are going up, etc, so we are not having more children?
4:24 pm
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