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Stay-Home-Moms Rejoining Workforce

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:09 pm
by concern2
PM recently mentioned the trend of women becoming SAHM perpetually compared to those in countries where women returns to work. What is your view of that?

Going back to work

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:11 pm
by concern2
Some of the choices seem to be similar, but I word it differently so as to reflect a more accurate stand. Feel free to give your comments!

Re: Stay-Home-Moms Rejoining Workforce

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:39 am
by schellen
concern2 wrote:PM recently mentioned the trend of women becoming SAHM perpetually compared to those in countries where women returns to work. What is your view of that?
I think this is because over here, jobs with flexible schedules, allowing us to work from home and doing part-time are rare to come by for white-collar posts that pay well enough to be worthwhile. So we sacrifice ever going back to work and remain SAHM perpetually.

I was a SAHM for at least 5 years and returning to work full-time was and still is hard, physically and emotionally. But no choice, to live here and have kids requires a lot of money or having many sacrifices/being very resourceful when surviving on a single income...unless you're a rich tai-tai or SAHD, of course.

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:05 am
by foreverj
i agree with schellen. to take up any meaningful work on part-time basis is rare. and if u taking u any meaningful white-collar work on full-time basis, difficult to limit to office hours only. working extra hours to make sure deadlines are met and also to achieve the mother's own job satisfaction means taking more hours away from the kids. some people may say just leave office on time but this is impossible for certain jobs when time is critical and may involve letting down your team mates. ultimately the mother has to choose which is more impt- the kids or the job.

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:40 am
by sleepy
concern2 wrote:PM recently mentioned the trend of women becoming SAHM perpetually compared to those in countries where women returns to work. What is your view of that?

If SAHMs wish to return to full time work, how receptive are the employers?

After being away for say 5 to 10 years, would these once mid-career women be scope at entry level as fresh grads?

Unless there are compelling reasons to return to work, they are unlikely to obtain satisfaction from performing entry level work.

If financially they are fine (should be fine otherwise won't be away for 5 to 10 years in the first place), so what are the pulling factors for them to return to work force?

To pass time? Plenty of ways to pass time. For instance, do volunteer work, isn't it even more meaningful?

Hence, most SAHMs remain SAHMs even when their kids grown up.


Bottom line is how receptive are employers in accepting SAHMs back to work force without over-penalising their absence the last few years.

My 2 cents 8)

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:55 am
by sleepy
this is from STforum

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/ST%2B ... 19802.html


Aug 22, 2009
What mothers want
Govt must end discrimination by employers

I REFER to Monday's letter by Mr Nicholas Lim, 'Who says Baby Bonus scheme is not a success?'

Although I agree that the Baby Bonus scheme does help couples who are already planning to have children in firming up their decision, it is not necessarily the main factor for couples to consider when planning to have babies.

Before I planned to have children, one factor I considered was that I might have to quit my job and be a stay- home mother for at least 10 years. Hence, the shift from dual to single income for at least 10 years was my main factor of consideration.

When I had my first son, I stayed home to look after him as my parents did not live nearby and my in-laws were elderly. I did not want to employ a maid to care for my infant for fear of child abuse.

When my younger son was 14 months old, I decided to return to the workforce as I wanted to remain employable. I placed my children in the nearby infant and childcare centre.

However, I soon realised it was not easy to find a job as prospective employers dropped me from their lists once they realised I could not work late as I had to take my children home before 7.30pm. Moreover, I had to consider the distance taken to commute between work and home in order to be on time to collect my children.

Currently, I am still looking for a job but, so far, I have not been successful. I can understand why many graduate mothers prefer to be full-time housewives to concentrate on looking after their children as it is almost impossible to juggle work and family without support.

In Singapore, employers are still not prepared to be flexible in hiring mothers, so women who plan to have children and can manage on a single income are likely to quit after childbirth. Others who think their career path will be affected after having children may choose not to have children at all.

In these respects, the Government needs to do more than implement the Baby Bonus scheme to increase the declining birth rate.

Susan Hu (Ms)



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Consider back-to-work incentives

I READ with interest about the less-than-favourable results of the Baby Bonus incentive dangled by the Government.

The monetary incentive, though reasonably good, may not be an attractive stimulant, especially to modern and educated couples. A number of my friends and I, graduate mothers who gave up our career to tend to the needs of our family, decided to have at least one, and most of us three children, not for any incentive but for love of children and family.

Some of our friends who were more keen to pursue their careers decided to have either one or no children due to the limited time they could spend with the family.

Perhaps the Government should look into incentives to help working women put their career on hold to start a family with two or more children and a strategy to help us integrate back into the workforce.

Skills upgrading and job connection are essential. Course fees can be a deterrent for stay-home mothers. A strategy that includes a study grant for professional courses like a master's degree would be useful.

Career women would value the opportunity to upgrade if we can have the acknowledgement and support of the Government so as to maximise our stay-home years for the family. A period of three to five years usually works well for most families planning to have two or more children.

Besides this, the Government may want to consider giving priority admission to primary schools for families with a certain number of children. Parents go a long way to secure a place for their children in their chosen school. Perhaps those with three or more children can have priority similar to that of alumni and those with two children priority similar to that of volunteers.

While we do not encourage parents to put their children in schools far from home, such priority might be extended to schools within 10km. This might help minimise the escalation of property prices and the unnecessary hassle of families chasing property within 1km of their chosen school.

Callie Gay (Ms)

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:20 am
by foreverj
i tot ms callie gay's suggestion of helping mothers integrate back into the workforce is quite interesting. the govt may want to look into setting up a dept which focuses specifically on this policy. its like helping the retrenched look for alternative work again, but in this case its zooming into specifically mothers who gave up their careers to care for their children. this may truly be helpful in the long term - to increase birthrates, maintain family and social harmony, creating/maintaining sufficient workforce for the economy.

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:35 am
by jedamum
foreverj wrote:i tot ms callie gay's suggestion of helping mothers integrate back into the workforce is quite interesting. the govt may want to look into setting up a dept which focuses specifically on this policy.
what the govt need to do to convince us of their interest in helping mothers integreate back into the workforce is to have their stat boards and whichever boards to hire us back and have flexible schemes, part time schemes etc etc. how many of those companies that offer such schemes actually came from govt bodies? :roll:

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:41 am
by tankee
maybe the govenment is not interested to get SAHM to rejoin the workforce ... :idea:

1. SAHM tends to have more babies than working moms ??? :?
2. already hands are full finding jobs for retrenched workers

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:52 am
by jedamum
tankee wrote:maybe the govenment is not interested to get SAHM to rejoin the workforce ... :idea:

1. SAHM tends to have more babies than working moms ??? :?
2. already hands are full finding jobs for retrenched workers
the only way govt is 'helping' sahm rejoin the workforce as specifically stated in their replies is to ensure that there are sufficient quality childcare. i believe mummies working at some stat boards and which ever boards have 'concessionary' rates for their childcare facilities.