Expat Parenthood: Pros & Cons

WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT BEING AN EXPAT MUM IN SINGAPORE?

The hands down best thing for me is our amazing helper, Imelda. She allows me to be the mother and business owner I want to be. On weekends and in the afternoon and evenings during the week I can dedicate 100 percent of my attention to my kids because I don’t have to worry about household chores.

The second best part is the eternal summer. It makes getting out of the house so quick – a far cry from the five layers, gloves, hat and snowsuit we had to put on my firstborn who was born in the middle of winter in London!

The worst thing is not being able to see family and old friends. PreCOVID this wasn’t an issue for me, as Singapore was a travel hub so we had a lot of visitors and could fly home at the drop of a hat if we needed to. Lucy

The best thing is the affordable access to help. My amazing helper Ligaya has been with me for over 10 years and she is the heart of our family. The worst thing is missing family and friends at home – and that’s even more magnified with the pandemic. Nicola

One of the big attractions of Singapore is that life here is easy and friendly. Help is affordable, which means you get to have extra time for yourself. This allows us as mothers to progress our careers quicker than at home where childcare is not always feasible and where one parent has to put their career on hold to raise their little ones.

I think the worst part is our children not growing up with all their cousins and creating those childhood memories, and generally missing our family – particularly in recent times with the travel restrictions. Melissa

There are so many great things about being a mum here! Singapore is hands down the best place for a working expat mother who’s looking to have a life, career and kids all at once.

Our helper Vanessa has been my backbone and support system for the past five years. She’s been with us the entire time and is my right hand, helping me manage the house, the kids’ schedule, their meals and everything else.

Another amazing thing here is the community! People are extremely friendly, and it’s super easy to make friends. Our condo is an amazing oasis for our family as we get access to pools, barbecue facilities, the playground and amazing weather all at our doorstep.

The convenience is another plus. Everything is within a five-minute walk. We are very fortunate to live right by the river on Robertson Quay, so we’re able to easily get to restaurants, bars, shopping malls, supermarkets and anything you can imagine. In the US we would need to drive at least 30 minutes to get to a playdate or a pool.

Honestly, there’s not much to complain about Singapore. It’s a safe haven for kids and a brilliant place to raise young ones!

Nisha

The best thing is having an extra pair of hands at home with support from my wonderful helper. The worst is being so far from home, which means the children are growing up without having grandparents around. Dee