\n<\/p>\n
When we speak about building a \u201cpro-family\u201d\u00a0society\u00a0in Singapore, we must ask: Whose family?<\/p>\n
If educators routinely sacrifice their evenings, absorb administrative spillover and remain digitally tethered long after closing time, we are solving one problem by creating another.<\/p>\n
The heart of early childhood education is relational. It is found in kneeling beside a child who is learning to regulate big emotions, in noticing subtle developmental shifts, in building trust with families. A preschool educator who is emotionally depleted cannot sustainably nurture young children.<\/p>\n
So, an additional half-hour may offer\u00a0assistance to some working parents, or\u00a0convenience\u00a0to others. But this would come at a real cost \u2013 paid by preschool educators and their families.<\/p>\n
The gap that extended preschool hours are meant to fill could also be bridged by employers \u2013 such as through flexible work arrangements or partnerships with nearby childcare centres. Ultimately, it is about balancing employees\u2019 childcare needs with educators\u2019 workloads.<\/p>\n
If\u00a0Singapore\u00a0truly hopes to encourage more couples to start families, then safeguarding the well-being of those who care for the youngest among us is not optional.\u00a0We cannot build a family-friendly society on the exhaustion of the people making it possible.<\/p>\n