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SINGAPORE: More than a decade ago, Ms Olivia Pua left her marriage, taking her five-month-old baby with her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her then-husband was not ready to settle down or embrace parenthood, leading to constant arguments and an increasingly unhealthy home environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to let everyone have a better life by moving forward,\u201d she said. \u201cEven when I was married \u2026 I already felt like a single mum. He didn’t put in any responsibilities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since then, Ms Pua has raised her son largely on her own, without alimony, relying on family support while juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The experience reshaped her views on marriage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you cannot get a partner who can share (responsibilities) and add value to your life, then marriage is just a piece of paper,\u201d the 38-year-old told CNA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ms Emmeline Low similarly turned away from an unequal partnership.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she was pregnant with her third child, she realised she had been navigating motherhood largely alone \u2013 attending gynaecologist appointments by herself and caring for her children without meaningful support from her spouse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The final straw came one night when she needed to go to the emergency department.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She recalled: \u201cHis reaction was that \u2026 he needed rest. My dad came all the way to my place to bring me to the hospital. That was when I thought it was time to move forward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amid divorce proceedings, Ms Low took upskilling courses to improve her employability.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Today, the 39-year-old co-parents with her ex-husband, with their children spending time between both households.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her perspective on relationships has also evolved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my 20s, I wanted to find a good father for my future kids,\u201d she said. \u201cAs I grow older \u2026 I want a life partner who should be able to provide, protect and solve problems.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stories like Ms Pua\u2019s and Ms Low\u2019s reflect a broader reality in Singapore: parents say unequal responsibility at home can strain marriages, influence decisions about having children and, in some cases, push couples apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This comes as Singapore\u2019s total fertility rate fell to a record low<\/a> of 0.87 in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n Young people are also delaying marriage and parenthood. Latest government data from 2024 showed that the number of marriages fell by 7 per cent from the previous year, with the largest decline among couples aged 25 to 34.\u00a0<\/p>\n