This point of this post is not to start a war between those with children and childfree people, but to facilitate geniune discussion for those who are on the fence, or couples who have differing opinions on children.

My partner and I are in our late 20s and have discussed to never have a child due to a multitude of reasons.

1. Money – the money required to raise a child is ridiculous, assuming the child is going to university. Just in terms of money, raising a child takes hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the actual act of raising and educating a human being from scratch. In the face of endless inflation and rising cost of living, having a child seems to be only negatives on top of many negatives.
2. Competency/quality as parents – this may be a controversial point, but I am of the opinion that some people should not have children due to genetic disorder or unresolved issues that may affect the upbringing of the child. It is unfair to both parent and child if both affect each other negatively, the child bringing more stress to an already overly stressed parent and the child not being able to be brought up “properly”. Both me and my partner do not like children and cannot stand their crying or tantrums, which makes us unqualified parents.
3. (Trigger warning) Children are not retirement plans. – I have lost friends over this point when I discussed the pros and cons of having a child. Many pro child people always bring up the same points about “who is going to take care of you when you’re older?”, I think it is absolutely messed up if you give birth to a child in the expectation of your child becoming a source of funds for your future retirement plan and expect them to take care of you just because you selfishly decide to bring them into this world, in which they themselves have absolutely zero say in. You should absolutely plan for your own retirement as if you do not have children, having your child take care of you should be considered a privilege and not a given. To those who believe in the notion of “Im your parent, you owe me this this this because I took care of you”, I count my blessings that I would never have to meet you in my lifetime and give a prayer to those who have to put up with you, especially your child.
4. “Children are a source of happiness and makes your life fulfilled and complete”. – To some people, they absolutely are, but I fail to see how from my own POV. In terms of numbers , they are an absolute liability to your overall quality of life and standard of living. The money thrown into raising a child could have gone towards the house or a expensive holiday or any wants, not to mention the stress free life of not having to consider the needs of a child before going anywhere. I could literally book a flight ticket tonight to anywhere in the world and go away for a month if I wanted to, something those with children could only dream about. Children can be a source of happiness, but there are also other sources of happiness in life that brings equal amount of joy, dont fall into societal norms just because everybody around you are having children, decide for yourself.

If you have read this far, thank you for your time listening to my rambling and I am ready to have my mind changed about having children.

I would like to end this post by saying that even with all those points above, and you have chose to still have children and is currently bringing them up in a warm and loving environment, you have my full respect and best wishes in cultivating the next generation. It is a thankless and noble job that I can never envision myself to do properly, and I am eternally grateful to my own parents who took such good care of me.

Cheers to all the parents in the world.

I (F27) got engaged recently. We had the engagement party at a restaurant. It was paid for by my future MIL.

My sister (F22) came with my parents. She is the type that lives by “the body positivity” concept which is more than okay but she tends to put me in situations where I find myself having to deal with people’s reactions and I’ll explain what I mean in a minute.

She came to the party wearing a dress above knee. My future MIL and the other women were staring at her legs constantly. MIL then pulled me aside and pointed out my sister’s leg hair. I was completely baffled and quiet shocked.

She said it made her and the other women feel uneasy and weirded out. I said I was sorry for how they felt and tried to stay calm but I was mad from the inside. The women continued to stare and my sister acted like everything was fine. I honestly felt like she caused disruption to the party.

I brought it up with her later and told her about what the guests felt about her unshaved legs. She kept chewing on her gum while completely acting like it was nothing, she even said my future inlaw women need to chill.

I told her this was unacceptable and that she should’ve shaved before coming since it was my event and I had to deal with the looks and disruption from the women. My parents told me to get off her back and leave her alone.

Then they left. Mom is now telling me to apologize for upsetting my sister after she came to share my happy moments. I told this to my fiance and he just kept laughing and making comments about how women are “ridiculous”.

Am I in the wrong here? I feel like she disrespected me and my guests.

saw two ~9yo girls casually walking in a park and vaping

I feel that something is very off. I have vaped before the ban and have witnessed adults doing it after the ban in the park or on the road, but I have never seen such young children using it.

I approached them and asked where they got it from, they casually told me their parents gave it to them. How normal is this in this society?

I told them to not do it in good will, but am I being a boomer (millennial boomer) or is there something that needs to be done over this?

Netizens’ comments

• I heard children vape in schools
• In secondary 4 very common to see students in my cohort vape in the toilets, would see 1-4 vaping at a time. I saw one guy just casually vape with a camera conveniently place infront where he wanted to do it. Looks like vape ban doesn’t do much, lol
• Parents fked up. This is lack of education.
• Bro vapes are so popular now, you can go M’Sia and it is just sold there on the selves at a cheap as fuck price.
  Sometimes legit some of the kids visit their relatives, then they just give them. They see vapes as not as dangerous as cigarettes.
  Fuck, my neighbour got his first cigarette from his father at 9 and they smoke as a bonding activity.
• I think the illegal vice ring in Geylang is one of the main suppliers for vapes. Some months ago there was a video circulated by the police, showing the increase of vice/crime when the safety measures were lifted.
  But sorry i digress, it is a sad thing, why does the young need to be robbed of their innocence .

My girlfriend and I have had a LDR for 7 months now where i get to see her some days every month, we’re starting to be serious and wanna move in together.

Currently, she still lives with her ex, as they broke up shortly before we got together, and the apartment being expensive so she couldn’t live there alone.

According to the ex is like a family to her and not a romantic option at all anymore, the ex also moved on from them being together as couple, they are however each other’s best friend. Other than him my girlfriend doesn’t have any family in this country as she moved here from Singapore

I snapped at my husband when he asked to help.

My partner is 29F, and an identical twin.

I’ve learnt a LOT about twins in the duration of our relationship.

They are closer than I could ever imagine, and almost have their own sort of language/code, it’s like when they’re together they practically turn into one person and finish each other’s sentences and are almost oblivious to everybody around them.

Here are what netizens think:

• Well you know twin sisters like to share, maybe you can share your sausage with the other sister.
• Hello bro wake up! This is a very big hint for you to start a PARTYYYY
• Man stepped on a goldmine but had no idea that it’s gold, therefore there is only one definition. Your a moron.