Singapore best country to grow up in - Global Childhood report 2019

It's official. Singapore is the best country to raise a child.

You would often hear complaints from parents ( me included) about raising a child in Singapore. From the high cost of living such as childcare centres and tuition to stress-induced from competitive education system, it would seem that Singapore may not be the best place to raise a child.

Well, you are proven wrong with the latest Global Childhood Report 2019.

Singapore tops the ranking as the country that best protects and provides for children with a score of 989. Sometimes, we just need to put things in perspective.

Child mortality in Singapore was 2.8 per 1000 live births in 2017 while the child homicide rate in 2016 was 0.1 death per 100,000 up to 19. In addition, due to our rigorous education standards, we have the lowest out-of-school rate at 0.1 per cent.

Sure, we do whine about expensive childcare, tuition and PSLE scores. At the end of the day, we can have a child that will be raised safely in Singapore. If these are the trade-offs we have to deal with, it is the lesser evil compared to the alternative.

As for stress, there are plenty of activities in Singapore to do to unwind. It is all a matter of perspective.  While we do not deny the unique pressures we experience, sometimes we have to look far to appreciate what we have at home.

For this coming school holidays, reward your child by spending time with them and appreciate what we have in this little red dot. If you are thinking of what to do, we have guides to help you out.

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