S'porean panel, including man with 8 children, discusses why they chose to have, or not have, kids

While Singapore’s fertility rate fell to a historic low of 0.87 in 2025, one man has arguably done his part to keep that number from dropping even further.

In an Apr. 15 episode of 8world's Frontline, four men discussed their personal decisions on having, or not having, children.

Lo Hok Him, 42, is married with no children, while James Kwan Chee Haw, 48, has three children. Host Wu Liangxiang (transliterated) also has three children.

The man of the hour, however, was Michael See Chern Siong, 49, a secondary school teacher with eight children.

8 children

See explained that they never originally intended to have eight children.

In fact, their first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

Following that, his wife suffered from depression and developed Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

"I thought God was messing with me," See said, as he recounted how doctors told them they might not be able to conceive without medical intervention.

However, after those difficult early years, the couple eventually conceived all eight of their children naturally.

On the topic of miscarriage, Lo shared that one reason he and his wife decided not to have children was the higher risk of miscarriage due to her age.

Kwan was also no stranger to miscarriage, as he and his wife experienced one while trying for their third child.

His wife later became pregnant after undergoing surgery for a cesarean scar defect and subsequently in vitro fertilisation, which involved around 300 to 400 injections.

Is raising kids unprofitable?

Host Wu asked the panellists for their thoughts on those who say that raising children is unprofitable.

Kwan and See both disagreed, saying that viewing parenthood from a purely financial perspective is not right.

See elaborated on his family’s expenses, sharing that his children do not attend tuition or enrichment classes, as they can pursue their hobbies when they are older.

Healthcare costs are the biggest expense, he said.

When asked whether children in larger families might miss out on certain things, See said his children would disagree.

He recounted how his three oldest children once declined the idea of buying a car, as they preferred being able to sit together on the MRT.

While Lo said he was moved by the stories shared by the other two men, he admitted that he would feel very stressed and constantly question whether he had done enough for his children.

"Without kids, I won't have that stress," he said.

Kwan added that what children want most from their parents is time and love.

Support for parents

On how the government could encourage more people to have children, the men discussed the need for more subsidies and opportunities for children.

For example, citing utility bills, He pointed out that as a family of 10, the more they use, the more they are "penalised".

Lo noted that job opportunities are currently limited for younger people, and said he would have greater peace of mind as a potential parent if there were stronger support in this area.

Meanwhile, Kwan suggested allowing women to use MediSave to pay for egg freezing, as egg quality and quantity drop significantly after the age of 35.

To end off, the host said that having children is not just about statistics, and that parents must do their part to raise them well.

As for those who choose not to bear kids, we must also respect their decision, he said.

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