SINGAPORE: In today’s society, fathers have traditionally been expected to focus on work while mothers take on the primary responsibility of caring for children at home.
However, more men are breaking away from this traditional stereotype and choosing to become full-time fathers, particularly in Singapore.
Recent data from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) showed that the number of stay-at-home fathers increased from around 1,900 in 2022 to 3,000 in 2025, representing an increase of nearly 60% over the past three years. During the same period, the number of stay-at-home mothers fell from an estimated 51,600 to 37,300.
The report also noted that among men who left the workforce, the proportion who did so because of childcare responsibilities more than doubled, rising from 3.5% in 2020 to 7.4% in 2025. It should be noted that the data does not include fathers who balance part-time work with childcare responsibilities.
Changes in family and societal attitudes
The data shows very significant changes in the division of labor within Singaporean families and their societal approach. Nowadays, the data clearly explains that fathers are now being involved and are playing an important role in family childcare.
The shift was observed when flexible and hybrid work arrangements are now normalized due to the effects of the pandemic, allowing fathers to rethink their boundaries between work and family.
Fathers are now placing great importance on having parent-child time, aiming to have close attention to improving their quality time with their children.
Government to support this change
With this, the Singapore government will increase paid paternity leave from two weeks to four weeks. Furthermore, shared parental leave will also be implemented in phases, providing six weeks from April 2025 to March 2026, and further increasing to ten weeks starting April 1, 2026.
This support aims to provide institutional support in order for fathers to take care of their families even better.
Indeed, caring for the family is a shared responsibility of both parents. Nothing will ever beat the most valuable form of educating one’s child by having both parents actively involved.
This article (Number of stay-at-home fathers in Singapore rises by nearly 60% in three years) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
