“Give him a break” – Minister Desmond Lee’s tongue-in-cheek remark about son’s homework draws flak online

SINGAPORE: A light-hearted social media post by Minister Desmond Lee about his son’s cooking has sparked a wave of reactions online, with some Singaporeans urging him to “give him a break”.

In his post, Mr Lee shared a glimpse into family life, writing that his youngest son enjoys experimenting in the kitchen.

“My youngest boy loves to tinker in the kitchen: omelette, scrambled eggs, pancakes, instant noodles with unusual ingredients and so on. Tonight he made mini pancakes for us. A bit of honey on the side and it was nice and warm, with little burnt crispy bits here and there,” he wrote, adding a heart emoji.

He ended the post with a tongue-in-cheek remark: “I hope he’s done his homework for tomorrow.”

While the comment appeared to be made in jest, it drew a range of responses from netizens, some of whom took the opportunity to weigh in on the pressures faced by children in Singapore’s education system.

One commenter wrote: “Give him a brace and also a break; homework can wait, when he simply just want to get a break and make some pancakes.”

Another, Jac, said: “Who cares about HW when he can cook and feed everybody like this?”

Others pointed to the value of practical skills, with one commenting: “Aren’t these life skills just as important?”

Some responses also touched on broader anxieties about academic expectations. Loh Loh shared: “My son loves cooking and eating too. This year his PSLE is coming. I am so worried about him. Please don’t make PSLE so difficult ya, Mr Lee. Both our parents and kids are stressed.”

Another commenter noted: “He is safe. No teacher dares to scold the Education Minister’s son even if he didn’t complete his homework.”

Although Mr Lee’s comment was clearly made in a light-hearted spirit, the reactions reflect ongoing conversations in Singapore about the balance between academic achievement and the development of life skills.

Singapore schoolchildren are often seen as facing significant academic pressure, and there has been persistent criticism that the education system may not be as well-rounded as it could be in nurturing practical abilities or supporting alternative pathways to success.

The exchange perhaps highlights how even casual remarks can tap into deeper concerns among parents about stress, expectations and what it means for children to thrive beyond the classroom.