Help! I’m pregnant but my father won’t stop smoking in the house

SINGAPORE: A pregnant woman took to an online forum on Sunday (Aug 11) to share her exasperation over her father, who she claimed continues to smoke in the house despite her condition.

“My father has refused to stop smoking in my house whilst I’m pregnant,” she wrote. “I part-own the flat so I can’t buy my own property and no CPF because I paid to keep the family house. Is there anything I can do?”

The woman also shared some background into the situation, writing, “My parents went through a messy divorce which caused two issues. (First), that my father never forgave my siblings and me for maintaining a relationship with my mother.

Second, due to his poor health, I needed to take over the CPF payments on the loan on our house – making me an owner.

My husband has been living in the house with me and my father (my mum and siblings moved out before my husband moved in) and now that we are pregnant, my father has started smoking and explained he wouldn’t stop unless we moved out/ took my name off the ownership of the house.

I am now staying in one of my siblings’ living rooms for the (meantime) (since) I cannot buy a house because my name is already on the family home and I have little CPF because all my contributions went into upkeeping the family house.”

She then turned to Singaporeans for insight into the stressful situation. “Is there anything I can do or any advice you can give in this situation?” she asked. “I need a home that is safe for my child but can’t really afford to rent.”

Singaporeans respond to soon-to-be mother’s call for help

Many took to the post’s comments section to empathise and share some insight. While some called out the woman’s father for his actions, others gave practical advice.

“But what kind of dad would threaten the health of an unborn baby this way,” one wrote. “You move out,” another said. “Rent out the room to multiple singles. Tell them they can cook and use laundry anytime they want. Use this rental proceed to rent a nice place for your family.

Fight fire with fire,” they added.

A third commented, “Move out ASAP. Take your name off and rent a studio or one-bedroom flat. Is your husband able to help with the rent? At this point, you just have to know when to write off your losses and look to the future.

Start saving from scratch again. I too was working overseas and recently came back to Singapore with zero CPF and not enough savings to get a downpayment on a resale flat. Currently renting and saving slowly.”

Featured image: Depositphotos